Phylogenetic diversity of nitrogen fixation genes in the symbiotic microbial community in the gut of diverse termites.

ABSTRACT: Nitrogen fixation by the microorganisms in the gut of termites is one of the crucial aspects of symbiosis, since termites usually thrive on a nitrogen-poor diet. The phylogenetic diversity of the nitrogen-fixing organisms within the symbiotic community in the guts of various termite species was investigated without culturing the resident microorganisms. A portion of the dinitrogenase reductase gene (nifH) was directly amplified from DNA extracted from the mixed population in the termite gut. Analysis of deduced amino acid sequences of the products of the clonally isolated nifH genes revealed the presence of diverse nifH sequences in most of the individual termite species, and their constituents were considerably different among termite species. A majority of the nifH sequences from six low

SUBMITTER: Ohkuma M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC91663 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature