Skip to main content
OSTI.GOVU.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
 

Use of genetically marked minicells as a probe in measurement of predation on bacteria in aquatic environments. [Ochromonas sp. ; Escherichia coli]

Journal Article · · Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5125770
; ; ;
Minicells produced by Escherichia coli M2141 were used as probes to measure predation on pelagic bacteria in situ. The minicells, labeled with (/sup 35/S)methionine in one specific protein, were shown to disappear in the presence of a microflagellate (Ochromonas sp.), as seen by a decrease in the amount of labeled marker protein with time. Incubation in filtered (pore size, 0.2 ..mu..m) and autoclaved seawater did not affect the amount of labeled marker protein in the minicell. The generation time of flagellates feeding on minicells was determined to be similar to that found for flagellates grown on seawater bacteria or living E. coli NC3. Data indicate that minicells are seen as true food particles by the flagellates. The minicell probe was used in recapture experiments, in which predation in situ on pelagic bacteria was demonstrated. The rate of bacterial production showed a clear covariation with the rate of predation, both in different sea areas and in depth profiles. The obtained results (11 field experiments) showed that the rate of predation, on average, accounts for the consumption of 62% of the bacteria produced.
Research Organization:
Univ. of Umea, Sweden
OSTI ID:
5125770
Journal Information:
Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States) Vol. 52:1; ISSN AEMID
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

DNA degradation in minicells of Escherichia coli K-12. II. Effect of recA1 and recB21 mutations on DNA degradation in minicells and detection of exonuclease V activity
Journal Article · Tue Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1974 · Mol. Gen. Genet., v. 138, pp. 179-192 · OSTI ID:4153710
Aberrant regulation of synthesis and degradation of viral proteins in coliphage lambda-infected UV-irradiated cells and in minicells
Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · J. Virol.; (United States) · OSTI ID:6122565
Subunit interactions of the Escherichia coli mannitol permease: correlation with enzymic activities
Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986 · Biochemistry; (United States) · OSTI ID:6602633

Related Subjects

550501* -- Metabolism-- Tracer Techniques
550701 -- Microbiology-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
BACTERIA
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL MARKERS
CELL CONSTITUENTS
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
ECOSYSTEMS
ESCHERICHIA COLI
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
GENETIC ENGINEERING
INVERTEBRATES
ISOTOPES
LABELLING
LIGHT NUCLEI
MICROORGANISMS
NUCLEI
PLASMIDS
PREDATOR-PREY INTERACTIONS
PROTOZOA
RADIOISOTOPES
SULFUR 35
SULFUR ISOTOPES