Bacterial diversity in the rumen of Indian Surti buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), assessed by 16S rDNA analysis

Bacterial communities in buffalo rumen were characterized using a culture-independent approach for a pooled sample of rumen fluid from 3 adult Surti buffaloes. Buffalo rumen is likely to include species of various bacterial phyla, so 16S rDNA sequences were amplified and cloned from the sample. A total of 191 clones were sequenced and similarities to known 16S rDNA sequences were examined. About 62.82% sequences (120 clones) had >90% similarity to the 16S rDNA database sequences. Furthermore, about 34.03% of the sequences (65 clones) were 85–89% similar to 16S rDNA database sequences. For the remaining 3.14%, the similarity was lower than 85%. Phylogenetic analyses were also used to infer the makeup of bacterial communities in the rumen of Surti buffalo. As a result, we distinguished 42 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) based on unique 16S r DNA sequences: 19 OTUs affiliated to an unidentified group (45.23% of total OTUs), 11 OTUs of the phylum Firmicutes, also known as the low G+C group (26.19%), 7 OTUs of theCytophaga-Flexibacter-Bacteroides phylum (16.66%), 4 OTUs of Spirochaetes (9.52%), and 1 OTU of Actinobacteria (2.38%). These include 10 single-clone OTUs, so Good’s coverage (94.76%) of 16S rRNA libraries indicated that sequences identified in the libraries represent the majority of bacterial diversity present in rumen.     

Phylogenetic diversity of bacteria associated with the endemic freshwater sponge Lubomirskia baicalensis

In this study, for the first time the diversity of bacteria associated with the endemic freshwater sponge Lubomirskia baicalensis collected from the Sousern Basin of Lake Baikal was investigated employing cultivation-independent approaches. In total, 102 bacterial 16S rRNA clones were screened using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and 30 were selected for sequencing. BLASTN and phylogenetic analysis based on near full length 16S rDNA sequences showed that 22 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were clustered in six known phyla: Actinobacteria (8 OTUs), alpha-Proteobacteria (4 OTUs), beta-Proteobacteria (4 OTUs), Verrucomicrobia (4 OTUs), Nitrospiracea (1 OTU) and Bacteroidetes (1 OTU). Remarkably all phylotypes were affiliated to uncultured microorganisms, however, all alpha-Proteobacteria sequences were closely related to bacteria derived from the freshwater sponge Spongilla lacustris. Our results reveal a high diversity in the L. baicalensis bacterial community and provide an insight into microbial ecology and diversity within freshwater sponges inhabiting the ancient Lake Baikal ecosystem.     

Identification of a bacterium that specifically catalyzes the reductive dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls with doubly flanked chlorines

A microorganism whose growth is linked to the dechlorination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) with doubly flanked chlorines was identified. Identification was made by reductive analysis of community 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences from a culture enriched in the presence of 2,3,4,5-tetrachlorobiphenyl (2,3,4,5-CB), which was dechlorinated at the para position. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of total 16S rDNA extracted from the culture led to identification of three operational taxonomic units (OTUs 1, 2, and 3). OTU 1 was always detected when 2,3,4,5-CB or other congeners with doubly flanked chlorines were present and dechlorinated. Only OTUs 2 and 3 were detected in the absence of PCBs and when other PCBs (i.e., PCBs lacking doubly flanked chlorines) were not dechlorinated. Partial sequences of OTUs 2 and 3 exhibited 98.2% similarity to the sequence of "Desulfovibrio caledoniensis" (accession no. DCU53465). A sulfate-reducing vibrio isolated from the culture generated OTUs 2 and 3. This organism could not dechlorinate 2,3,4,5-CB. From these results we concluded that OTU 1 represents the dechlorinating bacterium growing in a coculture with a Desulfovibrio sp. The 16S rDNA sequence of OTU 1 is most similar to the 16S rDNA sequence of bacterium o-17 (89% similarity), an ortho-PCB-dechlorinating bacterium. The PCB dechlorinator, designated bacterium DF-1, reductively dechlorinates congeners with doubly flanked chlorines when it is supplied with formate or H(2)-CO(2) (80:20).     

Investigation of the Effect of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus on Subgingival Plaque Microbiota by High-Throughput 16S rDNA Pyrosequencing

Diabetes mellitus is a major risk factor for chronic periodontitis. We investigated the effects of type 2 diabetes on the subgingival plaque bacterial composition by applying culture-independent 16S rDNA sequencing to periodontal bacteria isolated from four groups of volunteers: non-diabetic subjects without periodontitis, non-diabetic subjects with periodontitis, type 2 diabetic patients without periodontitis, and type 2 diabetic patients with periodontitis. A total of 71,373 high-quality sequences were produced from the V1-V3 region of 16S rDNA genes by 454 pyrosequencing. Those 16S rDNA sequences were classified into 16 phyla, 27 classes, 48 orders, 85 families, 126 genera, and 1141 species-level OTUs. Comparing periodontally healthy samples with periodontitis samples identified 20 health-associated and 15 periodontitis-associated OTUs. In the subjects with healthy periodontium, the abundances of three genera (Prevotella, Pseudomonas, and Tannerella) and nine OTUs were significantly different between diabetic patients and their non-diabetic counterparts. In the subjects carrying periodontitis, the abundances of three phyla (Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, and Bacteriodetes), two genera (Actinomyces and Aggregatibacter), and six OTUs were also significantly different between diabetics and non-diabetics. Our results show that type 2 diabetes mellitus could alter the bacterial composition in the subgingival plaque.     

共存于厌氧真菌分离培养液中瘤胃甲烷菌的检测及其多样性分析

对分离自山羊瘤胃的真菌分离培养液中甲烷菌进行16SrDNA扩增、DGGE分析、RFLP及测序分析,研究共存于真菌分离培养液中甲烷菌的种类及其多样性。DGGE结果显示:从厌氧真菌分离至第45代,甲烷菌多样性指数由1·32降至0·99,相似性最低为34·7%;第45代至62代,多样性指数由0·99升至1·15,相似性最低为89·2%。RFLP多态性分析69个克隆共得到5个操作分类单元,选择其中6个具有代表性的序列进行测序。序列及系统进化分析表明,属于其中3个操作分类单元的克隆最相似菌都是UnculturedarchaealsymbiontPA202,相似性均为95%,没有与这些克隆相似性较高的已培养甲烷菌;属于另外2个操作分类单元的克隆最相似菌都是Unculturedrumenmethanogen956,相似性均为97%,最相似已知菌为Methanobrevibactersp.NT7,相似性为97%。结果表明,真菌培养液中存在目前尚未分离培养的瘤胃甲烷菌。     

Molecular microbial diversity of an anaerobic digestor as determined by small-subunit rDNA sequence analysis.

The bacterial community structure of a fluidized-bed reactor fed by vinasses (wine distillation waste) was analyzed. After PCR amplification, four small-subunit (SSU) rDNA clone libraries of Bacteria, Archaea, Procarya, and Eucarya populations were established. The community structure was determined by operational taxonomic unit (OTU) phylogenetic analyses of 579 partial rDNA sequences (about 500 bp long). A total of 146 OTUs were found, comprising 133, 6, and 7 from the Bacteria, Archaea, and Eucarya domains, respectively. A total of 117 bacterial OTU were affiliated with major phyla: low-G+C gram-positive bacteria, Cytophaga-Flexibacter-Bacteroides, Proteobacteria, high-G+C gram-positive bacteria, and Spirochaetes, where the clone distribution was 34, 26, 17, 6, and 4%, respectively. The other 16 bacterial OTUs represent 13% of the clones. They were either affiliated with narrow phyla such as Planctomyces-Chlamydia, green nonsulfur bacteria, or Synergistes, or deeply branched on the phylogenetic tree. A large number of bacterial OTUs are not closely related to any other hitherto determined sequences. The most frequent bacterial OTUs represents less than 5% of the total bacterial SSU rDNA sequences. However, the 20 more frequent bacterial OTUs describe at least 50% of these sequences. Three of the six Archaea OTUs correspond to 95% of the Archaea population and are very similar to already known methanogenic species: Methanosarcina barkeri, Methanosarcina frisius, and Methanobacterium formicicum. In contrast, the three other Archaea OTUs are unusual and are related to thermophilic microorganisms such as Crenarchaea or Thermoplasma spp. Five percent of the sequences analyzed were chimeras and were removed from the analysis.     

Analyses of soil bacterial diversity of the Schirmacher Oasis,Antarctica

Schirmacher Oasis, Antarctica, is a region with relatively large exposed area and consisted of many freshwater lakes. Nevertheless, only a few studies were done on the bacterial diversity of this region. Hence, this project was undertaken to determine the bacterial community in soil samples collected from the Schirmacher Oasis using the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of amplified 16S rDNA fragments. A total of 79 partial 16S rDNA sequences were obtained from the excised DGGE bands, which corresponded to 63 different operational taxonomic units (OTUs) representing bacteria from seven different phyla. The most dominant phyla in descending order were Acidobacteria, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria, Planctomycetes, Cyanobacteria and BRC1. There were 5.4 % of unclassified bacteria which cannot be grouped into any of the existing phyla. Eighty-seven percent of the OTUs had highest similarity with the uncultured bacteria from the NCBI GenBank database. Thirty-two percent of the OTUs were similar to bacteria reported in other parts of the Antarctica, while the others were related to bacteria found elsewhere outside the Antarctic.     

昆明盐矿古老岩盐沉积中的原核生物多样性

应用PCR-DGGE和rRNA分析法研究了昆明盐矿古老岩盐沉积中的原核生物多样性。样品的细菌DGGE分析得到27条带,古菌得到18条带。样品与纯培养得到的19个属菌株的DGGE图谱对比分析发现,细菌18个属菌株,只有1个属菌株与样品中的1条带迁移位置都不一致;古菌1个属的菌株不与样品中任何条带迁移位置一致。表明纯培养所得菌株并非该环境中的优势类群。同时,建立了样品细菌和古菌的16S rDNA克隆文库,从中分别挑取36个细菌克隆和20个古菌克隆进行ARDRA分析。细菌可分为10个OTUs,其中3个OTUs是优势类群,分别占38.9%,25.0%,16.7%,其余7个OTUs各含有1个克隆。古菌分为8个OTUs,没有明显的优势类群。每个OTU的代表克隆16S rDNA序列分析表明,细菌分属3大类群:α-Proteobacteria,γ-Proteobacteria和Actinobacteria,以Pseudomonas属菌为优势,含有其它岩盐沉积中没有发现的Actinobacteria。古菌主要是Halorubrum属、Haloterrigena属菌和未培养古菌。本研究表明,昆明盐矿古老岩盐沉积具有较丰富的原核生物多样性,含有大量未知的、未培养或不可培养的原核生物,但在原核生物物种组成和丰度上,免培养与此前的纯培养研究结果存在一定差异。因此,结合使用两类方法才能较全面地认识高盐极端环境微生物的多样性。     

16S rDNA characterisation of bacterial and archaeal communities during start-up of anaerobic thermophilic digestion of cattle manure

A laboratory-scale continuously stirred anaerobic thermophilic batch digester was inoculated with cattle manure. Bacterial and archaeal communities, as well as digester performances, were analysed during reactor start-up for about 20 days. Polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) was used for overall detection and for study of the dynamics of microbial populations. Dominant bacteria and archaea 16S rDNAs were sequenced from the sample on day 12. Ten bacteria and 3 archaea OTUs (operational taxonomic units) were identified from the 52 clones sequenced. Sequences corresponding to the dominant bacterial SSCP peak were phylogenetically close to the 16S rDNA sequence of Bacillus thermoterrestris, whereas sequences corresponding to the two dominant archaeal SSCP peaks were phylogenetically close to the 16S rDNA sequence of Methanoculleus thermophilicus and Methanosarcina thermophila.     

Towards the human intestinal microbiota phylogenetic core

The paradox of a host specificity of the human faecal microbiota otherwise acknowledged as characterized by global functionalities conserved between humans led us to explore the existence of a phylogenetic core. We investigated the presence of a set of bacterial molecular species that would be altogether dominant and prevalent within the faecal microbiota of healthy humans. A total of 10 456 non-chimeric bacterial 16S rRNA sequences were obtained after cloning of PCR-amplified rDNA from 17 human faecal DNA samples. Using alignment or tetranucleotide frequency-based methods, 3180 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were detected. The 16S rRNA sequences mainly belonged to the phyla Firmicutes (79.4%), Bacteroidetes (16.9%), Actinobacteria (2.5%), Proteobacteria (1%) and Verrumicrobia (0.1%). Interestingly, while most of OTUs appeared individual-specific, 2.1% were present in more than 50% of the samples and accounted for 35.8% of the total sequences. These 66 dominant and prevalent OTUs included members of the genera Faecalibacterium , Ruminococcus , Eubacterium , Dorea , Bacteroides , Alistipes and Bifidobacterium . Furthermore, 24 OTUs had cultured type strains representatives which should be subjected to genome sequence with a high degree of priority. Strikingly, 52 of these 66 OTUs were detected in at least three out of four recently published human faecal microbiota data sets, obtained with very different experimental procedures. A statistical model confirmed these OTUs prevalence. Despite the species richness and a high individual specificity, a limited number of OTUs is shared among individuals and might represent the phylogenetic core of the human intestinal microbiota. Its role in human health deserves further study.     

Phylogenetic analysis of cecal microbiota in chicken by the use of 16S rDNA clone libraries

The chicken cecum contains a great many bacteria, most of which are strict anaerobes. A strictly anaerobe culture-based method was used in the present study, in conjunction with the 16S rDNA clone library, to elucidate bacterial diversity and the phylogenetic relationship of cecal microbiota in the chicken. A comparative 16S rDNA sequence analysis of cultivated strains and retrieved clones from cecal contents was performed. Approximately 90% of the bacterial cells detected by microscopy did not form colonies on a medium 10 in plate-in-bottle. The 19 isolated strains yielded 11 distinct rDNA sequences, 58% of which were classified as low G + C gram-positive bacteria, 26% were related to Bacteroides spp., and 16% were classified as Proteobacteria. Based on the sequence analysis of 164 clones, 24% were identified to belong to 8 known species and 76% were considered to be 65 novel phylotypes. Approximately 94% of cloned sequences were classified into low G + C gram-positive bacteria, 4% were related to Bacteroides spp., and 2% were classified into Proteobacteria. Clostridium subcluster XIVa (38%), Clostridium cluster IV (13%), Lactobacillus spp. (24%), and Bacteroides spp. (4%) were the major groups constituting the cecal microbiota in chicken, in which the Clostridium subcluster XIVa was the most phylogenetically diverse group in chicken cecum. The 16S rDNA sequences of Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. crispatus, L. salivarius, and L. reuteri were the most frequently found in the Lactobacillus group in chicken cecum.     

Identification of bacterial populations in dairy wastewaters by use of 16S rRNA gene sequences and other genetic markers

Hydraulic flush waste removal systems coupled to solid/liquid separators and circulated treatment lagoons are commonly utilized to manage the large amounts of animal waste produced on high-intensity dairy farms. Although these systems are common, little is known about the microbial populations that inhabit them or how they change as they traverse the system. Using culture-based and non-culture-based methods, we characterized the microbial community structure of manure, water from the separator pit, and water from the circulated treatment lagoon from a large dairy in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Our results show that both total bacterial numbers and bacterial diversity are highest in manure, followed by the separator pit water and the lagoon water. The most prevalent phylum in all locations was the Firmicutes (low-G+C, gram-positive bacteria). The most commonly occurring operational taxonomic unit (OTU) had a 16S rRNA gene (rDNA) sequence 96 to 99% similar to that of Clostridium lituseburense and represented approximately 6% of the manure derived sequences, 14% of the separator pit-derived sequences and 20% of the lagoon-derived sequences. Also highly prevalent was an OTU with a 16S rDNA sequence 97 to 100% similar to that of Eubacterium tenue, comprising approximately 3% of the manure-derived sequences, 6% of the separator pit-derived sequences and 9% of the lagoon-derived sequences. Taken together, these sequences represent approximately one-third of the total organisms in the lagoon waters, suggesting that they are well adapted to this environment.     

Microbial community analysis of a coastal hot spring in Kagoshima, Japan, using molecular- and culture-based approaches

Ibusuki hot spring is located on the coastline of Kagoshima Bay, Japan. The hot spring water is characterized by high salinity, high temperature, and neutral pH. The hot spring is covered by the sea during high tide, which leads to severe fluctuations in several environmental variables. A combination of molecular- and culture-based techniques was used to determine the bacterial and archaeal diversity of the hot spring. A total of 48 thermophilic bacterial strains were isolated from two sites (Site 1: 55.6°C; Site 2: 83.1°C) and they were categorized into six groups based on their 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. Two groups (including 32 isolates) demonstrated low sequence similarity with published species, suggesting that they might represent novel taxa. The 148 clones from the Site 1 bacterial library included 76 operational taxonomy units (OTUs; 97% threshold), while 132 clones from the Site 2 bacterial library included 31 OTUs. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes were frequently detected in both clone libraries. The clones were related to thermophilic, mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria. Approximately half of the sequences in bacterial clone libraries shared <92% sequence similarity with their closest sequences in a public database, suggesting that the Ibusuki hot spring may harbor a unique and novel bacterial community. By contrast, 77 clones from the Site 2 archaeal library contained only three OTUs, most of which were affiliated with Thaumarchaeota.     

Examination of two years of community dynamics in an anaerobic bioreactor using fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (PCR) single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis

The structures of the bacterial and archaeal communities in an anaerobic digester were monitored over a 2 year period. The study was performed on a fluidized bed reactor fed with vinasse. The objective was to characterize the population dynamics over a long time period under constant environmental parameters. Total bacterial and archaeal populations were measured independently by fluorescence-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis using an automated DNA sequencer. With the current level of accuracy, the technique was able to monitor 45 bacterial and seven archaeal 16S rDNA molecules. The community dynamics were compared with molecular inventories of the microbial community based on 16S rDNA sequences done at the beginning of the study. The six archaeal and the 22 most frequent bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) identified were associated with their SSCP peak counterparts. Overall, the data indicated that, throughout the period of the study, rapid significant shifts in the species composition of the bacterial community occurred, whereas the archaeal community remained relatively stable.     

16S rDNA library-based analysis of ruminal bacterial diversity

Bacterial 16S rDNA sequence data, incorporating sequences > 1 kb, were retrieved from published rumen library studies and public databases, then were combined and analysed to assess the diversity of the rumen microbial ecosystem as indicated by the pooled data. Low G+C Gram positive bacteria (54%) and the Cytophaga-Flexibacter-Bacteroides (40%) phyla were most abundantly represented. The diversity inferred by combining the datasets was much wider than inferred by individual studies, most likely due to different diets enriching for bacteria with different fermentative activities. A total of 341 operational taxonomic units (OTU) was predicted by the Chao1 non-parametric estimator approach. Phylogenetic and database analysis demonstrated that 89% of the diversity had greatest similarity to organisms which had not been cultivated, and that several sequences are likely to represent novel taxonomic groupings. Furthermore, of the 11% of the diversity represented by cultured isolates (> 95% 16S rDNA identity), not all of the bacteria were of ruminal origin. This study therefore reinforces the need to reconcile classical culture-based rumen microbiology with molecular ecological studies to determine the metabolic role of uncultivated species.     

Identification of Bacterial Populations in Dairy Wastewaters by Use of 16S rRNA Gene Sequences and Other Genetic Markers

Hydraulic flush waste removal systems coupled to solid/liquid separators and circulated treatment lagoons are commonly utilized to manage the large amounts of animal waste produced on high-intensity dairy farms. Although these systems are common, little is known about the microbial populations that inhabit them or how they change as they traverse the system. Using culture-based and non-culture-based methods, we characterized the microbial community structure of manure, water from the separator pit, and water from the circulated treatment lagoon from a large dairy in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Our results show that both total bacterial numbers and bacterial diversity are highest in manure, followed by the separator pit water and the lagoon water. The most prevalent phylum in all locations was the Firmicutes (low-G+C, gram-positive bacteria). The most commonly occurring operational taxonomic unit (OTU) had a 16S rRNA gene (rDNA) sequence 96 to 99% similar to that of Clostridium lituseburense and represented approximately 6% of the manure derived sequences, 14% of the separator pit-derived sequences and 20% of the lagoon-derived sequences. Also highly prevalent was an OTU with a 16S rDNA sequence 97 to 100% similar to that of Eubacterium tenue, comprising approximately 3% of the manure-derived sequences, 6% of the separator pit-derived sequences and 9% of the lagoon-derived sequences. Taken together, these sequences represent approximately one-third of the total organisms in the lagoon waters, suggesting that they are well adapted to this environment.     

High 16S rDNA bacterial diversity in glacial meltwater lake sediment,Bratina Island,Antarctica

The microbial diversity in maritime meltwater pond sediments from Bratina Island, Ross Sea, Antarctica was investigated by 16S rDNA-dependent molecular phylogeny. Investigations of the vertical distribution, phylogenetic composition, and spatial variability of Bacteria and Archaea in the sediment were carried out. Results revealed the presence of a highly diverse bacterial population and a significantly depth-related composition. Assessment of 173 partial 16S rDNA clones analyzed by amplified rDNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) using tetrameric restriction enzymes (HinP1I 5'G/CGC3'and Msp I. 5'C/CGG3', BioLabs) revealed 153 different bacterial OTUs (operational taxonomic units). However, only seven archaeal OTUs were detected, indicating low archaeal diversity. Based on ARDRA results, 30 bacterial clones were selected for sequencing and the sequenced clones fell into seven major lineages of the domain Bacteria; the alpha, gamma, and delta subdivisions of Proteobacteria, the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides, the Spirochaetaceae, and the Actinobacteria. All of the archaeal clones sequenced belonged to the group Crenarchaeota and phylogenetic analysis revealed close relationships with members of the deep-branching Group 1 Marine Archaea.     

杂交水稻种子固有细菌群落多样性探究

采用传统的分离培养方法和分子生物学技术对我国高产杂交水稻(OryzasativaL.)金优611种子固有细菌进行研究,从而了解其中可培养细菌群落的多样性。对分离得到的91株细菌进行16SrDNA扩增、ARDRA分型和16SrDNA系统发育分析,结果表明,分离得到的91株细菌分属于10个属16个种。其中γ-变形杆菌(Gammaproteobacteria)(53.85%)占据优势地位,其次为α-变形杆菌(Alphaproteobacteria)(20.88%),其它分属放线菌门Actinobacteria(15.39%)及厚壁菌门Firmicutes(9.88%)。其中的泛菌属(Pantoea sp.)和鞘氨醇单胞菌属(Sphingomonas sp.)、假单胞菌属(Pseudomonas sp.)、微杆菌属(Microbacterium sp.)为分离到的优势种群,且在种子这一特殊的生存空间中有4株潜在的新种存在。首次报道了杂交水稻金优611种子具有丰富的微生物群落多样性,为进一步探索植物种子际微生态环境中微生物群落的形成和生态功能提供了基础信息。     

Comprehensive aligned sequence construction for automated design of effective probes (CASCADE-P) using 16S rDNA

MOTIVATION: Prokaryotic organisms have been identified utilizing the sequence variation of the 16S rRNA gene. Variations steer the design of DNA probes for the detection of taxonomic groups or specific organisms. The long-term goal of our project is to create probe arrays capable of identifying 16S rDNA sequences in unknown samples. This necessitated the authentication, categorization and alignment of the >75 000 publicly available '16S' sequences. Preferably, the entire process should be computationally administrated so the aligned collection could periodically absorb 16S rDNA sequences from the public records. A complete multiple sequence alignment would provide a foundation for computational probe selection and facilitates microbial taxonomy and phylogeny. RESULTS: Here we report the alignment and similarity clustering of 62 662 16S rDNA sequences and an approach for designing effective probes for each cluster. A novel alignment compression algorithm, NAST (Nearest Alignment Space Termination), was designed to produce the uniform multiple sequence alignment referred to as the prokMSA. From the prokMSA, 9020 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) were found based on transitive sequence similarities. An automated approach to probe design was straightforward using the prokMSA clustered into OTUs. As a test case, multiple probes were computationally picked for each of the 27 OTUs that were identified within the Staphylococcus Group. The probes were incorporated into a customized microarray and were able to correctly categorize Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus anthracis into their correct OTUs. Although a successful probe picking strategy is outlined, the main focus of creating the prokMSA was to provide a comprehensive, categorized, updateable 16S rDNA collection useful as a foundation for any probe selection algorithm.