TABLE 4.
Analysis of the methanotrophic community structure by real-time PCR in a flooded rice field soil
| Methanotrophic group (assay) | Target moleculesb in rice field soil (Vercelli, 1999) | Subclass of Proteo- bacteria |
|---|---|---|
| Total methanotrophs (MTOT)a | 0.9 (±0.3)* | α and γ |
| Methylosinus group (TYPEII) | 2.7 (±1.1) | α |
| Methylocapsa group (MCAP) | ND | α |
| Forest clones (FOREST) | ND | α |
| Methylococcus group (MCOC) | 0.3 (±0.1) | γ |
| Methylobacter/Methylosarcina group (MBAC) | 2.0 (±0.9) | γ |
| Sum of groups | 5.0 (±1.4)* | α and γ |
a
Measurement with MTOT gives a result significantly different from the sum of group-specific assays (P < 0.05).
b
Expressed as 106 target molecules g (fresh weight) of soil−1 (±SE). ND, not detectable; <1.9 × 104 targets g of soil−1. Asterisks indicate that numbers deviate statistically significantly (P < 0.05).