Remarkable bacterial diversity in the tidal flat sediment as revealed by 16S rDNA analysis

Abstract

A 16S rDNA clone library was generated to investigate the bacterial diversity in tidal flat sediment in Ganghwa Island, Republic of Korea. A total of 103 clones were sequenced and analyzed by comprehensive phylogenetic analyses. No clones were identical to any of known 16S rRNA sequences in public databases. Sequenced clones fell into thirteen lineages of the domain Bacteria: the alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and epsilon Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, CFB group, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia, and known uncultured candidate divisions (OP11, BRC1, KSB1, and WS1). Two clones were not associated with any known bacterial divisions. The majority of clones belonged to the gamma and delta Proteobacteria (46.7%). Clones of Actinobacteria were distantly related to known taxa. It is evident from 16S rDNA-based community analysis that the bacterial community in tidal flat sediment is remarkably diverse and unique among other marine environments examined so far.