In situ analysis of the bacterial communities associated to farmed eel by whole-cell hybridization

Bacterial communities in water samples and eel slime were investigated by f luorescence in situ hybridization of whole bacterial cells in an eel intens ive culture system over 1 year. A newly developed probe, matching 27 Vibrio spp., and a specific probe for Vibrio vulnificus were used. Phylogenetic p robes complementary to selected regions of the 16S and 23S ribosomal RNA re vealed that Proteobacteria of the alpha and beta subclass were predominant in water and eel slime. Members of the gamma subclass (e.g. vibrios and aer omonads) were more abundant in eel slime, although no V. vulnificus was det ected.