title: Methanosarcina baltica, sp. nov., a novel methanogen isolated from the Gotland Deep of the Baltic Sea.
abstract: A novel methanogen, Methanosarcina baltica GS1-AT, DSM 14042, JCM 11281, was isolated from sediment at a depth of 241 m in the Gotland Deep of the Baltic Sea. Cells were irregular, monopolar monotrichous flagellated cocci 1.5-3 microm in diameter often occurring in pairs or tetrads. The catabolic substrates used included methanol, methylated amines, and acetate, but not formate or H2/CO2. Growth was observed in a temperature range between 4 degrees and 27 degrees C with an optimum at 25 degrees C. The doubling time with methanol as substrate was 84 h at 25 degrees C, 120 h at 9 degrees C, and 167 h at 4 degrees C. The doubling time with acetate as substrate was 252 h at 25 degrees C and 425 h at 20 degrees C. After the transfer of methanol-grown cultures, long lag phases were observed that lasted 15-20 days at 25 degrees C and 25 days at 4 degrees -9 degrees C. The NaCl optimum for growth was 2%-4%, and the fastest growth occurred within a pH range of 6.5-7.5. Analysis of the 16S rDNA sequence revealed that the strain was phylogenetically related to Methanosarcina. The sequence similarity to described species of <95.7% and its physiological properties distinguished strain GS1-A(T) from all described species of the genus Methanosarcina.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Allegemeine Mikrobiologie, Universität Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: von Klein
authors.forename: Hocine
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arab
authors.forename: Horst
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Völker
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thomm
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D000432:Methanol / Q000378:metabolism; D017020:Methanosarcina / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D010802:Phylogeny; D019642:RNA, Archaeal / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology; D013548:Sweden; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D019642:RNA, Archaeal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D000432:Methanol