Immunofluorescent assay for the marine ammonium-oxidizing bacterium Nitrosococcus oceanus
Nitrification is one of the important microbiological transformations of nitrogen in the ocean. Traditional enrichment-culture methods for enumerating the autotrophic bacteria which oxidize ammonium to nitrite are very time consuming (months) and are believed to seriously underestimate natural abundances. A fluorescent-antibody assay for a marine ammonium-oxidizing bacterium was developed to provide a rapid and direct means of identifying these microorganisms. Antibodies to Nitrosococcus oceanus were prepared and tested against pure cultures of marine, freshwater, and soil ammonium oxidizers and against bacteria from natural seawater samples. Cell counts of culture samples determined by the fluorescent-antibody assay agreed with hemacytometer and acridine orange counts. Our results demonstrated that the immunofluorescent assay is a powerful tool for the detection of Nitrosococcus in the marine environment.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Washington, Seattle
- DOE Contract Number:
- E-76-S-06-2225-TA26 number5(RLO-2225-T26-77)
- OSTI ID:
- 5372216
- Journal Information:
- Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Vol. 39:4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
ANTIBODIES
FLUORESCENCE
IMMUNE REACTIONS
BIOASSAY
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
BACTERIA
NITROGEN FIXATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ECOSYSTEMS
LUMINESCENCE
MICROORGANISMS
550700* - Microbiology
520100 - Environment
Aquatic- Basic Studies- (-1989)
550200 - Biochemistry