Desulforhabdus

Abstract

De.sul.fo.rhab ' dus . L. pref. de from; L. neut. n. sulfur sulfur; Gr. fem. n. rhabdus rod; M.L. fem. n. Desulforhabdus a rod‐shaped sulfate reducer. Proteobacteria / Deltaproteobacteria / Syntrophobacterales / Syntrophobacteraceae / Desulforhabdus Cells are rod‐like to ellipsoid, 1.4–1.9 × 2.5–3.4 µm . Occur singly, in pairs, or in long chains. Spore formation is not observed. Gram negative and nonmotile. Strictly anaerobic, having a respiratory type of metabolism. Chemoautotrophic or chemoorganotrophic , using H 2 (+ CO 2 ), formate, acetate, propionate, butyrate, isobutyrate, lactate, pyruvate, ethanol, 1‐propanol, and 1‐butanol as electron donors and carbon sources . Organic substrates are completely oxidized to CO 2 via the anaerobic C 1 ‐pathway (carbon monoxide dehydrogenase pathway, Wood‐pathway) as indicated by carbon monoxide dehydrogenase activity, but transient excretion of acetate, isobutyrate, and propionate can occur. For chemoautotrophic growth, H 2 serves as the electron donor and CO 2 as the carbon source. Sulfate, sulfite, and thiosulfate serve as terminal electron acceptors and are reduced to H 2 S . Sulfur is not reduced. No growth by fermentation in the absence of an external electron acceptor . The mol % G + C of the DNA is : 52.5. Type species : Desulforhabdus amnigena Oude Elferink, Maas, Harmsen and Stams 1997, 1274 (Effective publication: Desulforhabdus amnigenus (sic) Oude Elferink, Maas, Harmsen and Stams 1995, 123.)