title: Approaches to assess the biodiversity of bacteria in natural habitats.
abstract: Any attempt to characterize a bacterial community and their functional genes coding for enzymes of the nitrogen cycle is faced with its extreme biodiversity. Novel techniques, based on PCR amplification of target genes in DNA from environmental samples, have been developed for characterizing both cultured and as yet uncultured bacteria in the last few years. Computer-based assignment tools have now been developed utilizing terminal restriction fragments obtained from digestions with multiple restriction enzymes. Such programs allow the gross characterization of bacterial life in any complex bacterial community with confidence.
authors.affiliation: Botanical Institute, University of Cologne, Gyrhofstrasse 15, D-50923 Köln, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rösch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eilmus
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bothe
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D044822:Biodiversity; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004777:Environment; D009586:Nitrogen Fixation; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S