Description of Citricoccus nitrophenolicus sp. nov., a para-nitrophenol degrading actinobacterium isolated from a wastewater treatment plant and emended description of the genus Citricoccus Altenburger et al. 2002

Abstract

A novel actinobacterium, designated PNP1(T), was isolated from a wastewater treatment plant at a pesticide factory by selective enrichment with para-nitrophenol. The strictly aerobic strain PNP1(T) grew with para-nitrophenol as the sole carbon and energy source. Metabolism of para-nitrophenol resulted in the stoichiometric release of nitrite. When incubated with both para-nitrophenol and acetate, para-nitrophenol was degraded and utilized as growth substrate prior to acetate. When grown on acetate (in the absence of ammonium) both nitrite and nitrate served as nitrogen sources, nitrate being quantitatively reduced to nitrite which accumulated in cultures during aerobic growth. Cells were coccoid and stained Gram-positive, were non-motile and did not form endospores. Colonies of strain PNP1(T) on agar medium were bright yellow, circular and smooth. The dominant menaquinone was MK-8(H(2)) (54%) and the major cellular fatty acid was anteiso C15:0 (75%). Strain PNP1(T) grew optimally at 27°C, at pH 8-8.5, at salinities 3% (w/v) NaCl, yet exhibited a substantial halotolerance with growth occurring at salinities up to 17% (w/v) NaCl. In addition to para-nitrophenol, a range of sugars, short chain fatty acids and alcohols served as electron donors for growth. The DNA G + C mol% was 68%. The genotypic and phenotypic properties suggest that strain PNP1(T) represents a novel species of the actinobacterial genus Citricoccus for which the name Citricoccus nitrophenolicus is proposed. It is the first member of this genus that has been reported to hydrolyze and grow on para-nitrophenol. The type strain is PNP1(T) (=DSM 23311(T) = CCUG 59571(T)).