Skip to main content
Log in

Studies on dissimilatory sulfate-reducing bacteria that decompose fatty acids

I. Isolation of new sulfate-reducing bacteria enriched with acetate from saline environments. Description of Desulfobacter postgatei gen. nov., sp. nov.

  • Published:
Archives of Microbiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Three strains (2ac9, 3ac10 and 4ac11) of oval to rodshaped, Gram negative, nonsporing sulfate-reducing bacteria were isolated from brackish water and marine mud samples with acetate as sole electron donor. All three strains grew in simple defined media supplemented with biotin and 4-aminobenzoic acid as growth factors. Acetate was the only electron donor utilized by strain 2ac9, while the other two strains used in addition ethanol and/or lactate. Sulfate served as electron acceptor and was reduced to H2S. Complete oxidation of acetate to CO2 was shown by stoichiometric measurements with strain 2ac9 in batch cultures using sulfate, sulfite or thiosulfate as electron acceptors. With sulfate an average growth yield of 4.8 g cell dry weight was obtained per mol of acetate oxidized; with sulfite or thiosulfate the growth yield on acetate was about twice as high. None of the strains contained desulfoviridin. In strain 2ac9 cytochromes of the b- and c-type were detected. Strain 2ac9 is described as type strain of the new species and genus, Desulfobacter postgatei.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abram JW, Nedwell DB (1978) Inhibition of methanogenesis by sulfate-reducing bacteria competing for transferred hydrogen. Arch Microbiol 117:89–92

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Badziong W, Thauer RK (1978) Growth yields and growth rates of Desulfovibrio vulgaris (Marburg) growing on hydrogen plus sulfate and hydrogen plus thiosulfate as the sole energy sources. Arch Microbiol 117:209–214

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cahet G (1975) Transfert d'énergie en milieu sédimentaire. Cas des sulfatoréducteurs. II. Relations syntrophiques avec diverses microflores. Vie Milieu sér B 25:49–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Fallon RD, Harrits S, Hanson RS, Brock TD (1980) The role of methane in internal carbon cycling in Lake Mendota during summer stratification. Limnol Oceanogr 25:357–360

    Google Scholar 

  • Jørgensen BB (1977) The sulfur cycle of a coastal marine sediment. Limnol Oceanogr 22:814–832

    Google Scholar 

  • Laanbroek HJ, Pfennig N (1981) Oxidation of short-chain fatty acids by sulfate reducing bacteria in freshwater and in marine sediments. Arch Microbiol 128:336–340

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore WEC, Johnson JL, Holdeman LV (1976) Emendation of Bacteroidaceae and Butyrivibrio and descriptions of Desulfomonas gen. nov. and ten new species in the genera Desulfomonas, Butyrivibrio, Eubacterium, Clostridium, and Ruminococcus. Int J Syst Bacteriol 26:238–252

    Google Scholar 

  • Mountfort DO, Asher RA, Mays EL, Tiedje JM (1980) Carbon and electron flow in mud and sandflat intertidal sediments at Delaware Inlet, Nelson, New Zealand. Appl Environ Microbiol 39:686–694

    Google Scholar 

  • Oremland RS, Taylor BF (1978) Sulfate reduction and methanogenesis in marine sediments. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 42:209–214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pachmayr F (1960) Vorkommen und Bestimmung von Schwefelverbindungen in Mineralwasser. Diss Univ München

  • Pfennig N (1978) Rhodocyclus purpureus gen. nov. and sp. nov., a ringshaped, vitamin B12-requiring member of the family Rhodospirillaceae. Int J Syst Bacteriol 28:283–288

    Google Scholar 

  • Postgate JR (1959) A diagnostic reaction of Desulphovibrio desulphuricans. Nature 183:481–482

    Google Scholar 

  • Senez JC (1962) Some considerations on the energetics of bacterial growth. Bacteriol Rev 26:95–107

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thauer RK, Jungermann K, Decker RK (1977) Energy conservation in chemotrophic anaerobic bacteria. Bacteriol Rev 41:100–180

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Trudinger PA (1970) Carbon monoxide-reacting pigment from Desulfotomaculum nigrificans and its possible relevance to sulfite reduction. J Bacteriol 104:158–170

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vosjahn JH (1970) ATP generation by electron transport in Desulfovibrio desulfuricans. J Microbiol Serol 36:585–587

    Google Scholar 

  • Weston JA, Knowles CJ (1973) A soluble CO-binding c-type cytochrome from the marine bacterium Beneckea natriegens. Biochim Biophys Acta 305:11–18

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Widdel F, Pfennig N (1977) A new anaerobic, sporing, acetate-oxidizing, sulfate-reducing bacterium, Desulfotomaculum (emend.) acetoxidans. Arch Microbiol 112:119–122

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Widdel F (1980) Anaerober Abbau von Fettsäuren und Benzoesäure durch neu isolierte Arten sulfatreduzierender Bakterien. Diss Univ Göttingen

  • Widdel F, Pfennig N (1981) Sporulation and further nutritional characteristics of Desulfotomaculum acetoxidans. Arch Microbiol 129: 401–402

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Winfrey MR, Zeikus JG (1977) Effect of sulfate on carbon and electron flow during microbial methanogenesis in freshwater sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol 33:275–281

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Widdel, F., Pfennig, N. Studies on dissimilatory sulfate-reducing bacteria that decompose fatty acids. Arch. Microbiol. 129, 395–400 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00406470

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00406470

Key words

Navigation