Journal article

Publication year: 2015

Pages: 29-37

Journal: Microbiological Research

Volume number: 179

ISSN: 0944-5013

Open access status: Bronze

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2015.06.003

Publisher: Elsevier

Abstract: 
The guts of termites feature suitable conditions for methane oxidizing bacteria (MOB) with their permanent production of CH4 and constant supply of O2 via tracheae. In this study, we have isolated MOB from the gut contents of the termites Incisitermes marginipennis, Mastotermes darwiniensis, and Neotermes castaneus for the first time. The existence of MOB was indicated by detecting pmoA, the gene for the particulate methane monooxygenase, in the DNA of gut contents. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction supported those findings. The MOB cell titer was determined to be 10(2)-10(3) per gut. Analyses of the 16S rDNA from isolates indicated close similarity to the genus Methylocystis. After various physiological tests and fingerprinting methods, no exact match to a known species was obtained, indicating the isolation of new MOB species. However, MALDI-TOF MS analyses revealed a close relationship to Methylocystis bryophila and Methylocystis parvus.

Harvard Citation style: Reuss, J., Rachel, R., Kämpfer, P., Rabenstein, A., Küver, J., Dröge, S., et al. (2015) Isolation of methanotrophic bacteria from termite gut., Microbiological Research, 179, pp. 29-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2015.06.003

APA Citation style: Reuss, J., Rachel, R., Kämpfer, P., Rabenstein, A., Küver, J., Dröge, S., & König, H. (2015). Isolation of methanotrophic bacteria from termite gut.. Microbiological Research. 179, 29-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2015.06.003