Polaromonas Naphthalenivorans Sp. Nov., A Naphthalene-Degrading Bacterium From Naphthalene-Contaminated Sediment
Polaromonas Naphthalenivorans Sp. Nov., A Naphthalene-Degrading Bacterium From Naphthalene-Contaminated Sediment
Polaromonas Naphthalenivorans Sp. Nov., A Naphthalene-Degrading Bacterium From Naphthalene-Contaminated Sediment
DOI 10.1099/ijs.0.02636-0
Eugene L. Madsen
elm3@cornell.edu
Strain CJ2T, capable of growth on naphthalene as a sole carbon and energy source, was
isolated from coal-tar-contaminated freshwater sediment. The Gram reaction of strain CJ2T
was negative. The cells were non-spore-forming, non-motile cocci (without flagella). The isolate
was found to be an aerobic heterotroph capable of utilizing glucose and other simple sugars.
Growth was observed between 4 and 25 6C (optimum, 20 6C) and between pH 6?0 and 9?0
(optimum, pH 7?07?5). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 61?5 mol% and the major
quinone was ubiquinone-8. The peptidoglycan of strain CJ2T was determined as belonging to type
A1-c, meso-diaminopimelic acid. The major fatty acids of strain CJ2T were 16 : 1v7c (67?0 %),
16 : 0 (19?6 %), 18 : 1v7c (~7?9 %) and 10 : 0 3-OH (~2?5 %). The polar lipids were
phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol. Mycolic acid and
glycolipids could not be detected. Comparative 16S rDNA analysis indicated that strain CJ2T is
related to the family Comamonadaceae and that the nearest phylogenetic relative was Polaromonas
vacuolata 34-PT (97?1 % similarity). On the basis of the physiological and molecular properties,
the naphthalene-degrading isolate was designated Polaromonas naphthalenivorans sp. nov. The
type strain is CJ2T (=ATCC BAA-779T=DSM 15660T).
previously isolated a variety of Gram-negative and Grampositive naphthalene-degrading bacteria from the contaminated site (Herrick et al., 1997; Stuart-Keil et al., 1998),
a novel Gram-negative bacterium was discovered very
recently. Here, we describe this bacterium, strain CJ2T, as
a novel species designated Polaromonas naphthalenivorans
sp. nov.
The biogeochemistry of the study site has been reported
previously (Bakermans et al., 2002; Madsen et al., 1991).
Samples of surface freshwater sediment, bathed in groundwater flowing through naphthalene-rich coal-tar waste
contamination, were diluted serially and spread on minimal salts base (MSB) agar medium (Stanier et al., 1966)
incubated in the presence of naphthalene vapour as the
sole carbon source at 10 uC for 1 month. The isolate was
routinely grown aerobically at 20 uC except where indicated
otherwise. MSB containing 0?2 % pyruvate (w/v), Luria
Bertani (LB) broth and oligotrophic medium PYGV (Staley,
1968) were used for growth evaluation of the isolate and
related type strains. Broth cultures (5 ml, MSB containing
0?2 % pyruvate) used to inoculate other media were inoculated with a loop of cells and then shaken (200 r.p.m.)
overnight. These cells were diluted 1 : 20 for growth assays
in other media. Growth was monitored by measuring
the OD600.
93
95
96
10 : 0
6366
NA
6869
10 : 0
6668
8:0
5961
NA
+
2
2
Q-8+RQ-8
+
+
2
Q-8
16 : 0, 16 : 1,
18 : 1
2
+
2
Q-8+RQ-8
16 : 0, 16 : 1
Rods or spirilla
Polar or
bipolar tufts
2
+
2
Q-8
16 : 1v7c, 16 : 0,
18 : 1v7c
Rods
One, polar
Rods
Peritrichous
Curved rods
One, polar
Xylophilus
Variovorax
Rhodoferax
NA
10 : 0
61?5
5257
10 : 0
5662
Pigments
Oxidase
Psychrophilic growth
Major quinone system
Major cellular fatty acids
2
+
2
Q-8
16 : 1v7c,
16 : 0, 18 : 1v7c
2
+
+
Q-8
16 : 1v7c, 16 : 0,
18 : 1v7c, 18 : 1v9t
or 18 : 1v12t
Rods
One, polar
[Aquaspirillum]
Polaromonas
Strain CJ2T
Characteristic
Data for other genera were taken from Wen et al. (1999). +, Present in all species; 2, absent in all species; Q, ubiquinone; RQ, rhodoquinone;
Table 1. Characteristics of strain CJ2T and other genera in the family Comamonadaceae
NA,
no data available.
Comamonas
Cells are non-motile, presumably non-flagellated, Gramnegative, aerobic cocci of variable size (14 mm), usually
found individually or in small clusters of loosely adherent
cells. Oxidase- and catalase-positive. The optimum growth
temperature and pH are respectively 20 uC and 77?5.
Many simple sugars are utilized. PHA, polyglucose and
polyphosphate granules accumulate as storage material.
Chemo-organotrophic. The G+C content is approximately
61?5 mol% and ubiquinone-8 is the major quinone. Cells
form circular, convex colonies with smooth and glistening
surfaces. Pigment is not produced. Growth is not observed
at 30 uC. The growth rate is much lower in LB medium
than in MSB or oligotrophic media. Large (0?5 cm) mucoid
colonies are produced with naphthalene vapour as the
carbon-source medium at 10 uC. Naphthalene is efficiently
removed from solution. Tests for gelatinase, citrate utilization
and arginine hydrolase are positive. ONPG is not hydrolysed. Assays for lysine decarboxylase, ornithine decarboxylase, tryptophan deaminase and urease are negative.
Hydrogen sulfide, indole and acetoin are not produced.
Acid, but no gas, is produced from D-glucose, mannitol,
sucrose and arabinose. The major cellular fatty acids are
16 : 1v7c (67?0 %), 16 : 0 (19?6 %), 18 : 1v7c (~7?9 %) and
10 : 0 3-OH (~2?5 %). The major peptidoglycan is type
A1-c, meso-diaminopimelic acid. The polar lipids are phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol. Mycolic acid and glycolipids are not detected.
The type strain is CJ2T (=ATCC BAA-779T=DSM
15660T), which was isolated from coal-tar-contaminated
surface sediments from South Glens Falls, NY, USA.
Acknowledgements
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