Carboxydocella manganica sp nov., a thermophilic, dissimilatory Mn(IV)- and Fe(III)-reducing bacterium from a Kamchatka hot spring

A thermophilic, anaerobic, dissimilatory Mn(IV)- and Fe(III)-reducing bacterium (strain SLM 61(T)) was isolated from a terrestrial hot spring on the Kamchatka peninsula. The cells were straight rods, 0.5-0.6 mu m in diameter and 1.0-6.0 mu m long, and exhibited tumbling motility by means of peritrichous flagellation. The strain grew at 26-70 degrees C, with an optimum at 58-60 degrees C, and at pH 5.5-8.0, with an optimum at pH 6.5. Growth of SLM 61(T) was observed at 0-2.0% (w/v) NaCl, with an optimum at 0.5% (w/v). The generation time under optimal growth conditions was 40 min. Strain SLM 61(T) grew and reduced Mn(IV), Fe(III) or nitrate with a number of organic acids and complex proteinaceous compounds as electron donors. It was capable of chemolithoautotrophic growth using molecular hydrogen as an electron donor, Fe(III) but not Mn(IV) or nitrate as an electron acceptor and CO2 as a carbon source. It also was able to ferment pyruvate, yeast extract, glucose, fructose, sucrose and maltose. The G + C content of DNA of strain SLM 61(T) was 50.9 mol%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the closest relative of the isolated organism was Carboxydocella thermautotrophica 41(T) (96.9% similarity). On the basis of its physiological properties and phylogenetic analyses, the isolate is considered to represent a novel species, for which the name Carboxydocella manganica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SLM 61(T) (=DSM 23132(T) =VKM B-2609(T)). C. manganica is the first described representative of the genus Carboxydocella that possesses the ability to reduce metals and does not utilize CO.