Microbial community analysis of the octocoral Eunice a fusca; combined use of cultivation-dependent and independent techniques

The octocoral Eunicea fusca is the source of important anti-inflammatory compounds
such as the diterpenes fuscol and the fuscosides. Evidence suggests that these
compounds are being produce by bacterial sources that live in symbiosis with the coral.
As part of an investigation to better understand the role of bacteria associated with E.
fusca , the characterization of the bacterial community using two different techniques
(culture dependent technique and culture independent technique) and sea water samples
was done. Sea water samples were used as a control to determine how closely associated
bacteria are to this octocoral. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with universal
bacterial primers FC27 and RC 1492 specific to prokaryotic 16S rDNA gene sequences
was used to characterize the total bacterial population when using both the culturable and
the non-culturable approaches. The results indicate a diverse group of bacteria associated to E. fusca composed of 10 different groups. The pro teo bacteria group was the most
predominant group when both techniques were used. The a-proteobacteria represented
the highest percentage of bacteria associated to E. fusca.