Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 March 2009
Using 16S rDNA-polymerase chain reaction–denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE), electron microscopy and a conventional plating method, the genetic diversity and phenotype polymorphism of the endophytic bacteria within Azolla microphylla were explored. The 16S rDNA-PCR-DGGE profile showed a complex and divergent bacterial community, with Bacillus cereus as the dominant species, within the Azolla–cyanobacteria association. This result was supported by the fact that endobacterial cells exhibited distinct ultrastructural characteristics in vivo and, in vitro, bacteria displayed various colonies with different sizes, shapes and colours. This study demonstrates that the genetic diversity of endophytic bacteria in Azolla can be investigated using the16S rDNA-PCR-DGGE technique.
First published in Journal of Agricultural Biotechnology 2008, 16(3): 508–514