Table 3.

Characteristics of the real-time PCR primer and probe sets used in this study.

Set name/target group	Sequence (5′—3′)a	Representative strainsb
MBT-set/Methanobacterialesc	F: CGWAGGGAAGCTGTTAAGT	Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum (DSM1053)
	T: AGCACCACAACGCGTGGA	Methanobrevibacter arboriphilicus (DSM 1536)
	R: TACCGTCGTCCACTCCTT
MMB-set/Methanomicrobialesc	F: ATCGRTACGGGTTGTGGG	Methanocorpusculum parvum (DSM 3823)
	T: TYCGACAGTGAGGRACGAAAGCTG	Methanomicrobium mobile (DSM 1539)
	R: CACCTAACGCRCATHGTTTAC	Methanospirillum hungatei (DSM 864)
Mst-set/Methanosaetaceaec	F: GAAACCGYGATAAGGGGA	Methanosaeta concilii (DSM 2139)
	T: TTAGCAAGGGCCGGGCAA	Methanosaeta thermoacetophila (DSM6194)
	R: TAGCGARCATCGTTTACG
Msc-set/Methanosarcinaceaec	F: TAATCCTYGARGGACCACCA	Methanosarcina acetivorans (DSM 2834)
	T: ACGGCAAGGGACGAAAGCTAGG	Methanosarcina barkeri (DSM 800)
	R: CCTACGGCACCRACMAC	Methanosarcina mazei (DSM 3647)
BAC set/Bacteriac	F: ACTCCTACGGGAGGCAG	Escherichia Coli K12 (DSM 498)
	T: TGCCAGCAGCCGCGGTAATAC
	R: GACTACCAGGGTATCTAATCC
DsrB-setd	F: CAACATCGTYCAYACCCAGGG	Desulfovibrio longus (DSM 6739T)
	R: GTGTAGCAGTTACCGCA

^aF, T, and R indicate forward primer, TaqMan probe, and reverse primer, respectively.

^bCulture collection numbers are in parentheses.

^cYu et al. (2005a), Lee et al. (2009).

^dGeets et al. (2006), Wagner et al. (1998).