Isolation and characterization of Desulfovibrio burkinensis sp. nov. from an African ricefield, and phylogeny of Desulfovibrio alcoholivorans

A sulfate-reducing bacterium, strain HDv(T) (T = type strain), was isolated from an anoxic ricefield soil. Cells were Gram-negative, non-sporulating curved rods motile by means of a single polar flagellum. Cytochrome c(3) and desulfoviridin were present. In the presence of sulfate, glycerol, 1,2- and 1,3-propanediol, dihydroxyacetone, pyruvate, lactate, fumarate, maleate, malate and succinate were incompletely oxidized mainly to acetate. Sulfite, thiosulfate, elemental sulfur, fumarate, maleate and malate were utilized as alternative electron accepters. In the absence of added electron accepters, pyruvate, fumarate, maleate, malate and dihydroxyacetone were fermented. The DNA base composition was 67 mol% G+C. The phylogenetic, phenotypic and physiological characteristics of strain HDv(T) indicate that it is a new species of the genus Desulfovibrio, for which the name Desulfovibrio burkinensis sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is HDv(T) (= DSM 6830(T)). Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that Desulfovibrio alcoholivorans was a distinct species supporting the previously published phenotypic data.