Heliothrix oregonensis, gen. nov., sp. nov., a phototrophic filamentous gliding bacterium containing bacteriochlorophyll a.
An unusual filamentous, gliding bacterium was found in a few hot springs in Oregon where it formed a nearly unispecific top layer of microbial mats. It contained a bacteriochlorophyll a-like pigment and an abundance of carotenoids. There were no chlorosomes or additional chlorophylls. The organism was aerotolerant and appeared to be photoheterotrophic. It was successfully co-cultured with an aerobic chemoheterotroph in a medium containing glucose and casamino acids. Although it has many characteristics in common with the genus Chloroflexus, the lack of chlorosomes and bacteriochlorophyll c and the aerobic nature of this organism indicate that it should be placed in a new genus. This conclusion is supported by 5S rRNA nucleotide sequence data.
Pierson
B K
BK
Giovannoni
S J
SJ
Stahl
D A
DA
Castenholz
R W
RW
D001419:Bacteria / Q000032:analysis / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D001429:Bacteriochlorophylls / Q000032:analysis*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014871:Water Microbiology
D001429:Bacteriochlorophylls; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D002734:Chlorophyll; D002338:Carotenoids