Development of molecular detection method for heterotrophic nitrifying bacteria using pod as the target gene and its application to the environmental dynamics analysis

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K00517
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Environmental dynamic analysis
• Research Institution: Shizuoka University
• Principal Investigator: Fujiwara Taketomo 静岡大学, 創造科学技術大学院, 教授 (80209121)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 硝化 / 窒素サイクル / 土壌 / 微生物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Pyruvic oxime dioxygenase (POD) is a key enzyme participating in a heterotrophic nitrification. Using designed specific primers, we attempted PCR amplification of the POD gene using environmental DNA collected from various kinds of soil. All the products obtained were POD genes from Beauveria bassiana, a eukaryotic microorganism of the phylum Ascomycota. Further we conducted biochemical analysis of the recombinant of B. bassiana POD, and the cultivation experiments using the isolate of B. bassiana. Those results indicate that B. bassiana may be significantly involved in heterotrophic nitrification which is highly active especially in the acidic forest soils.

Free Research Field

環境動態解析

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

降水量が多く森林に富む日本は、酸性土壌に広く覆われている。酸性土壌における硝化作用は従属栄養性の微生物の寄与が大きいことが知られている。ところが独立栄養性硝化の分子機構や微生物生態がよく理解されているのに対して、従属栄養性硝化に関してはほとんど不明なまま残されている。本研究によって、従属栄養性硝化微生物に関する生態学的な評価や生化学的分析が可能となった。