Thioalkalimicrobium cyclicum sp. nov. and Thioalkalivibrio jannaschii sp. nov., novel species of haloalkaliphilic, obligately chemolithoautotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria from hypersaline alkaline Mono Lake (California).

Two strains of haloalkaliphilic, obligately autotrophic, sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were isolated from the oxygen-sulfide interface water layer of stratified alkaline and saline Mono Lake, California, USA. Strain ALM 1T was a dominant species in enrichment on moderate-saline, carbonate-buffered medium (0.6 M total Na+, pH 10) with thiosulfate as an energy source and nitrate as a nitrogen source. Cells of ALM 1T are open ring-shaped and are non-motile. It has a high growth rate and activity of thiosulfate and sulfide oxidation and very low sulfur-oxidizing activity. Genetic comparison and phylogenetic analysis suggested that ALM 1T (= DSM 14477T = JCM 11371T) represents a new species of the genus Thioalkalimicrobium in the gamma-Proteobacteria, for which the name Thioalkalimicrobium cyclicum sp. nov. is proposed. Another Mono Lake isolate, strain ALM 2T, dominated in enrichment on a medium containing 2 M total Na+ (pH 10). It is a motile vibrio which tolerates up to 4 M Na+ and produces a membrane-bound yellow pigment. Phylogenetic analysis placed ALM 2T as a member of genus Thioalkalivibrio in the gamma-Proteobacteria, although its DNA hybridization with the representative strains of this genus was only about 30%. On the basis of genetic and phenotypic properties, strain ALM 2T (= DSM 14478T = JCM 11372T) is proposed as Thioalkalivibrio jannaschii sp. nov..