title: Seasonal dynamics of particle-associated and free-living marine Proteobacteria in a salt marsh tidal creek as determined using fluorescence in situ hybridization.
abstract: The seasonal distributions of salt marsh free-living and particle-associated bacteria belonging to three subdivisions of the Proteobacteria were determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). More than 66% (median = 78%) of total bacterial cells that were stainable with the fluorescent DNA stain Yo-Pro-1 were also detected using the bacterial probe EUB338. The alpha-Proteobacteria, especially those from the marine Rhodobacter group, were abundant on suspended particles and as free-living cells all year round. The marine Rhodobacter group constituted more than 25% of the particle-associated bacteria and more than 18% of the free-living bacteria. Probes specific for three subgroups within the marine Rhodobacter group detected more than 49% of the total marine Rhodobacter group cells. These subgroups displayed different seasonal dynamics. The marine Rhodobacter group is clearly a widespread, diverse and important bacterial lineage in bacterioplankton and particle-associated assemblages in south-eastern United States salt marshes at all times of the year.
authors.affiliation: Marine Science Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
authors.forename: Hongyue
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Lovell
mesh_terms: D017753:Ecosystem; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D020560:Proteobacteria / Q000254:growth & development*; D012621:Seasons; D013022:South Carolina; D014871:Water Microbiology