Serological Diversity Within a Terrestrial Ammonia-Oxidizing Population

Abstract

Fluorescent antibodies (FAs) prepared against 16 ammonia-oxidizing nitrifying bacteria were examined as to cross-reactivity in heterologous FA staining tests. Virtually all cross-reactions to the seven Nitrosomonas FAs were confined to the Nitrosomonas isolates. The five Nitrosospira , three Nitrosolobus , and one Nitrosovibrio FAs stained isolates only within their respective genera. Within each genus shared antigens were more common among Nitrosomonas and Nitrosolobus than among Nitrosospira isolates. Isolates obtained from a single soil were stained to examine the effectiveness of the suite of FAs for study of a given ammonia-oxidizing population. Of the seven Nitrosomonas isolates, five were stained effectively through the use of four FAs; six of twelve Nitrosospira isolates were identifiable through use of four different FAs. The one Nitrosolobus isolate was stained well only by one (its homologous) FA.