Pseudodesulfovibrio hydrargyri sp. nov., a mercury-methylating bacterium isolated from a brackish sediment

Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2018 May;68(5):1461-1466. doi: 10.1099/ijsem.0.002173. Epub 2018 Mar 13.

Abstract

The strain BerOc1T was isolated from brackish sediments contaminated with hydrocarbons and heavy metals. This strain has been used as a model strain of sulfate-reducer to study the biomethylation of mercury. The cells are vibrio-shaped, motile and not sporulated. Phylogeny and physiological traits placed this strain within the genus Pseudodesulfovibrio. Optimal growth was obtained at 30 °C, 1.5 % NaCl and pH 6.0-7.4. The estimated G+C content of the genomic DNA was 62.6 mol%. BerOc1T used lactate, pyruvate, fumarate, ethanol and hydrogen. Terminal electron acceptors used were sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate and DMSO. Only pyruvate could be used without a terminal electron acceptor. The major fatty acids were C18 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0 and C18 : 1ω7. The name Pseudodesulfovibrio hydrargyri sp. nov. is proposed for the type strain BerOc1T (DSM 10384T=JCM 31820T).

Keywords: Pseudodesulfovibrio; brackish lagoon; mercury methylation; sulfate reduction.

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Typing Techniques
  • Base Composition
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Deltaproteobacteria / classification*
  • Deltaproteobacteria / genetics
  • Deltaproteobacteria / isolation & purification
  • Fatty Acids / chemistry
  • France
  • Geologic Sediments / microbiology*
  • Mercury / chemistry*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Phylogeny*
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Sulfur-Reducing Bacteria / classification
  • Sulfur-Reducing Bacteria / genetics
  • Sulfur-Reducing Bacteria / isolation & purification
  • Water Microbiology*

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Fatty Acids
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
  • Mercury