Construction and applications of DNA probes for detection of polychlorinated biphenyl-degrading genotypes in toxic organic-contaminated soil environments

Several DNA probes for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-degrading genotypes were constructed from PCB-degrading bacteria. These laboratory-engineered DNA probes were used for the detection, enumeration, and isolation of specific bacteria degrading PCBs. Dot blot analysis of purified DNA from toxic organic chemical-contaminated soil bacterial communities showed positive DNA-DNA hybridization with a 32P-labeled DNA probe (pAW6194, cbpABCD). Less than 1% of bacterial colonies isolated from garden topsoil and greater than 80% of bacteria isolated from PCB-contaminated soils showed DNA homologies with 32P-labeled DNA probes. Some of the PCB-degrading bacterial isolates detected by the DNA probe method did not show biphenyl clearance. The DNA probe method was found to detect additional organisms with greater genetic potential to degrade PCBs than the biphenyl clearance method did. Results from this study demonstrate the usefulness of DNA probes in detecting specific PCB-degrading bacteria, abundance of PCB-degrading genotypes, and genotypic diversity among PCB-degrading bacteria in toxic chemical-polluted soil environments. We suggest that the DNA probe should be used with caution for accurate assessment of PCB-degradative capacity within soils and further recommend that a combination of DNA probe and biodegradation assay be used to determine the abundance of PCB-degrading bacteria in the soil bacterial community.     

Construction and applications of DNA probes for detection of polychlorinated biphenyl-degrading genotypes in toxic organic-contaminated soil environments.

Several DNA probes for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-degrading genotypes were constructed from PCB-degrading bacteria. These laboratory-engineered DNA probes were used for the detection, enumeration, and isolation of specific bacteria degrading PCBs. Dot blot analysis of purified DNA from toxic organic chemical-contaminated soil bacterial communities showed positive DNA-DNA hybridization with a 32P-labeled DNA probe (pAW6194, cbpABCD). Less than 1% of bacterial colonies isolated from garden topsoil and greater than 80% of bacteria isolated from PCB-contaminated soils showed DNA homologies with 32P-labeled DNA probes. Some of the PCB-degrading bacterial isolates detected by the DNA probe method did not show biphenyl clearance. The DNA probe method was found to detect additional organisms with greater genetic potential to degrade PCBs than the biphenyl clearance method did. Results from this study demonstrate the usefulness of DNA probes in detecting specific PCB-degrading bacteria, abundance of PCB-degrading genotypes, and genotypic diversity among PCB-degrading bacteria in toxic chemical-polluted soil environments. We suggest that the DNA probe should be used with caution for accurate assessment of PCB-degradative capacity within soils and further recommend that a combination of DNA probe and biodegradation assay be used to determine the abundance of PCB-degrading bacteria in the soil bacterial community.     

Detection of monochlorobenzene metabolizing bacteria under anoxic conditions by DNA-stable isotope probing

Cultivation-independent analyses were applied to study the structural diversity of the bacterial community which developed in groundwater inoculated microcosms actively metabolizing monochlorobenzene (MCB) under anaerobic conditions. Addition of ¹³C-labelled MCB demonstrated that the community produced ¹³CO₂ as a metabolite at slightly increasing rates over a period of 1,051 days while no ¹³C-methane evolved. Genetic profiles of partial 16S rRNA genes generated with the single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) technique by PCR from directly extracted total DNA revealed that, despite the long incubation period, six replicate microcosms were characterized by almost the same microbial members. Nine distinguishable contributors to the SSCP-profiles were characterized by DNA sequencing, revealing the presence of different members from the phyla Proteobacteria, Fibrobacteres and from the candidate division OD1. DNA-stable isotope probing (SIP) was applied to distinguish the actual MCB metabolizing bacteria from the other community members. This study reveals for the first time the structural diversity of an anaerobic MCB metabolizing bacterial community. However, it also demonstrates the limitations of SIP to detect bacteria slowly metabolizing carbon sources under anaerobic conditions.     

Monitoring the Size and Metabolic Activity of the Bacterial Community during Biostimulation of Fuel-Contaminated Soil using Competitive PCR and RT-PCR

Efforts to understand and improve soil bioremediation are limited by our ability to determine how treatment variables affect microbial communities. A method was developed to monitor the density and metabolic activity of the total bacterial community in soil. This method was used to monitor the bacterial community in microcosms of Arctic soil after addition of N plus P to stimulate biodegradation of hydrocarbon contaminants. During 29 days of incubation, the total petroleum hydrocarbon level in the soil was reduced from 850 to 360 mg/g of soil. DNA and RNA were extracted from soil using a bead beating method, purified by ammonium acetate precipitation, and assayed by competitive PCR and RT-PCR assays with universal bacterial primers. The copy number of 16S rDNA in the soil microbial community was relatively stable and ranged from 1.7 × 109 to 4.5 × 109/g of soil throughout the incubation. The copy number of 16S rRNA changed substantially and ranged from 5.6 × 1010 to 1.0 × 1012/g of soil. The rRNA:rDNA ratio was highest during the phase of fastest hydrocarbon biodegradation. These results suggest that the treatment to stimulate hydrocarbon biodegradation did not substantially change the density of the bacterial community but did transiently increase its overall metabolic activity.     

Immunochemical detection and isolation of DNA from metabolically active bacteria

Most techniques used to assay the growth of microbes in natural communities provide no information on the relationship between microbial productivity and community structure. To identify actively growing bacteria, we adapted a technique from immunocytochemistry to detect and selectively isolate DNA from bacteria incorporating bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), a thymidine analog. In addition, we developed an immunocytochemical protocol to visualize BrdU-labeled microbial cells. Cultured bacteria and natural populations of aquatic bacterioplankton were pulse-labeled with exogenously supplied BrdU. Incorporation of BrdU into microbial DNA was demonstrated in DNA dot blots probed with anti-BrdU monoclonal antibodies and either peroxidase- or Texas red-conjugated secondary antibodies. BrdU-containing DNA was physically separated from unlabeled DNA by using antibody-coated paramagnetic beads, and the identities of bacteria contributing to both purified, BrdU-containing fractions and unfractionated, starting-material DNAs were determined by length heterogeneity PCR (LH-PCR) analysis. BrdU-containing DNA purified from a mixture of DNAs from labeled and unlabeled cultures showed >90-fold enrichment for the labeled bacterial taxon. The LH-PCR profile for BrdU-containing DNA from a labeled, natural microbial community differed from the profile for the community as a whole, demonstrating that BrdU was incorporated by a taxonomic subset of the community. Immunocytochemical detection of cells with BrdU-labeled DNA was accomplished by in situ probing with anti-BrdU monoclonal antibodies and Texas red-labeled secondary antibodies. Using this suite of techniques, microbial cells incorporating BrdU into their newly synthesized DNA can be quantified and the identities of these actively growing cells can be compared to the composition of the microbial community as a whole. Since not all strains tested could incorporate BrdU, these methods may be most useful when used to gain an understanding of the activities of specific species in the context of their microbial community.     

Fire modifies the phylogenetic structure of soil bacterial co‐occurrence networks

Fire alters ecosystems by changing the composition and community structure of soil microbes. The phylogenetic structure of a community provides clues about its main assembling mechanisms. While environmental filtering tends to reduce the community phylogenetic diversity by selecting for functionally (and hence phylogenetically) similar species, processes like competitive exclusion by limiting similarity tend to increase it by preventing the coexistence of functionally (and phylogenetically) similar species. We used co‐occurrence networks to detect co‐presence (bacteria that co‐occur) or exclusion (bacteria that do not co‐occur) links indicative of the ecological interactions structuring the community. We propose that inspecting the phylogenetic structure of co‐presence or exclusion links allows to detect the main processes simultaneously assembling the community. We monitored a soil bacterial community after an experimental fire and found that fire altered its composition, richness and phylogenetic diversity. Both co‐presence and exclusion links were more phylogenetically related than expected by chance. We interpret such a phylogenetic clustering in co‐presence links as a result of environmental filtering, while that in exclusion links reflects competitive exclusion by limiting similarity. This suggests that environmental filtering and limiting similarity operate simultaneously to assemble soil bacterial communities, widening the traditional view that only environmental filtering structures bacterial communities.     

四种牧草植物替代控制对黄顶菊入侵土壤细菌多样性的影响

土壤微生物群落与植物的生长发育密切相关, 入侵植物可以改变入侵地土壤微生物类群, 使土壤理化性质发生变化, 从而促进其入侵过程。该文通过比较高丹草(Sorghum bicolor × S. sudanense)、向日葵(Helianthus annuus)、紫花苜蓿(Medi- cago sativa)和多年生黑麦草(Lolium perenne)4种替代植物与黄顶菊(Flaveria bidentis)混合种植(以下简称混种)后不同时期的土壤细菌多样性的变化, 揭示土壤细菌群落对黄顶菊入侵及替代管理措施的响应规律。结果表明, 单独种植(以下简称单种)黄顶菊的土壤细菌多样性下降, 并且在整个生长期多样性指数多数情况下低于高丹草、向日葵、紫花苜蓿和多年生黑麦草单种或与黄顶菊混种的土壤。当4种替代植物与黄顶菊混种后, 土壤细菌16S rRNA的变性梯度凝胶电泳(DGGE)图谱与它们分别种植时存在明显差异, 且不同生长期各个混种土壤都有特征细菌群落。4种替代植物单种或与黄顶菊混种的土壤细菌Shannon多样性指数变化规律与植物生长发育趋势相同, 7月份达到高峰, 8月份开始降低。总之, 黄顶菊入侵降低了土壤细菌群落多样性, 4种替代植物与黄顶菊混种后, 又可提高土壤细菌群落多样性, 这种变化对黄顶菊成功入侵和替代防控具有重要作用。     

生姜根系不同生态位细菌群落多样性特征、组成及结构差异

生姜作为常见的调味品和传统中药材,是我国重要的经济作物之一。作为取食部分的生姜块茎与根系直接相连,其产量、品质与根相关细菌群落密切相关。然而,关于生姜根系微环境中细菌群落的特点仍鲜有报道,土壤环境能否衍生出宿主特异性内生菌群落尚不清楚。以生姜根系不同生态位细菌群落为研究对象,采用高通量测序技术,对非根际、根际及根内细菌进行16S rRNA基因测序。结果表明,不同生态位细菌群落多样性存在显著差异,其中非根际及根际细菌群落多样性(Shannon index, Observed species, Faith′s PD)显著高于内生菌群落。同时,各生态位共现网络稳定性和复杂度表现为非根际>根际>根内细菌群落。而在组成上,细菌群落在不同生态位差异显著(R²=0.57,P=0.001)。其中变形菌门(Proteobacteria)是根内的优势门,该门类下假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas)、短波单胞菌属(Brevundimonas)、寡养单胞菌属(Stenotrophomonas)及泛菌属(Pantoea)在根内显著富集。在根际细菌中,拟杆菌门(Bacteroid...     

结合宏基因组末端随机测序和16S rDNA技术分析温室黄瓜根围土壤细菌多样性

土壤细菌在温室土壤环境中具有十分重要的生态功能,与温室作物以及微生物内部存在互作关系。研究土壤细菌的群落结构组成,有助于了解土地利用变化与生态环境效应之间的关系。结合16S rRNA基因克隆文库和宏基因组末端测序对温室黄瓜根围土壤细菌的多样性进行了分析。在16S文库中,根据97%的序列相似性水平划分OTU,共有35个OTU,其中优势菌群是γ-Proteobacteria,其次为Firmicutes,Bacillus为优势细菌。在纲分类水平上,16S文库和宏基因组末端测序结果均包含γ-Proteobacteria、α-Proteobacteria、δ-Proteobacteria、β-Proteobacteria、Actinomycetales和Firmicutes,各纲比例有差别;在优势种群属水平上,末端测序的结果包含的属多于16S文库(4035);在优势细菌种类上,两者反映的结果一致,均为Bacillus。但是,宏基因组末端测序包含了大多数的弱势种群,更能反映细菌多样性的真实水平。与露地土壤细菌16S文库相比较,土壤细菌多样性降低,这可能与温室多年连作,种植蔬菜种类单一直接相关。     

Soil Bacteria are Differentially Affected by the Resin of the Medicinal Plant Pseudognaphalium vira vira and Its Main Component Kaurenoic Acid

The diterpenoid kaurenoic acid is the main component of the resin from the medicinal plant Pseudognaphalium vira vira. As some diterpenoids have antimicrobial properties, the effect of this resin and the kaurenoic acid on soil bacteria was studied. The resin of P. vira vira and purified kaurenoic acid were two to four times more effective as antibacterial agents with Gram-positive than with Gram-negative soil isolates. The chemical stability of kaurenoic acid and the antibacterial activity of both the resin and the diterpenoid were studied in microcosms containing plant-associated soil. After 15 days of incubation, the diterpenoid was stable, as determined by ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance and thin-layer chromatography, and soil extracts still exhibited antibacterial activity. However, after 30 days of incubation, loss of antibacterial activity of soil extracts correlated with removal or chemical modification of kaurenoic acid. The effect of the resin or this diterpenoid on the soil bacteria community was analyzed by the terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms technique. After 15 days of incubation, the resin and the pure compound caused significant changes in the soil bacterial community. The relative abundance of specific bacterial groups was differentially affected by the resin components, being the effects with the resin stronger than with the kaurenoic acid. After 30 days of incubation, these changes mostly reverted. These results indicate that a plant resin containing diterpenoid compounds plays a significant role controlling specific groups of microorganisms in the soil associated with the plant.     

A novel retrieval system for nearly complete microbial genomic fragments from soil samples

The construction of a complex genomic library is one of the comprehensive ways to study a complex bacterial community and to access the variety of metabolic pathways present in the rich soil environment. In this report, we developed a new protocol whereby we are able to retrieve nearly complete microbe genomic fragments from soil samples, which are employed to generate a metagenomic library for visualizing the basic scaffolding of the soil microbial community. The use of direct cell lysis within soil-embedded agarose plugs, along with a double-size selection, enabled us to successfully isolate pure and high-molecular weight DNA (0.1-1 Mb) without the need for any further purification. A metagenomic library containing 1.2 Gbp of DNA in total was constructed. Furthermore, analysis of the microbial community structure using 16S rDNA partial sequences found the dominant phylotypes to consist of alpha-Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria, which are similar to those seen in forest and agricultural soils, and numerous uncultured microbes from a wide variety of bacterial taxa as well. In conclusion, this study presents a novel protocol for generating a metagenomic library that carries much larger and diverse DNA fragments from soil bacteria that will be applied for the reconstruction of soil microbial genomes and the discovery of novel habitat-specific pathways.     

青藏高原极端生境细菌多样性差异及影响因素

土壤微生物组对于生态系统的可持续性至关重要,青藏高原独特的地理环境孕育了多样的极端环境,其土壤细菌组成差异及其驱动因素尚不清楚。【目的】探究不同极端生境土壤细菌多样性及其影响因素。【方法】对7种典型的青藏高原极端生境土壤DNA进行16SrRNA基因高通量测序,通过生物信息分析,找出不同生境细菌群落组成、功能差异;结合土壤理化因子,进一步分析细菌组成差异的潜在影响因素。【结果】通过高通量测序,从7个不同生境的36个土壤样品中共获得16 323 712高质量reads,26 504个可操作分类单元(operational taxonomic units, OTUs)。在门分类水平上,各生境中注释到的放线菌门(Actinomycetota)与假单胞菌门(Pseudomonadota)相对丰度均最高;在属分类水平上,芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)、Ambiguous＿taxa、土壤红杆菌属(Solirubrobacter)、假节杆菌属(Pseudarthrobacter)等为优势属。另外,不同生境中的细菌α多样性无显著差异,但是β多样性差异显著,并且通过LEfSe分析进一步说明了不同生境细菌群...     

Development and Application of a New Method To Extract Bacterial DNA from Soil Based on Separation of Bacteria from Soil with Cation-Exchange Resin

A new method for the extraction of bacterial DNA from soil has been developed. Soil samples of 50 g were dispersed, and bacteria were released by use of a cation-exchange resin; subsequently, bacteria were separated from soil particles by low-speed centrifugation and lysed with lysozyme and ionic detergent, and the DNA was then purified by CsCl-ethidium bromide equilibrium density centrifugation. The extracted DNA was of high molecular weight and sufficiently pure for restriction enzyme digestion, DNA-DNA hybridization, and amplification by the polymerase chain reaction. The advantages of the new method are that the separation of bacteria from soil is considerably faster than by repeated blending, more samples can be handled, and furthermore no aerosols are formed during separation. Also, we investigated whether the CsCl-ethidium bromide equilibrium density centrifugation could be replaced by purification using Gene-Clean. However, this method produced DNAs which were insufficiently pure for several types of analysis. The new method was used to study survival of a 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)-degrading Pseudomonas cepacia DBO1 (pRO101) in unamended soil and in soil amended with 2,4-D. We found that the degrading strain, irrespective of inoculation level, was able to grow to the same high numbers in soil amended with 2,4-D, while the strain in nonamended soil were maintained at the inoculation level. Detection based on DNA extraction and subsequent dot blot DNA-DNA hybridization was in accordance with detection by plating on selective medium.     

A PCR-based toolbox for the culture-independent quantification of total bacterial abundances in plant environments

A major obstacle in the culture-independent estimation of the abundance of bacteria associated with plants is contamination with plant organelles, which precludes the use of universal rRNA bacterial primers in quantitative PCR applications. We present here a PCR-based method that allows a priori determination of the degree of chloroplast and mitochondrial contamination in DNA samples from plant environments. It is based on differential digestibility of chloroplast, mitochondrial and bacterial small subunit rRNA gene amplicons with the restriction enzymes AfeI and BbvCI. Using this method, we demonstrated for field-grown lettuce plants that even a gentle washing protocol, designed to recover the microbial community and its metagenome from the leaf surface, resulted in substantial contamination with chloroplast DNA. This finding cautions against the use of universal primer pairs that do not exclude chloroplast DNA from amplification, because they risk overestimation of bacterial population sizes. In contrast, contamination with mitochondrial 18S rRNA was minor in the lettuce phyllosphere. These findings were confirmed by real-time PCR using primer sets specific for small subunit rRNA genes from bacteria, chloroplasts, and mitochondria. Based on these results, we propose two primer pairs (534f/783r and mito1345f/mito1430r) which between them offer an indirect means of faithfully estimating bacterial abundances on plants, by deduction of the mito1345f/mito1430r-based mitochondrial count from that obtained with 534f/783r, which amplifies both bacterial and mitochondrial DNA but excludes chloroplast. In this manner, we estimated the number of total bacteria on most leaves of field-grown lettuce to be between 10⁵ and 10⁶ g^− 1 of leaf, which was 1-3 orders of magnitudes higher than the number of colony-forming units that were retrieved from the same leaf surfaces on agar plates.     

新疆北部主要盐生植物根部内生细菌群落结构的高通量分析

【目的】揭示同一盐渍环境中不同种盐生植物根部内生细菌群落多样性特征和分布规律,结合根际土壤理化因子探讨其对内生细菌群落结构的影响。【方法】通过罗氏454高通量测序获得内生细菌16S r RNA片段,然后进行生物信息分析。【结果】研究的16种盐生植物其内生细菌群落主要由Proteobacteria、Tenericutes、Actinobacteria和Firmicutes 4个门的细菌组成。从植物"种"的水平来看,不同种盐生植物内生细菌群落存在差异;从植物"属"的水平来看,同一属的盐生植物内生细菌相似;从植物"科"的水平来看,藜科盐生植物内生细菌以Actinobacteria和Proteobacteria门为主;蒺藜科盐生植物内生细菌以Proteobacteria门为主;柽柳科盐生植物内生细菌以Tenericutes门为主;白花丹科盐生植物内生细菌以Proteobacteria、Fimicutes和Actinobacteria门为主。根际土壤中Cl~–含量对盐生植物内生细菌群落变化具有显著影响;而Cl~–、Mg~(2+)和总氮组成的集合与内生细菌群落结构相关性最高。【结论】盐生植物内生细菌多样性丰富。在同一盐渍生境中,盐生植物内生细菌群落分布呈现宿主的种属特异性,根际土壤中Cl~–是影响其内生细菌群落变化的主要驱动因素之一。     

Effect of hydrogen on soil bacterial community structure in two soils as determined by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism

The metabolism of hydrogen evolved from HUP^? legume nodules can alter bacterial community structures in the rhizosphere. Our earlier experiments demonstrated increased hydrogen uptake and appearance of white spots within bacterial colonies in H₂-treated soil. We were also able to isolate hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria from soil samples exposed to hydrogen, but not from samples exposed to air. To further understand the effect of hydrogen metabolism on soil microbial communities, in this study 16S rRNA terminal restriction fragment (TRF) profiles of different soil samples exposed to hydrogen gas under laboratory, greenhouse, and field conditions were analyzed. Relationships between soil bacterial community structures from hydrogen-treated soil samples and controls, illustrated by UPGMA (unpaired group mathematical averages) dendrograms, indicated a significant contribution of hydrogen metabolism to the variation in bacterial community. The intensity variation of TRF peaks includes both hydrogen-utilizing bacteria, whose growth were stimulated by hydrogen exposure, and other bacterial species whose growth was inhibited. Comparison of TRF profiles between laboratory and greenhouse samples showed that T-RFLP is a useful technique in the detection of root-related effects on soil bacterial community structure.     

Electrogenic capacity and community composition of anodic biofilms in soil-based bioelectrochemical systems

Although a number of bacteria are known to be capable of generating an electrical current, the diversity of electrogenic bacteria in soils and the commonality across soil types is relatively unknown. Simple bioelectrochemical cells were constructed to measure the electrogenic capacity and community composition of bacteria originating on cell anodes from three biogeochemically distinct soil types. All three soils supported electrogenic activity, amounting to a maximum sustained current of 1.5–2.1 mA over 55 days. Analysis of fatty acids identified differences in microbial community composition between anode biofilms and far-field soil materials. Anode communities showed greater percentages of fatty acids indicative of Gram-negative bacteria and Actinomycetes. By analysis of anode biofilm genomic DNA via terminal-restriction fragment-length polymorphisms, commonalities in community composition across the three soil types were identified, specifically, the putative presence of bacterial species belonging to the α- and ß-Proteobacteria and the Firmicutes. Subsequent culture and isolation of bacteria from the anodes confirmed the presence of similar classes of bacteria. Results showed that, under saturated conditions, different soils can support electrogenic activity and that the bacterial communities that develop on the anodes share certain common inherent community traits.     

Short-Term Response of Soil Bacteria to Carbon Enrichment in Different Soil Microsites

The response of bacteria in bulk soil and earthworm casts to carbon enrichment was studied by an RNA stable-isotope probing/terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism strategy with ¹³C-labeled glucose and acetate. Both the soil microsite status and the carbon enrichment selected rapidly for different active bacterial communities, which resulted in different degradation kinetics. Our study clearly illustrates the biases that are generated by adding C substrates to detect metabolically active bacteria in soil.     

Use of mycelia as paths for the isolation of contaminant‐degrading bacteria from soil

Mycelia of fungi and soil oomycetes have recently been found to act as effective paths boosting bacterial mobility and bioaccessibility of contaminants in vadose environments. In this study, we demonstrate that mycelia can be used for targeted separation and isolation of contaminant‐degrading bacteria from soil. In a ‘proof of concept’ study we developed a novel approach to isolate bacteria from contaminated soil using mycelia of the soil oomycete Pythium ultimum as translocation networks for bacteria and the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon naphthalene (NAPH) as selective carbon source. NAPH‐degrading bacterial isolates were affiliated with the genera Xanthomonas, Rhodococcus and Pseudomonas. Except for Rhodococcus the NAPH‐degrading isolates exhibited significant motility as observed in standard swarming and swimming motility assays. All steps of the isolation procedures were followed by cultivation‐independent terminal 16S rRNA gene terminal fragment length polymorphism (T‐RFLP) analysis. Interestingly, a high similarity (63%) between both the cultivable NAPH‐degrading migrant and the cultivable parent soil bacterial community profiles was observed. This suggests that mycelial networks generally confer mobility to native, contaminant‐degrading soil bacteria. Targeted, mycelia‐based dispersal hence may have high potential for the isolation of bacteria with biotechnologically useful properties.     

Impact of the Microscale Distribution of a Pseudomonas Strain Introduced into Soil on Potential Contacts with Indigenous Bacteria

Soil bioaugmentation is a promising approach in soil bioremediation and agriculture. Nevertheless, our knowledge of the fate and activity of introduced bacteria in soil and thus of their impact on the soil environment is still limited. The microscale spatial distribution of introduced bacteria has rarely been studied, although it determines the encounter probability between introduced cells and any components of the soil ecosystem and thus plays a role in the ecology of introduced bacteria. For example, conjugal gene transfer from introduced bacteria to indigenous bacteria requires cell-to-cell contact, the probability of which depends on their spatial distribution. To quantitatively characterize the microscale distribution of an introduced bacterial population and its dynamics, a gfp-tagged derivative of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 was introduced by percolation in repacked soil columns. Initially, the introduced population was less widely spread at the microscale level than two model indigenous functional communities: the 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid degraders and the nitrifiers (each at 10⁶ CFU g⁻¹ soil). When the soil was percolated with a substrate metabolizable by P. putida or incubated for 1 month, the microscale distribution of introduced bacteria was modified towards a more widely dispersed distribution. The quantitative data indicate that the microscale spatial distribution of an introduced strain may strongly limit its contacts with the members of an indigenous bacterial community. This could constitute an explanation to the low number of indigenous transconjugants found most of time when a plasmid-donor strain is introduced into soil.