Bacterial diversity and community structure in the East China Sea by 454 sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene

The 454 sequencing method was used to detect bacterial diversity and community structure in the East China Sea. Overall, 149 067 optimized reads with an average length of 454 nucleotides were obtained from 17 seawater samples and five sediment samples sourced in May 2011. A total of 22 phyla, 34 classes, 74 orders, 146 families, and 333 genera were identified in this study. Some of them were detected for the first time from the East China Sea. The estimated richness and diversity indices were both higher in the sediment samples compared with in the seawater samples. All the samples were divided by their diversity indices into four regions. Similarity analysis showed that the seawater samples could be classified into six groups. The groups differed from each other and had unique community structure characteristics. It was found that different water masses in the sampling areas may have had some influence on the bacterial community structure. A canonical correspondence analysis revealed that seawater samples in different areas and at different depths were affected by different environmental parameters. This study will lay the foundation for future research on microbiology in the East China Sea.