Population Structure and Morphotype Analysis of “ Candidatus Accumulibacter” Using Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization-Staining-Flow Cytometry

As one group of the most important functional phosphorus removal organisms, “ Candidatus Accumulibacter,” affiliated with the Rhodocyclus group of the Betaproteobacteria , is a widely recognized and studied PAO in the field of biological wastewater treatment. The morphotypes and population structure of clade-level “ Candidatus Accumulibacter” were studied through novel FISH-staining-flow cytometry, which involved denitrifying phosphorus removal (DPR) achieving carbon and energy savings and simultaneous removal of N and P, thus inferring the different denitrifying phosphorus removal abilities of these clades. Additionally, based on this method, in situ quantification for specific polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) enables a more efficient process and more accurate result. The establishment of FISH-staining-flow cytometry makes cell sorting of clade-level noncultivated organisms available.