APPLICATION OF IMMUNOFLUORESCENT STAINING TO STUDIES OF THE ECOLOGY OF SOIL MICROORGANISMS

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Abstract
Immunofluorescent staining is described in principle, and some of the diverse applications of the method are discussed. To test the possibilities it offers for extending knowledge of the ecology of microorganisms, the technique is used to detect, identify, and measure the abundance in soil of Arthrobotrys conoides, a nematode-trapping fungus. The intensity and specificity of the staining reaction is influenced by the nature and age of the culture and by the clay content of soil. The potentialities of the procedure, however, are realized, and immunofluorescent staining is endorsed enthusiastically as a method for studying microorganisms in soil.