Open AccessPsychrosinus fermentans gen. nov., sp. nov., a lactate‐fermenting bacterium from near‐freezing oxycline waters of a meromictic Antarctic lake
Author(s) -
Sattley W. Matthew,
Jung Deborah O.,
Madigan Michael T.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2008.01300.x
Subject(s) - psychrophile , biology , 16s ribosomal rna , fermentation , bacteria , extreme environment , microbiology and biotechnology , propionate , phylogenetic tree , biochemistry , gene , genetics
A novel, obligately anaerobic, fermentative bacterium, strain FCF9, was isolated from a 9‐m water sample from permanently ice‐covered, meromictic Lake Fryxell, Antarctica. A phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence identity clustered the Antarctic isolate within the Sporomusa−Pectinatus−Selenomonas phyletic group, where it was most closely related to Pelosinus fermentans (95.5% sequence identity). However, unlike species of Pelosinus , strain FCF9 was psychrophilic, with growth occurring optimally near 15 °C, and endospores were not produced. The metabolism of the new organism was strictly fermentative. The substrates fermented by strain FCF9 included only lactate and a few related organic acids. The major products from lactate fermentation were acetate and propionate. On the basis of phylogenetic, morphological, and physiological criteria, strain FCF9 T is proposed as the type strain of a novel genus and species of psychrophilic‐fermenting bacteria, Psychrosinus fermentans gen. nov., sp. nov.