
{"publication_number": "US-2005053955-A1", "abstract": "a nucleic acid based method is provided for the detection of methanogens in human , animal , plant and in environmental samples of soil , sediment or water that are terrestrial or subterranean in origin . the method is effected by obtaining a biological sample ; and analyzing the sample for a nucleic acid sequence / s unique to methanogens , wherein a detectable level of the nucleic acid sequence unique to methanogens is indicative of the presence of methanogens in the sample . further , a scheme for inferring the identity of the different types of methanogens is provided , wherein , the dna sequences of the methyl reductase genes detected in that sample are compared to methyl reductase sequences of known methanogens . with this technology , methanogens in samples containing less than 