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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Urbana, Illinois » Global Change and Photosynthesis Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #252545
Title: Novel Nitrous Oxide Reductase (nosZ) Sequences in Illinois Agricultural Soils and Development of New PCR Primers for Detection of nosZ in Natural Environments

Author
item Chee Sanford, Joanne
item Connor, Lynn
item LOFFLER, FRANK - Georgia Institute Of Technology
item SANFORD, ROBERT - University Of Illinois

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2010
Publication Date: 8/22/2010
Citation: Chee-Sanford, J.C., Connor, L.M., Loffler, F.E., Sanford, R.A. 2010. Novel nitrous oxide reductase (nosZ) sequences in Illinois agricultural soils and development of new PCR primers for detection of nosZ in natural environments [abstract]. International Society for Microbial Ecology. 15:411.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The reduction of nitrous oxide to dinitrogen gas is catalyzed by nitrous oxide reductase, encoded by the nosZ gene. The heterogeneity of nosZ in natural environments have primarily been studied using sequences derived from known denitrifying bacteria. More recently, the nosZ gene from the whole genome analysis of the non-denitrifying Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans strain 2CP-C was found to be genotypically distinct from the majority nosZ genes of denitrifiers, but encodes the same respiratory function. Using PCR primers designed to specifically target nosZ of strain 2CP-C, 21 new nosZ gene fragments were retrieved from three agricultural soils in Illinois. The nucleotide sequences of 12 fragments were matched closest (79-91% identities) to nosZ from strain 2CP-C, while 9 fragments were matched closest (74-75% identities) to a putative nosZ from Gemmatimonas aurantiaca. In-frame translations deduced from the sequences were aligned with reference sequences from the Genbank database and revealed at least two NosZ protein clusters distinct from reference denitrifiers. One cluster comprised of sequences associated with Anaeromyxobacter populations and the other group included NosZ deduced from phylogenetically disparate bacteria including G. aurantiaca (Gemmatimonadetes), Dyadobacter fermentans (Bacteroidetes), and Persephonella marina (Aquaficales). Nucleotide alignments of the new sequences with reference denitrifers demonstrated that PCR primers commonly used to target nosZ in natural environments would not amplify the sequences obtained in this study. The results suggest that there is much higher diversity of nosZ in soil than previously thought and current methods must be reevaluated to investigate nitrous oxide reduction in natural environments.