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Stable isotope probing - linking microbial identity to function.

Marc G Dumont·J Colin Murrell
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Abstract

Stable isotope probing (SIP) is a technique that is used to identify the microorganisms in environmental samples that use a particular growth substrate. The method relies on the incorporation of a substrate that is highly enriched in a stable isotope, such as (13)C, and the identification of active microorganisms by the selective recovery and analysis of isotope-enriched cellular components. DNA and rRNA are the most informative taxonomic biomarkers and (13)C-labelled molecules can be purified from unlabelled nucleic acid by density-gradient centrifugation. The future holds great promise for SIP, particularly when combined with other emerging technologies such as microarrays and metagenomics.

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BacteriaCarbon IsotopesDNA, BacterialIsotope LabelingPhylogenyPolymerase Chain ReactionRNA, Ribosomal, 16SJournal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tReview

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Marc G Dumont, J Colin Murrell. 2005. Stable isotope probing - linking microbial identity to function.. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro1162

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