Thermodesulforhabdus norvegicus gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel thermophilic sulfate-reducing bacterium from oil field water.

A novel gram-negative, thermophilic, acetate-oxidizing, sulfate-reducing bacterium, strain A8444, isolated from hot North Sea oil field water, is described. The rod-shaped cells averaged 1 micron in width and 2.5 microns in length. They were motile by means of a single polar flagellum. Growth was observed between 44 and 74 degrees C, with an optimum at 60 degrees C. Spores were not produced. Sulfate and sulfite were used as electron acceptors. Sulfur, thiosulfate, nitrate, fumarate, and pyruvate were not reduced. In the presence of sulfate, growth was observed with acetate, lactate, pyruvate, butyrate, succinate, malate, fumarate, valerate, caproate, heptanoate, octanoate, nonadecanoate, decanoate, tridecanoate, pentadecanoate, palmitate, heptadecanoate, stearate, and ethanol. Pyruvate, lactate, and fumarate did not support fermentative growth. Cytochromes of the c-type were present. Desulfoviridin, desulforubidin, P582, and desulfofuscidin were not present. The G+C content of the DNA was 51 mol%. Sequence analysis of 16S rDNA showed that phylogenetically strain A8444 belongs to the delta subdivision of the Proteobacteria. The closest relatives are Desulfacinum infernum and Syntrophobacter wolinii: Strain A8444 is described as the type strain of the new taxon Thermodesulforhabdus norvegicus gen. nov., sp. nov.