FERVIDOBACTERIUM-ISLANDICUM SP-NOV, A NEW EXTREMELY THERMOPHILIC EUBACTERIUM BELONGING TO THE THERMOTOGALES

An extremely thermophilic anaerobic fermentative eubacterium growing at temperatures between 50 and 80°C (opt.: 65°C) was isolated from an Icelandic hot spring. The cells were Gram-negative motile rods, about 1.8 μm in length, and 0.6 μm in width occurring singly and in pairs. About 50% of the cells formed large spheroids at one end similar to Fervidobacterium nodosum. The new isolate H 21 differed from Fervidobacterium nodosum by a 6 mol % higher GC-content of its DNA (41 mol %), its ability to grow on cellulose, and insignificant DNA homology. The lipids of isolate H 21 were similar to that of members of "Thermotogales". 16S rRNA sequencing of isolate H 21 and Fervidobacterium nodosum indicated (a) that isolate H 21 represents a new species of the genus Fervidobacterium which we name Fervidobacterium islandicum and (b) that the genus Fervidobacterium belongs to the "Thermotogales" branch. © 1990 Springer-Verlag.