title: Polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis of bacterial community structure in the food, intestines, and feces of earthworms.
abstract: The bacterial communities in the food, intestines, and feces of earthworms were investigated by PCR-denaturing Gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). In this study, PCR-DGGE was optimized by testing 6 universal primer sets for microbial 16S rRNA in 6 pure culture strains of intestinal microbes in earthworms. One primer set effectively amplified 16S rRNA from bacterial populations that were found in the food, intestines, and feces of earthworms. Compared with the reference markers from the pure culture strains, the resulting DGGE profiles contained 28 unique DNA fragments. The dominant microorganisms in the food, intestines, and feces of earthworms included Rhodobacterales bacterium, Fusobacteria, Ferrimonas marina, Aeromonas popoffii, and soil bacteria. Other straisn, such as Acinetobacter, Clostridium, and Veillonella, as well as rumen bacteria and uncultured bacteria also were present. These results demonstrated that PCR-DGGE analysis can be used to elucidate bacterial diversity and identify unculturable microorganisms.
authors: Division of Biological Science and Technology, Yonsei University, Wonju 220-710, Republic of Korea.
authors: Sung Wook
authors: SW
authors: Hong
authors: Ju Sam
authors: JS
authors: Lee
authors: Kun Sub
authors: KS
authors: Chung
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D058645:Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis; D017753:Ecosystem; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000382:microbiology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S