Influence of growth rate and starvation on fluorescent in situ hybridization of Rhodopseudomonas palustris

• Published in: FEMS microbiology ecology 2000-06, Vol.32 (3), p.205-213
• Main Authors: Oda, Yasuhiro, Slagman, Simen-Jan, Meijer, Wim G., Forney, Larry J., Gottschal, Jan C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Bacteriological methods and techniques used in bacteriology; Bacteriology; Batch culture; Biological and medical sciences; Cell culture; Ecology; Fluorescence; Fluorescence in situ hybridization; Fluorescent in situ hybridization; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Growth rate; Hybridization; Microbial ecology; Microbiology; Physiology; Rhodopseudomonas palustris; RNA content; rRNA 16S; Starvation; Various environments (extraatmospheric space, air, water); Viability
• ISSN: 0168-6496; 1574-6941
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2000.tb00713.x

Abstract In situ hybridization with a fluorescently labeled 16S rRNA-targeted probe was examined using Rhodopseudomonas palustris as a model organism, which had been grown at different rates and under different conditions of growth and starvation. The specific growth rate did not affect the percentage of hybridized cells in aerobically grown R. palustris cultures. However, significant changes in the percentage of hybridized cells occurred during extended periods of starvation. These changes were observed both in batch cultures grown and starved aerobically in the dark, and in cultures grown phototrophically and starved anaerobically in the dark. Aerobic growth in batch culture and subsequent starvation resulted in a complete lack of detectable hybridization after 20 days of starvation. In contrast, even after 30 days of starvation, 50% of all cells were still detectable in cultures grown aerobically at growth rates