Serological Diversity Within a Terrestrial Ammonia-Oxidizing Population

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Abstract
Fluorescent antibodies (FA) prepared against 16 NH3-oxidizing nitrifying bacteria were examined as to cross-reactivity in heterologous FA staining tests. Virtually all cross-reactions to the 7 Nitrosomonas FA were confined to the Nitrosomonas isolates. The 5 Nitrosospira, 3 Nitrosolobus and 1 Nitrosovibrio FA 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 FA for study of a given NH3-oxidizing population. Of the 7 Nitrosomonas isolates, 5 were stained effectively through the use of 4 FA; 6 of 12 Nitrosospira isolates were identifiable through use of 4 different FA. The 1 Nitrosolobus isolate was stained well only by 1 (its homologous) FA.