The genus Tabrizicola with its type species and strain Tabrizicola aquatica RCRI19T was previously described as a purely chemotrophic genus of Gram-negative, aerobic, non-motile and rod-shaped bacteria. With the present study, we expand the description of the metabolic capabilities of this genus and the T. aquatica type strain to include chlorophyll-dependent phototrophy. Our results confirmed that T. aquatica, does not grow under anaerobic photoautotrophic or photoheterotrophic conditions. However, the presence of the photosynthesis-related genes pufL and pufM could be demonstrated in the genomes of several Tabrizicola strains. Additionally, photosynthetic pigments (bacteriochlorophyll a) were formed under aerobic, heterotrophic and low light conditions in T. aquatica strain RCRI19T. Furthermore, all the genes necessary for a fully operational photosynthetic apparatus and bacteriochlorophyll a are present in the T. aquatica type strain genome. Therefore, we suggest categorising T. aquatica RCRI19T, isolated from freshwater environment of Qurugöl Lake, as an aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic (AAP) bacterium.
Keywords: Aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic (AAP) bacterium; Tabrizicola aquatica; pufLM genes.