Archaea are widespread in marine sediments, but their occurrence and relationship with natural salinity gradients in estuarine sediments is not well understood. This study investigated the abundance and diversity of Archaea in sediments at three sites [Brightlingsea (BR), Alresford (AR) and Hythe (HY)] along the Colne Estuary, using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) of 16S rRNA genes, DNA hybri...

There are barriers to cross-expression of genes between Bacteroides spp. and Escherichia coli. In this study, a lux-based reporter system was developed for Bacteroides and used to compare the promoter structure and function of a Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron 4001 (BT4001) 16S rRNA promoter with those of E. coli in vivo. Analysis of the BT4001 sequences upstream of the 16S rRNA gene revealed the ...

Heterogeneity among ribosomal operons in Vibrio vulnificus is purported as a probabilistic indicator of strain virulence and classifies V. vulnificus strains as 16S rRNA genes type A and B. In this study, 16S rRNA genes typing of V. vulnificus strains isolated from the Valencia city coast, in the western Mediterranean, showed that 24 out of 30 isolates were type A, one was type B and five could...

This study is the first study that provides useful guidelines to clinical microbiologists and technicians on the usefulness of full 16S rRNA sequencing, 5'-end 527-bp 16S rRNA sequencing and the existing MicroSeq full and 500 16S rDNA bacterial identification system (MicroSeq, Perkin-Elmer Applied Biosystems Division, Foster City, California, USA) databases for the identification of all existin...

The surface layer of the oceans and other aquatic environments contains many bacteria that range in activity, from dormant cells to those with high rates of metabolism. However, little experimental evidence exists about the activity of specific bacterial taxa, especially rare ones. Here we explore the relationship between abundance and activity by documenting changes in abundance over time and ...

In this paper, we describe the detection of bacterial cell-extracted 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) using an emerging technology, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) imaging of DNA arrays. Surface plasmon resonance enables detection of molecular interactions on surfaces in response to changes in the index of refraction, therefore eliminating the need for a fluorescent or radioactive label. A variation of...

The genus Burkholderia (β-Proteobacteria) currently comprises more than 60 species, including parasites, symbionts and free-living organisms. Several new species of Burkholderia have recently been described showing a great diversity of phenotypes. We examined the diversity of Burkholderia spp in environmental samples collected from Caatinga and Atlantic rainforest biomes of Bahia, Brazil. Legum...

The gene encoding the small subunit rRNA serves as a prominent tool for the phylogenetic analysis and classification of Bacteria and Archaea owing to its high degree of conservation and its fundamental function in living organisms. Here we show that the 16S rRNA genes of not-yet-cultivated large sulfur bacteria, among them the largest known bacterium Thiomargarita namibiensis, regularly contain...

Bacillus globisporus and Bacillus psychrophilus are one among many pairs of ecologically distinct taxa that are distinguished by very few nucleotide differences in 16S rRNA gene sequence. This study has investigated whether the lack of divergence in 16S rRNA between such species stems from the unusually slow rate of evolution of this molecule, or whether other factors might be preventing neutra...

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is a valuable ornamental species widely planted in Brazil. Many plants are affected by witches' broom disease, which is characterized by excessive axillary branching, abnormally small leaves, and deformed flowers, symptoms that are characteristic of diseases attributed to phytoplasmas. A phytoplasma was detected in diseased Hibiscus by amplification of rRNA operon sequenc...