Abstract
As one of the fermentation products of plant biomass, formate is an important organic acid in flooded rice (Oryza sativa L.) fields. Little is known, however, about the identity of formate‐metabolizing bacteria in paddy soil. In this study, a paddy soil microcosm was incubated with 13C‐labeled formate; bacterial and eukaryotic communities incorporating formate C were analyzed by DNA‐stable isotope probing. Real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that 13C‐formate‐derived C was actively assimilated by a subset of bacteria. Molecular fingerprinting and sequencing analysis of 16S rRNA genes revealed that the active formate‐metabolizing bacteria in the paddy soil were mainly the bacteria in the Clostridia class and purple nonsulfur bacteria (PNSB). The former might facilitate SO42− and Fe reduction using formate. Observed for the first time, PNSB are able to assimilate organic matter for growth under in situ conditions without light. These results extend our knowledge of not only the formate‐assimilating bacteria but also the ecological significance of formate in paddy soil.
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