Radioactive fingerprinting of microorganisms that oxidize atmospheric methane in different soils
Microorganisms that oxidize atmospheric methane in soils were characterized by radioactive labeling with {sup 14}CH{sub 4} followed by analysis of radiolabelled phospholipid ester-linked fatty acids ({sup 14}C-PLFAs). The radioactive fingerprinting technique was used to compare active methanotrophs in soil samples from Greenland, Denmark, the United States, and Brazil. The {sup 14}C-PLFA fingerprints indicated that closely related methanotrophic bacteria were responsible for the oxidation of atmospheric methane in the soils. Significant amounts of labeled PLFAs produced by the unknown soil methanotrophs coeluted with a group of fatty acids that included i17:0, a17:0, and 17:1{omega}8c. These PLFAs are not known to be significant constituents of methanotrophic bacteria. The major PLFAs of the soil methanotrophs coeluted with 18:1 and 18:0 fatty acids. The {sup 14}C-PLFAs fingerprints of the soil methanotrophs that oxidized atmospheric methane did not change after long-term methane enrichment at 170 ppm CH{sub 4}. The {sup 14}C-PLFA fingerprints of the soil methanotrophs were different from the PLFA profiles of type 1 and type 2 methanotrophic bacteria described previously. Some similarity at the PLFA level was observed between the unknown soil methanotrophs and the PLFA phenotype of the type 2 methanotrophs.
- Research Organization:
- Aalborg Univ. (DK)
- OSTI ID:
- 20000241
- Journal Information:
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Vol. 65, Issue 9; Other Information: PBD: Sep 1999; ISSN 0099-2240
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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