Use of 16S Ribosomal DNA for Delineation of Marine Bacterioplankton Species

• DOI: 10.1128/aem.68.7.3628-3633.2002
• Publication Date: 2002-07-28T23:07:23Z
• Authors: Åke Hagström; Thomas Pommier; Forest Rohwer; Karin Simu; Willem Stolte; Dominika Svensson; Ulla Li Zweifel
• Keywords: Bacterioplankton; Environmental DNA; Marine bacteriophage

ABSTRACT All of the marine bacterioplankton-derived 16S ribosomal DNA sequences previously deposited in GenBank were reanalyzed to determine number bacterial species oceanic surface waters. These have been entered into database since 1990. The rate new additions reached a peak 1999 and subsequently leveled off, suggesting that much microbial richness has sampled. When dereplicated by using 97% similarity as cutoff, 1,117 unique ribotypes found. Of sequences, 609 came from uncultured environmental clones 508 cultured bacteria. We conclude apparent bacterioplankton is relatively low.