DNA Base Composition and Esterase Patterns of Bacteria Isolated from Deep Sea Sediments

Electrophoretic patterns of esterase isozymes and DNA base compositions were determined for 38 marine bacteria, 31 strains of which were from sediment samples collected at depths of 9400–10,400 in in the Philippine and Marianas Trenches of the Pacific Ocean, and 7 from seawater samples collected at various depths of surface–4000 m and from several locations in the Pacific Ocean. Previous numerical taxonomic analysis indicated 5 distinct phenetic clusters; 4 identified as Pseudomonas and 1 as aerogenic Aeromonas. In this study, the DNA base composition range for the entire sample set was found to be 41–59 moles % of GC. However, 32 of the 38 strains possessed a GC of c. 57%. In general, strains belonging to the same phenon possessed nearly identical DNA base composition and demonstrated similar esterase patterns.