bacterial predators of seaweeds. Isolation of social bacterial predators from seaweeds

Predators are known to be important for ecosystem stability, functioning and energy flows. Predatory bacteria (that prey upon other bacteria) are found in many environments, including the oceans. One particular group of social bacterial predators, the Myxobacteria, are abundant in terrestrial environments, but infrequently found in the marine environment. Molecular analysis of the microbiomes of seaweeds suggests that Myxobacteria may co-occur relatively frequently with seaweeds. To verify this observation, we used a live bait agar plating technique (Iizuka et al, 1998) try and isolate these predatory bacteria from healthy living seaweeds in Oban (Scotland). This study reports the partial 16S rRNA gene sequences of pure culture isolates of predatory bacteria affiliated with the Myxobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Partial 16S rRNA accession numbers are: OQ608091, OQ608092, OQ608093, OQ608094 & OQ608095.