Desulfitobacterium aromaticivorans sp. nov. and Geobacter toluenoxydans sp. nov., iron-reducing bacteria capable of anaerobic degradation of monoaromatic hydrocarbons.
Dissimilatory iron reduction plays a significant role in subsurface environments. Currently, it is assumed that members of the genus Geobacter constitute the majority of the iron-reducing micro-organisms that oxidize aromatic compounds in contaminated subsurface environments. Here, we report the isolation of two phylogenetically distinct pure cultures of iron-reducing degraders of monoaromatic hydrocarbons, strain TMJ1(T), which belongs to the genus Geobacter within the Deltaproteobacteria, and strain UKTL(T), belonging to the genus Desulfitobacterium within the Clostridia. Both strains utilize a wide range of substrates as carbon and energy sources, including the aromatic compounds toluene, phenol and p-cresol. Additionally, strain UKTL(T) utilizes o-xylene and TMJ1(T) utilizes m-cresol. Anaerobic degradation of toluene in both strains and o-xylene in strain UKTL(T) is initiated by activation with fumarate addition to the methyl group. The genomic DNA G+C contents of strains TMJ1(T) and UKTL(T) are 54.4 and 47.7 mol%, respectively. Based on a detailed physiological characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA genes of both strains, we propose the names Desulfitobacterium aromaticivorans sp. nov. (type strain UKTL(T) =DSM 19510(T) =JCM 15765(T)) and Geobacter toluenoxydans sp. nov. (type strain TMJ1(T) =DSM 19350(T) =JCM 15764(T)) to accommodate these strains. To the best of our knowledge, strain UKTL(T) is the first described spore-forming, iron-reducing bacterium that can degrade aromatic hydrocarbons.
Kunapuli
Umakanth
U
Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
Jahn
Michael K
MK
Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
Lueders
Tillmann
T
Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
Geyer
Roland
R
Department of Environmental Microbiology, Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany.
Heipieper
Hermann J
HJ
Department of Bioremediation, Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research - UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany.
Meckenstock
Rainer U
RU
Institute of Groundwater Ecology, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, D-85764 Neuherberg, Germany.
D020562:Betaproteobacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D002482:Cellulose / Q000378:metabolism*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D005227:Fatty Acids; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D002482:Cellulose