Prevalence and microdiversity of Alteromonas macleodii-like microorganisms in different oceanic regions

Environ Microbiol. 2002 Jan;4(1):42-50. doi: 10.1046/j.1462-2920.2002.00255.x.

Abstract

The presence, prevalence and variability of microorganisms related to the species Alteromonas macleodii, a well known culturable gamma-Proteobacterium, has been studied in different seawater samples from diverse geographical locations, in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres, and tested with two molecular techniques (rRNA hybridization and gene cloning and sequencing). Results show that A. macleodii-like microorganisms are present in high proportions in North Atlantic and, especially, Mediterranean waters, being higher at deep samples and particle-associated fractions, in agreement with previous findings. In contrast, Southern samples (all from very cold areas near Antarctica) presented no significant hybridization signals. The analysis of the ribosomal ITS (16S-23S internal transcribed spacers) revealed that A. macleodii-like microorganisms from Mediterranean, North Atlantic, Caribbean and Red Sea waters differed in both size and sequence, mostly depending on their geographical origin, with Mediterranean and North Atlantic clones clustering into two main groups whereas Caribbean and Red Sea clones appeared separated.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alteromonas / classification*
  • Alteromonas / genetics
  • Alteromonas / isolation & purification
  • Antarctic Regions
  • Base Sequence
  • Caribbean Region
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / analysis
  • Indian Ocean
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • RNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • RNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 23S / genetics
  • Seawater / microbiology
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Water Microbiology*

Substances

  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer
  • RNA, Bacterial
  • RNA, Ribosomal
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 23S

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AF408809
  • GENBANK/AF408810
  • GENBANK/AF408811
  • GENBANK/AF408812
  • GENBANK/AF408813
  • GENBANK/AF408814
  • GENBANK/AF408815
  • GENBANK/AF408816
  • GENBANK/AF408817
  • GENBANK/AF408818
  • GENBANK/AF408819
  • GENBANK/AF408820
  • GENBANK/AF408821
  • GENBANK/AF408822
  • GENBANK/AF408823
  • GENBANK/AF408824
  • GENBANK/AF408825
  • GENBANK/AF408826
  • GENBANK/AF408827
  • GENBANK/AF408828
  • GENBANK/AF408829
  • GENBANK/AF408830
  • GENBANK/AF408831
  • GENBANK/AF408832
  • GENBANK/AF408833
  • GENBANK/AF408834
  • GENBANK/AF408835
  • GENBANK/AF408836
  • GENBANK/AF408837
  • GENBANK/AF408838
  • GENBANK/AF408839
  • GENBANK/AF408840
  • GENBANK/AF408841