TABLE 5.
16S rRNA gene copy numbers for the groups of methanogens quantified by RT-PCR in the fresh and mature sludges
| Target | 16S rRNA gene copy no. (copies g−1 sludge) ina:
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Fresh sludge | Mature sludge | |
| Methanoculleus | 3.9 × 108 (1.2 × 108) | 9.0 × 108 (2.2 × 108)* |
| Uncultured group | 5.7 × 106 (1.3 × 106)* | 2.3 × 106 (4.3 × 105) |
| Methanothermobacter | 1.6 × 106 (6.0 × 105) | 1.4 × 106 (7.4 × 105) |
| Methanosaeta | ND | ND |
| Methanosarcina | ND | ND |
a
Standard deviations are given in parentheses (n = 5). Asterisks indicate significant differences at P < 0.05, after Student's t test with SPSS 15.0. ND, not detected (<600 gene copies g−1 sludge).