Assessment of Microbial Diversity in Four Southwestern United States Soils by 16S rRNA Gene Terminal Restriction Fragment Analysis

• DOI: 10.1128/aem.66.7.2943-2950.2000
• Publication Date: 2002-07-27T09:55:30Z
• Authors: John Dunbar; Lawrence O. Ticknor; Cheryl R. Kuske
• Keywords: Library; Diversity index; clone (Java method); Restriction fragment

ABSTRACT The ability of terminal restriction fragment (T-RFLP or TRF) profiles 16S rRNA genes to provide useful information about the relative diversity complex microbial communities was investigated by comparison with other methods. Four soil representing two pinyon rhizosphere and between-tree (interspace) environments were compared analysis gene clone libraries culture collections (Dunbar et al., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65:1662–1669, 1998) rDNA TRF community DNA. method able differentiate four in a manner consistent previous comparisons libraries. not for calculating comparing traditional richness evenness values among environments. Statistics calculated from Rsa I, Hha Hae III, Msp I each inconsistent, combined data significantly different between samples. detection sensitivity tested. In standard PCRs, seeded population comprising 0.1 1% total could be detected. results demonstrate that is an excellent rapidly relationships bacterial environmental However, highly communities, appears unable classical measures diversity.