1. Diversity and detection of nitrate assimilation genes in marine bacteria.
- Author
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Allen AE, Booth MG, Frischer ME, Verity PG, Zehr JP, and Zani S
- Subjects
- Bacteria enzymology, DNA Primers, DNA, Bacterial analysis, DNA, Bacterial isolation & purification, Molecular Sequence Data, Nitrate Reductase, Nitrate Reductases metabolism, Nitrates metabolism, RNA, Ribosomal, 16S genetics, Sequence Analysis, DNA, Bacteria genetics, Nitrate Reductases genetics, Polymerase Chain Reaction methods, Seawater microbiology
- Abstract
A PCR approach was used to construct a database of nasA genes (called narB genes in cyanobacteria) and to detect the genetic potential for heterotrophic bacterial nitrate utilization in marine environments. A nasA-specific PCR primer set that could be used to selectively amplify the nasA gene from heterotrophic bacteria was designed. Using seawater DNA extracts obtained from microbial communities in the South Atlantic Bight, the Barents Sea, and the North Pacific Gyre, we PCR amplified and sequenced nasA genes. Our results indicate that several groups of heterotrophic bacterial nasA genes are common and widely distributed in oceanic environments.
- Published
- 2001
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