Desulfatibacillum aliphaticivorans gen. nov., sp nov., an n-alkane- and n-alkene-degrading, sulfate-reducing bacterium

A novel marine sulfate-reducing bacterium, strain CV2803(T), which is able to oxidize aliphatic hydrocarbons, was isolated from a hydrocarbon-polluted marine sediment (Gulf of Fos, France). The cells were rod-shaped and slightly curved, measuring 0.6 x 2.2-5.5 mum. Strain CV2803(T) stained Gram-negative and was non-motile and non-spore-forming. Optimum growth occurred in the presence of 24 g NaCl l(-1), at pH 7.5 and at a temperature between 28 and 35 degreesC. Strain CV2803(T) oxidized alkanes (from C-13 to C-18) and alkenes (from C-7 to C-23). The DNA G +C content was 41.4 mol%. Comparative sequence analyses of the 16S rRNA gene and dissimilatory sulfite reductase (dsrAB) gene and those of other sulfate-reducing bacteria, together with its phenotypic properties, indicated that strain CV2803(T) was a member of a distinct cluster that contained unnamed species. Therefore, strain CV2803(T) (= DSM 15576(T) = ATCC BAA-743(T)) is proposed as the type strain of a novel species in a new genus, Desulfatibacillum aliphaticivorans gen. nov., sp. nov.