Antarctic Bacterial Diversity

The heterotrophic bacterial diversity from terrestrial and aquatic microbial mats from Antarctica were investigated using cultivation. Isolates were first grouped using the whole genome fingerprinting technique rep-PCR. Representatives were further studied and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. After phylogenetic analysis, strains showing ≧99,0% sequence similarity with the type strains of a particular species were identified as this species. Strains clustering within a genus but showing less than 99,0% sequence similarity with a particular species were only identified at genus level. Strains for which only partial 16S rRNA gene sequences were determined were only identified at genus level.