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Desulfovibrio simplex spec. nov., a new sulfate-reducing bacterium from a sour whey digester

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Abstract

Desulfovibrio simplex spec. nov. strain XVI was isolated from an anaerobic sour whey digester. Single cells had a vibrioid shape and were motile by a single, polar flagellum. The size of cells was 0.5–1.0 μ×1.5–3.0 μm. The G+C content of the DNA of D. simplex strain XVI was 47.5 mol%. The only other Desulfovibrio species with a similar G+C content of the DNA was Desulfovibrio salexigens (46.1 mol%. D. simplex grew on H2/CO2, formate, pyruvate, L(+)-lactate, fumarate, malate, ethanol, 1-propanol and 1-butanol as electron donors, while Desulfovibrio salexigens grew in addition on methanol, 2-propanol, 2-butanol, glycerol, succinate, citrate, choline and glucose. Electron acceptors for D. simplex were sulfate, thiosulfate and nitrate. L(+)-Lactate was incompletely oxidized to acetate and CO2 during sulfate reduction. Furthermore, both species could be distinguished by the ability of D. simplex but not of D. salexigens to grow on and to oxidize benzaldehyde derivatives to the respective acids, including vanillin, p-anisaldehyde and syringaldehyde. Moreover, D. simplex could grow in the presence of trace amounts of NaCl, while D. salexigens had an obligate requirement of 25 g/l NaCl. In addition, D. simplex can be distinguished from D. salexigens by its differing polyamine pattern. On the basis of the presented data the description of strain XVI as Desulfovibrio simplex spec. nov. is proposed.

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Abbreviations

SRB:

sulfate reducing bacteria

HPLC:

hig performance liquid chromatography

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lehrstuhl für Mikrobiologie, Universität Regensburg, D-8400, Regensburg, Germany

    G. Zellner & J. Winter

  2. Lentrum für Ultrastrukturforschung, Universität für Bodenkultur, A-1180, Wien, Austria

    P. Messner

  3. Institut für Biotechnologie 3, Kernforschungsanlage Jülich GmbH, D-5170, Jülich, Germany

    H. Kneifel

Authors
  1. G. Zellner
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  2. P. Messner
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  3. H. Kneifel
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  4. J. Winter
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Zellner, G., Messner, P., Kneifel, H. et al. Desulfovibrio simplex spec. nov., a new sulfate-reducing bacterium from a sour whey digester. Arch. Microbiol. 152, 329–334 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425169

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425169

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