Correlation between Phylogeny and Zn-Resistance in Methylobacterium Species Isolated from Non-Polluted Soil Environments

  • Kim, Hong-Ik (Microbial Resources and Chemotaxonomy Research Group, National Institute of Bioscience and Human-Technology, Agency of Industrial Science and Technology) ;
  • Kazunori Nakamura (Microbial Resources and Chemotaxonomy Research Group, National Institute of Bioscience and Human-Technology, Agency of Industrial Science and Technology) ;
  • Hiroshi Oyaizu (Department of Global Agricultural Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo)
  • Published : 2000.10.01

Abstract

Zn-resistant Methylosobacterium strains were isolated from several non-polluted soil samples collected in all over Japan. Zn-resistant Methylosobacterium strains were predominantly detected in all soil samples and they were also characterized as a UV-tolerant bacteria. The MIC test revealed that the isolates have high zinc resistance in comparison with that of reference Methylosobacterium strains obtained from culture collections. The 16S rDNA-based phylogenetic analysis showed that all strains were divided into two clusters designated as cluster A and cluster B in the present study. All isolates were distributed only in the cluster A. The phylogenetic clustering also well coincided with the differences in the pattern of carbon source utilization.

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