<<

berries.

other

-, they the

berries.

microscopy

shows

composition primarily

(PSBs), course,

of Abstract.

Purple

A

Sippewissett

berries.

exclude

Microscopic

small

that

berries,

Microbial

Cytophaga,

FISH

as

In

by

PSBs

expected,

this

rod-shaped

are

SRB

of

the

other

experiments

Aggregates

macroscopic

project,

the

shown.

Salt

including

MBL

cluster

FISH

Diversity

microorganisms

berries.

and

Marsh.

but

Microbial

Microbial

bacteria

was

microscopy

Results

in

sulfate-reducing

there

Investigation

both

Scripps

distinct

showed

Marine

Previous

researchers

inconclusive

aggregates

They

does

the

surrounding

suggest

Diversity

Diversity

From

have

large

microscopic

Institution

Biology

that

including

not

was

researchers

Koty

seem

been

of

most

have

that

used

purple

and bacteria

purple

course.

2002,

Sippewissett

Research

the

the

Sharp

observed

characterized

to

of

needs

to

of

of

formations

be

the

PSB

test

berries

Oceanography

suggested

Woods

sulfur

(SRB5)

a

Purple

Over

cells

to

those

consistent

clusters.

Division

bacteria

be

and

are

bacteria,

in

the

Hole,

repeated.

are

hypotheses.

researched

the

within

primarily

the

that

that

past

major

in

physiology

Sulfur

presence

aggregates

MA

purple

Marsh

are

the

are

several

the

Microscopy

components

found

found

clusters,

purple

purple

for

sulfur

Here,

of

years

about

Bacterial

belong

throughout

and

in

Cytophaga

sulfur

berries,

results

bacteria

and

tidal

species

of

a

also

of

the

decade,

also

to

poois

the

from

the

and

the in ‘‘

PSBs.

interacted berries

Cytophaga community.

sampled. clone marine

sequences and rods.

characterization

al.

microscopy. phase

(PSB5).

Based how

remains

Chromatiaceae,

they

Introduction

stated

sequencing

they

have

library,

In

microscopy,

on

might

clone.”

Purple

much

However,

1997,

in

In

morphology,

form.

in

caught

most

could

their

(Banin,

addition

a

In

be

Analysis

it

complex

“berries”

to

Udi

addition, was Because

yielded

closely

of

aggregates

purple

Seitz

both

paper

be

researchers’

the

they and

Banin

inferred

a,

understood

1997;

to

et

be

further

microbial

of

it

intracellular

that

micro-food

related

sulfur

sequences

these

also

are

the

al.

Cytophaga

cultured

was

extracted

did

Bedard,

of

the

first

aggregates

Cytophaga

that

noted

DNA

a

determined

confirming

bacteria

PSBs,

attention

to

berries

mini-project

about

characterized

communities

those

a

from

from

the

1998).

pigments

web

sulfur-oxidizing

results,

sulfur

and

Cytophaga,

what

presence

(PSB).

species

were

found

the

for

and

PSBs,

where

SRB

the

that

granules

These

berries,

at

culture-based

-2-

they

SRB

primarily

on

by

presence

least

in

the

sequences

purple

in

Purple

Cytophaga,

might

SRBs

the

of

Seitz

tidal

are,

a

and

data

sequences

berries

other

purple

the

berries

along

are

endosymbiont

their

produce

be

SRBs,

berries

pools

pigment

et

were

made

past

of

visible

important

al.

bacteria,

were

purple are

with

results

berry.

ecological

with

sulfate-reducers

decade.

interpreted confirmed

of

dominated

and

of

aggregates in

sulfide,

found

Sippewissett

other

under of

purple

the

the

sulfur

that

showed

In

the

including

in

and

literature

goals

this

However,

anaerobic

across

these darkfield

cells

the

significance,

“feeding”

sulfur

the

bacteria.

to

an”unidentified

in

project,

of

purple

that

of

suggest

numbers

presence

is

species

and

Marsh,

all

short

further

visible

bacteria

in

SRBs

there

berries

two 1995.

berry

cloning

the

Seitz

stubby

that

and

in

and

of

and

under

the et

results

there DNA

jars

old) containers

was were

Sippewissett Materials

Collection procedures

probes

berries

microscopy

some

present

understand

species

interactions

in

photographed,

for

extraction

was

immediately

experiments

the

suggest

Some

to

“Berries”

is

Although

microscopy.

represented

within

either

necessary.

elucidate

pooi

to

and

on

the

were

within

Marsh

ensure

protocols

methods

sequence

that

the

Methods makeup

sediment

very

were

it

used

rinsed

aggregates.

were

unless

although

bacterial

the

is

by

and

that

little

In

interesting

were

collected

in

the

architecture

of

this

done

brought

diversity.

a

and

and

conjunction

otherwise

or

wide

a

sequences/cultures

attempted

project,

berry,

amplifiable

aggregates,

no

.

fixed

to

They

range

PSB

understand

with

back

to

visualization

for

of

make

noted,

epifluorescence

Berries

do

DNA

water

to

with

of

purple

to

microscopy

not

bacterial

the these

berry

extract

conjectures

cytological

in berries

-3-

and

the

imply

laboratory

from

berries

the

obtained

results

types

effects

sediment

of

PSB

samples.

DNA

different

abundance

were

upon

the

and

on

and

DNA

only

about

microscopic

stains

of

where

in

was

a

used

return

lineages

confocal

different

from

microscopic

the

suggest

pools

It

from

possible

extracted

and

fresh

was

laboratory. or

they

to

the

significance

the

were

specific

lab.

were

noted

laser

DNA

that

tidal

were

(no

structure

berries,

species-species

from

When scale.

kept

more

these

observed.

scanning

pools

that

kept

isolation

oligonucleotide

In

the

in

the

than order

but

of

species

fresh

of

in

In

in

different

berries,

various

sealed

any

addition,

PSB

PCR

1

Berries

to

tissue

day

of

are the

pujLf(5

Marsh AGAGTHGATCMTGGCTC)

primer

Also

CGCACCTGGACTGGAC-3

PCR

were AGAGTTTGATCCTGGCTCAG-3’)

To

and

lx(95°C used extraction.

then

NaC1,

beads

200uM

tried

them

clusters

ig

purple

test

run

incubated

used

for

used

for

up,

from

design).

100mM

set

‘-CTKTTCGACTTGTGGGTSGG-3

if

urea

at

were

PCR

5

periods

the

and

berry

targeting were

70V

with

mm),

This

the

for

DNA

the

difficult

experiments.

EDTA,

in

for

Taq

Mol

the

was

35x 3

from

extraction

results

lysis

hours,

45

extraction

primer

specifically

DNA

Bio

frozen

(95°C

minutes.

5-lOminutes.

to

buffer

10mg/mi

were

Soil

then

dissociate,

polymerase

sets

30sec,

procedure

and

DNA

‘)/pujM75Or

was

at

put

assessed

targeting

Universal pulverized

and

purple

37°C

lysozyme).

in

45-65°C

successful,

Extraction

PURPR

lysis

so

0.5g

for

and

on seemed

sulfur

using several

the

a

1

buffer

berry

(5

eubacterial

1

in

gradient BioRad

hour

492r

-4-

photosynthetic

‘)/puJM75Or.

‘-CCCATSGTCCAGCGCCAGAA-3’),

(5’-CAGCGTCAGTGTTGAACC-3’

In

bacteria light

a

DNA

to

Kit

protocols

frozen

was

addition,

for

and

(5’ break

and

microscopy.

iCycler

-GGTTACCTTGTTACGACTT-3’)

30

was

extraction

bead-beated

bead-beated.

was

16S

(-80°C)

with

sec,

up

run

were

the

the

rRNA

In

used:

puf with

72°C

1mm

out

berries

addition,

PSB

used

ceramic

with

genes

Bead

on

PSB

the

in

primers

1

glass

In

mm),

cells

a

lysis

in

Qiagen

following

were

0.8%

another

pifM557f

16S

beating

an

a

beads

mortar

the

1

buffer

lx(72°C

attempt

8F

6S

incubated

25F

agarose

DNEasy

most

rRNA

were

experiment,

(5’-

with

and

conditions:

(5’-

(150mM

(5’-

to

and

7

pestle,

(T.

both

the

gel

mm).

break

in

DNA

and was

were

ad

Margy

stored cryosectioned

to

more

fully

formaldehyde

Fluorescent

sucrose

the

confocal

and setting

1X “RHODAMINE”

emits

Microscopy

“FITC” minutes

manipulate

dried

PBS

Zeiss

spacing

then

infiltrated

than

around

at

Gentile).

To

For

saved

Berries

for

in

filter

and

—8

at

LSM.

LSM

coated

prepare

In

a

a

RT.

0°C

FISH,

at

few

46°C between

transferred

Situ

with

660nm.

least

for set.

to

(in

software.

with

were

These

Samples

several

3Oum

Hybridization

The

in

sectioning.

1X

oven.

fresh

filter

the

In

the

12

0.1%

sucrose)

cut

addition,

PBS)

clusters

sections

hours

slides

attached

Stained

were

sections

berries

set.

into

days

equatorially

Because

agarose were

for

examined

These

(until

for

a

(FISH)

before

before

After

was

were

30%

fresh

it

viewed

16

were

confocal

in

hybridization,

was

(gel

of

hours

measured

a

the

images

the

placed

sucrose

cryotome

berries

problems

sectioning,

cryosectioning.

cut

informative

and

berries

strength

under

under

berries

at

in

image

stained

4°C.

displayed

directly

half,

-5-

were

solution

using

the

the

sank

at

with

the

were

1

files.

they

preserved

The

,200g/cm 2 )

—20°C

Zeiss

“RHOD/FITC”

also

with

to

slides

the

to

onto

sections

infiltrated

visualize

as

samples

crumbled

autofluorescence

We

the

Approximate

visualized

distance

SybrGreen

Axioscope

a

(by

gelatine-coated

were

bottom

cryoprotectant.

found

in

highly

and

falling

freshly

were

the

removed

with

measurement

very

that

dried

on

of

setting,

berries

(10-s

with

skilled

then

off

sizing

the

sucrose,

a

easily

if

diluted

Zeiss

again

they

of

x

of

the

tube

from

rinsed

glass

stock)

a

under

They

chi

the

fellow

of

multi-channel

and

Chroma

were

Axioscope

at

and

4%

they

cell

the function

a,

slides,

slides

46°C.

2X

were

were

the

which

for

were

freezer

student

in

clusters

were

with

10

for

and

hard

they

in

For of

base

Eubacterial Archaea

Gamma

Cytophaga-Flavobacteria

Beta Alpha

General Target

concentration The

RT,

0.01%

* the

containing

added the competitor Tris-HC1,

hybridization

slide).

(lOul

note:

slides

Cy3-labeled

following

stained

mismatch)

subclass

Cy3-labeled

subclass

to

SDS)

all

In

subclass

Eubacterial

lOul

were

the

35%

of

hybridization

probe,

non

with

at

the

of

of 13

with

hybridization

rRNA

of 48°C

incubated

formamide,

and

(negative

proteobacteria

13

5Ong/ul:

hybridizations

DAPI,

of

proteobacteria

and

probe

probe

all

proteobacteria

y

for

oligonucleotide

probed

probes

lOul

and

30

was

solution

(5Ong/ul)

in

control

cluster

minutes.

0.01%

of

buffer.

wash

mounted

samples,

added

except

hybridization

were

—one

and

buffer

SDS))

+

and

The

the

The

20u1

performed

probes

in

incubated

10u1

CitiFluor

lOul

13

coated

(900mM

slides

was

hybridization

and

-6-

of

solution

EUB

ARCH315

CF3

GAM42a

BET42a ALF968 EUB338

Probe

used

of

added

labeled

y

were

slides

the

probes,

with

for

1

were

non anti-fade

9a NaC1,

name

unlabeled

5

to

briefly

was

formamide

hours

were

probe,

the

all

buffer

lOul

20mM

added.

added

top

placed

medium.

at

rinsed

of

lOul

competitor

46°C.

of

(900mM

Tris-HC1,

hybridization

concentration

from

For

each

of

in

in

non-labeled

After

humidity

example,

QH2O,

stock

section

NaC1,

y

5mM

hybridization,

probe

air-dried

solution

(2

20mM

chambers

at

lOul

EDTA,

per

were

35%.

of at

purple

contains

other

clusters.

observed other

Microscopy

image,

primers

suggesting

However,

DNA

extracts,

successfully Results

be

RT.

berries

alternative was

a

not

great

In

organisms

microorganisms,

Work

clump

there

Figure

There

and

In

both

did

diminished.

distinct

and

In

within

neither

asset an

that

method

fixed

these

amplify

are amplified

samples,

the

attempt

from

was

la

the

to

to

the

distinctly

clusters

250bp

is

channels, cryosections

the

consistent

getting

the

sediment

primers

that

a

PSB

PSB

representative

This

larger to

the

same

were

this

product

successfully

eliminate

of

clusters.

control

cells

robust

organized

method

DNA

were

PSBs,

other

puf

noted

scale

around

amplification

were

were

product

from

OK

and

DNA

extract,

organisms,

as

but

autofluorescence

(not

This

was

phase

Oyster

treated

the

extracts

damaged

clusters

but

repeatable

the

they

shown).

not

across

is

pimers

clusters

the

pufM

45-65°C

in

contrast

are

with used

Pond.

-7-

with

contrast

DNA

including

with

or

most

by

much

primer

nor

bleaches

FISH

the

for

No

in

7:2

the

distinct

annealing

The

extraction

image

the

the

of

from

eubacterial

the

organisms

acetone:methanol

smaller,

to

treatments,

results

the

pair

purple

photosynthetic

Oyster

PSB-specific

FISH

Figure

pigments

the

of

temperature

channels

was

a

temperature

tissues,

from

was

and

experiments,

berries.

piece

Pond

other

ib,

primers

amplified

and

do

problematic.

which

berry

from

surrounding

purple of

than

not

both

the

16S

eukaryotes

gradient,

a

for

from

the

berry.

seem

sections.

autofluorescence

gradient.

is

primers

PSBs

successfully.

freshly

10

but

clump

a

cells

DNA

picture

minutes

to

an

In

were

the

exclude

would

fixed

this

and

The

of

at a

between

Zeiss

cyanobacterial

to

berries,

confocal filamentous

closer

the

lOum in clusters

l5Oum

striking

granules pink/purple equatorially.

middle

of

exclude

the

the

patterns

LSM

between

JR

look

80

Figure

wide,

Figure

Figures

section

and

that

across

cyanobacteria

microscopy,

in

spectrum,

berries

other

software,

at

cells

there

seen

in

and

there

while

The

some

4

3a

the

islands.

PSB

the

contained

2a,b

bacterial

shows unicellular

sampled.

with

shows

is

is

pattern

middle.

berry.

the

PSB

suggesting

of

no

clusters,

no

show

cyanobacterial

a

a

lighter

the

apparent

and

an

matrix

difference

filter

an

clusters

cells

morphotypes.

These

in

example

clusters.

images

The

On

the

epifluorescence

cyanobacteria

the

and

set

layer

that

that

closer

PSB that

berry

colors

pattern

patterns

could

that

on

of

in

surrounded

had

contained

of

these

clusters.

average

“islands”

cell

a

allowed

look,

tissue

autofluorescent

purple

be

of

very

to

In

seen

clusters

morphology

the

equally

are

their

this

addition,

-8-

image

is

few

at

berries

cells

According berry,

visualization

commonly

with

ranged

light

PSB

least

color

distribution.

intracellular

are

as

of

with

the

pink

clusters

looking

8Oum

large.

there

is

PSB

difference

a

anywhere

filamentous

or

SybrGreen

SybrGreen-stained

consistent

more

on

arrangementldensity

to

distributed

clusters.

was

between

of

the

There

the

was

down

In

sulfur

sulfur

autofluorescence

distinct

measurement

outside

images

from

was

apparent,

with

were

fluorescence

cyanobacteria.

on

PSB

Figure

granules.

granules,

correlated

throughout

3Oum

a

and

spatial

and

obtained berry

always

clusters

berry.

and

3b

representative

dark

wide

tool

cut

of

while

shows

separation

it

at

with

emission

matched

the

cell

from

and

seemed

to

It

least

in

Both

is

the

the

sulfur a

The

bacteria

previous

significant pigment

isolations related

anaerobic

not

granules microscopic

single consist

show cyanos,

Structure

Conclusions

these

around

reflect

in

order

cells

berry.

situ

to

These

of

Figure

the

and

were

synthesis.

research. in

the

and

of

phototrophs

highly

a

a

microscopy

hybridize

cluster

the

on

different

some

role

specific

scale

metabolic

It

then

results

Species

5a

a

PSB

should

macroscale

these

ordered

shows

small

seem

a

are

Previous

These

clusters.

focus

bacterial

to

suggest

species,

many

Composition

from

bacteria

be

analysis

a

state

to

unicellular

a

y—proteobacteria

clusters

noted

results

of

close-up

be

the

as

research

smaller,

the

of

that

conserved

This

but

groups

well.

played

berries,

the

was

that

purple

are

berries

of

a

suggests

bacteria

image

y-proteobacteria.

difference

of

PSBs,

very

the

slightly

rod-shaped

The

efforts

from

Berries

in

berry

and

color

across

are

the

important

species

of

probe,

berries.

and

-9-

that

within,

also

concentrated

conserved

formation

a

in

research,

change

in

Sybr-Green

all

these

contrast

different

Cytophaga

bacteria.

concentration

structure

along

berries

rather

It

in

clusters

The

across

was

determining

but

or

aggregates

with

to

coloration

and

on

maintenance

than

berries,

possible

In

the

it

and

stained

and

the

the

was

culture-based

FISH,

contribute

are

conclusions

the

of

the

diameter

SRBs.

PSB

still

the

intracellular

regardless

PSB

species

containing

spatial

what

to

shown

in

same

in

culture

not

berries

of

cluster.

These

to

the

cell

of

know

the

structure

composition

aggregates

drawn

throughout

in

analyses

clusters.

a

of

all

berries.

Figure

berry PSBs,

may

groups

sulfur

size,

how

Note

from

be

on

does

and

all

5b,

that

of

that

a

a or - 10-

morphotypes are consistently major constituents of the purple berries. It also should be

noted the clone library from this year showed only 1 PSB sequence out of 100 sequences,

while other marine bacteria were present in the clone library. This probably is a product

of incomplete cell lysis in the DNA extraction, which was problematic in these

experiments as well. Without microscopy, it is impossible to distinguish between

bacteria that are truly major components of the system and bacteria that are part of the

tidal pool water column and were incidentally associated with the sampled berry. It is not

surprising that Cytophaga, a common and widespread group of ,

could be detected and cultured from purple berry inoculum. It is also not surprising to

find sulfate-reducers from sampling that included anoxic marsh sediment in the tidal

pool. It was my original hypothesis that SRBs produced sulfide and presented a

“nucleating center” for the PSBs to attach and start building an aggregate. However, the

majority of the cells in the berries seem to be accounted for with the microscopy. The

clusters are PSBs, and the small unicellular rods surrounding them seem to belong to the

‘-proteobacteria as well. Cytophaga probes did not light up any cells in the berries. It is

necessary to do some FISH experiments with probes targeting SRBs determine the presence and distribution of SRBs in the berries. The results of this year’s experimentation suggest that sequences thought to represent major constituents of the berries may actually be incidental marine microorganisms that came in with sampling.

This emphasizes the importance of confirming molecular data with microscopy.

According to microscopy, the berries seem to be made primarily of PSBs, cyanobacteria, and at least one species of small unicellular y-proteobacteria. Identification of the gammas surrounding the PSB clusters could elucidate their role in the berry — the high level of organization in the berries suggests that they may play a specific role in the aggregates. It also will prove useful to do an exhaustive search with SRB-specific FISH

berries.”

bacteria

polycarbonate

the

Origin sections were

throughout FISH,

addition, the for

(3Oum). However, Method

and they

region.

probes,

getting

washing

sample.

dried

were

adapted

the

of

The

There

to

Development:

are

(3Oum)

Atlantic

The

the

Berries/Future

at

slides the

gelatine-coated.

see

this

the

results

expelled

46°C

There

incubation

hybridization

probe

from

were

sections

if

membranes.

hybridization

protocol

that

they

were

mussels

for

from

were

an

a

concentration

do

as

few

about

occur

coated

original

would

modification

time

pseudofeces

not

to

the

a

Directions

changes

were

couple

work.

time

Before

20

in

stick

This

class

increased

and

again

not

the

protocol

minutes.

observed

was

adapted

to

washes,

of

report stay

Conventional

berries

was in

using

by

the

adaptations

of

by increased

the

on

dipping

increased

from FISH

glass

from

mussels

by

FISH

This

the

the

expelling

protocol

and and

-11-

Castro

20

protocol

cryosections

glass

slides. S.

proved

if

it

protocol

from

into

minutes

Behrens

they

cryosectioning

also

to

and

from

is

et

slides

adjust

tiny

0.1%

2

may

shown

are

allowed

al.

to

for

hours

5Ong/

that

clusters

keep

to

suggest

for

at

by

high

for

be

thicker

on

30

all

to proved

themselves,

FISH

to

what

sample

the

gelatine-coated

the

the

minutes.

localized

gelling

work

5

methods

of

that

hours, thickness

sections

probes

sections

they

on

PSBs

to

well

250ng/sample.

purple

seawater

strength

be

called

These

and

to

to

whether

were

in

very

for

attached

a

of

diffuse

the

sulfur

subsequently

certain

thick

slides

the

“immature

used.

changes

important

agarose

filtrate

field

sections

or

into

in

not

in In on - 12-

1998. However, this year in the field, pools that contained berries but did not seem to

contain mussels were observed. This is not a conclusive argument against the

involvement of mussels in berry formation, as the berries may spill over from pooi to

pool, or from pool to mat, or from mat to pool. This “spillover” phenomenon was

observed this year in the field: outside the boundary of a berry-containing pool were

many small berries in the top layer of the sediment. This calls for future research

exploring the origin of the berries. One aspect to explore is the origin of the extracellular

slime matrix that holds the clusters together. Is it of eukaryotic or bacterial origin?

Castro et al. suggested that the mucus that holds them together arises from the mussels.

This needs to be tested using cytological stains, or an array of specific lectins. Results

from Seitz et al. suggest that the matrix is made of polysaccharides, but the origin

remains unknown. It would also be interesting to design some experiments to pursue

growth and development of berries in laboratory mesocosms. In addition, since they

contain at least two types of photoautotrophic microorganisms, experiments

characterizing responses to changing light regimes in species composition, or

physiology of the berries could elucidate the metabolic processes and physiology of the

aggregates as a whole. Comparative studies with other free-living, planktonic purple

sulfur bacteria would also provide insight into the aggregates. This calls for the identification of the in the aggregates. Microscopy and

morphology suggest that they are , but they should be identified with molecular data.

MBL. here

with I

brainstorm, FISH

also

contributed

as

a keep

Alfred

with

There

were Margy

Acknowledgements

FEMS

forming

Seitz,

Report,

Castro,

Bedard,

Banin,

Literature

thank

great

well

helpful

at

unlimited

microscopy

looking

an

and

A.P.,

was

This

MBL

Spormann Microbiol.

deal

Terry Gentile,

U.

H.,

extreme

1998.

D.L.

macroscopic

her

general

a

Microbial

Fujita,

and

a

with

work

in

Nielsen,

Cited

dedicated

and

knowledge

Marsh

great when

fieldwork, Microbial

time

a

his

project

asset

and

connecting

fellow

was

histological

was

Ecol.

Y.,

deal

we

input

on

and

T.H.,

student

Diversity

aggregates

made

always

Patterson,

to

team

microscopy

thought

to

design

student,

Dan

about

12:225-236.

the Diversity

was

making

the

and

possible

of

fieldwork

us

training

Buckley

consistently

willing

success

techniques.

anaerobic

berry

J.

we

Mini-Project

with

and

K.,

was

Overmann.

in

important

just

Mini-Project

and

interpretation

Great

other

and

researchers

by

an

was

to

of

for

hadn’t

and

image

generous

run

amazing

E.

this

phototrophs,

tireless

priceless. Sippewissett

helpful.

resources Sebastian

-

labwork.

Zinser.

observations

out

13

Report,

project.

1995.

seen acquisition

-

into

Report,

who

co-worker

work

loans

of

much.

Terry

Microbial

outside

the Physiology

results.

Jane

was

1997.

She

contributed

He

support,

in

Salt

from

field,

1999.

and

Marsh

is

always

systems

Gibson

also

maintaining

His

incredibly

Marsh,

of

Sebastian whose

Zeiss

collecting

Diversity

and

was

expertise

our

and

of

and

willing

heavily

was

he

of

just

lab

purple

mc,

conversations

patience Massachusetts.

Adam

the

inspired

a

the

innovative

Behrens

and

loads

who

Mini-Project

countless

valuable

and

highest

to

to

molecular

sulfur

outside

take

Martiny

this

provided

patience

and

of

us

also

fun.

time

project.

quality.

bacteria

interest

both

resource

helped

with

berries.

of

were

lab

to

the

to us Purple Berry Oyster Pond Sediment

Figure 1. (a) shows clusters of purple sulfur bacteria tightly associated with each other. (b) shows a purple clump from sediment that was not as organized and contained many other types of organisms. . Figure 2. (a) shows a look down across the middle of an equatorially cute purple berry. (b) shows a closeup of the light purple section containing distinct cell cluster patterns. . Figure 3. SybrGreen-labelled purple berries. 3(a) shows a view of a the surface of an equatorially cut bacteria. 3(b) shows the organized clusters from within the berry. 20’um

Figure 4. Cyanobacterial filaments in a cluster within the purple berries. They are localized separately of other purple sulfur bacteria in the berry. Note the obvious heterocysts (non-chla containing cells). .

. .

bacteria around cluster. the

unicellular as as probe. the well to hybridizes probe small the The PSBs

proteobacteria FISH image the rRNA gamma the with Cy3-labeled

Surrounding 5(b) bacterial clusters rod-shaped small cells. the is are

berry focusing tissue, bacteria. of clusters sulfur purple on the

5. 5(a) Figure a high-magnification shows SybrGreen-stained image of

with Zeiss Image LSM5 (available Browser internet). on the

z-stack full be documents files viewed should the CD, attached and (on

markedly cyanobacteria. information the more There the in much is

clusters of sulfur bacteria, excluding most other and

microscope. evidence The a show images matrix of surrounding the

6. Figure 3-dimensional images confocal scanning the from laser