Bacteria Genomes - DESULFOTALEA PSYCHROPHILA

Desulfotalea psychrophila is psychrophilic (thrives at low temperatures), Gram-negative bacteria. Marine biologists discovered the original culture of the Arctic isolate LSv54, on an excursion to Spitzbergen. It can grow at 0 to15 degrees Celsius.

The sequencing of the genome of Desulfotalea psychrophila is part of a comparative study. Five psychrophilic, Gram-negative, sulfate-reducing bacteria were isolated from marine sediments off the coast of Svalbard. These are Desulfofrigus oceanense, Desulfofrigus fragile, Desulfofaba gelida, Desulfotalea psychrophila, and Desulfotalea arctica. All isolates grew at the in situ temperature of -1.7 degrees C. The isolates used the most common fermentation products in marine sediments, such as acetate, propionate, butyrate, lactate and hydrogen. All strains belonged to the delta subclass of Proteobacteria but have at least 9% evolutionary distance.

Due to the phylogenetic and phenotypic differences between the new isolates and their closest relatives, establishment of the new genera Desulfotalea gen. nov., Desulfofaba gen. nov. and Desulfofrigus gen. nov. have been proposed with Desulfotalea psychrophila sp. nov. and LSv514T as the type strain of Desulfotalea arctica sp. nov.

The project team hopes that by studying these bacteria they will receive further clues as to how marine bacteria are adapted to their habitats. The longterm aim of the project is improved environmental monitoring.

References:

Environmental Microbiology 6 932004 doi:10.1111/j.1462-2920.2004.00564.x
http://www.mpg.de/english/illustrationsDocumentation/multimedia/mpResearch/2003/heft04/4_03MPR_26_29.pdf