Culture Collection

Published isolates

Nautilia sp. strain PV-1

Epsilonproteobacteria
In the picture - Electron micrograph of negatively stained Nautilia sp. strain PV-1 cells.

Nautilia sp. strain PV-1 is a piezophilic, thermophilic, anaerobic, chemolithoautotrophic bacterium isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent on the East Pacific Rise. Cells were Gram-negative curved rods, and grew optimally at 60ºC and 20MPa. Chemolithoautotrophic growth occurred with H2 as the energy source and CO2 as the carbon source. Nitrate and sulfur were used as electron acceptors with production of ammonia and sulfide, respectively.

Varunaivibrio sulfuroxidans gen. nov. sp. nov.

Alphaproteobacteria
In the picture - Electron micrograph of negatively stained Varunaivibrio sulfuroxidans cells.

Varunaivibrio sulfuroxidans is a mesophilic, facultative anaerobic, facultative chemolithoautotrophic bacterium isolated from a sulfidic shallow-water marine gas vent located at Tor Caldara, in the Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy. Cells were Gram-negative curved rods, and grew optimally at 30ºC, 1.5% NaCl, and pH 6.0 - 7.0. Chemolithoautotrophic growth occurred with sulfur and thiosulfate as the electron donors, CO2 as the carbon source, and nitrate, oxygen (5% v/v) and ferric iron as the electron acceptors. The bacterium was also capable of chemoorganoheterotrophic and chemolithoherotrophic growth.

Sulfurovum riftiae sp. nov.

Epsilonproteobacteria
In the picture - Electron micrograph of a thin section of Sulfurovum riftiae cells.

Sulfurovum riftiae is a mesophilic, anaerobic chemosynthetic bacterium isolated from the tube of the vent polychaete, Riftia pachyptila on the East Pacific Rise. Cells were Gram-negative, and grew optimally at 35ºC, 3% NaCl, and pH 6.0. Growth occurred under chemolithoautotrophic conditions using sulfur or thiosulfate as the energy source and CO2 as the carbon source. Nitrate was used as the sole electron acceptors.

Cetia pacifica gen. nov., sp. nov.

Epsilonproteobacteria
In the picture - Platinum-shadowed electron micrograph of Cetia pacifica cells.

Cetia pacifica is a thermophilic, anaerobic chemosynthetic bacterium isolated from an active deep-sea hydrothermal vent on the East Pacific Rise. Cells were Gram-negative, and grew optimally at 55ºC, 2-3% NaCl, and pH 4.5. Growth occurred under chemolithoautotrophic conditions using H2 as the energy source and CO2 as the carbon source. Nitrate and sulfur were used as electron acceptors with production of ammonia and sulfide, respectively.

Galenea microaerophila gen. nov. sp. nov.

Gammaproteobacteria
In the picture - Scanning electron micrograph of Galenea microaerophila cells during growth. Extracellular deposited elemental sulfur crystals are visible.

Galenea microaerophila is a mesophilic, strictly microaerophilic, chemosynthetic bacterium isolated from the sediment of an active shallow-water hydrothermal vent in Paleochori Bay, on the Greek island of Milos. The cells are Gram-staining-negative rods growing at 35ºC with 3% NaCl, pH 5.5, under chemolithoautotrophic conditions with thisulfate and CO2 as the energy and carbon sources, respectively. Oxygen (5 %) is used as sole terminal electron acceptor.

Parvibaculum hydrocarbonoclasticum sp. nov.

Alphaproteobacteria
In the picture - Electron micrograph of a thin section of Parvibaculum hydrocarboniclasticum cells.

Parvibaculum hydrocarbonoclasticum is an aerobic, alkane-oxidizing bacterium isolated from hydrothermal fluids collected from a deep-sea vent on the East Pacific Rise. The cells were Gram-negative rods that showed optimal growth at 35ºC, 2.5% NaCl, and pH 7.5. Grow occurred aerobically in artificial seawater minimal medium with n-alkanes as sole carbon and energy sources, and also in artificial seawater medium supplemented with peptone and yeast extract.

Phorcysia thermohydrogeniphila gen. nov. sp. nov.

Aquificae
In the picture - Scanning electron micrograph of a biofilm formed by Phorcysia thermohydrogeniphila at the gas–liquid interphase.

Phorcysia thermohydrogeniphila is a hyperthermophilic, anaerobic chemolithotrophic bacterium isolated from a tube of an Alvinella pompejana tubeworm collected at the East Pacific Rise at 13N. The cells were Gram-negative rods, and exhibited optimal growth at 75ºC, 3% NaCl, and pH 6.0, under chemolithoautotrophic conditions. H2 and CO2 were used as the energy and carbon sources, while nitrate and sulfur were used as terminal electron acceptors.

Nautilia nitratireducens sp. nov.

Epsilonproteobacteria
In the picture - Platinum-shadowed electron micrograph of Nautilia nitratireducens cells showing polar flagella

Nautilia nitratireducens is a thermophilic, anaerobic chemosynthetic bacterium isolated from the walls of an active deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney on the East Pacific Rise. Cells were Gram-negative, and grew optimally at 55ºC, 2% NaCl, and pH 7.0. Growth occurred under chemolithoautotrophic conditions using H2 as the energy source and CO2 as the carbon source. Nitrate, thiosulfate, sulfur and selenate were used as electron acceptors. Chemo-organotrophic growth occurred in the presence of acetate, formate, casamino acids, sucrose, galactose and yeast extract.

Salinisphaera hydrothermalis sp. nov.

Gammaproteobacteria
In the picture - Platinum-shadowed electron micrograph of Salinisphaera hydrothermalis cells.

Salinisphaera hydrothermalis is a mesophilic, aerobic, facultative chemolithoautotrophic bacterium isolated from hydrothermal fluids from a diffuse flow vent on the East Pacific Rise at 9N. Cells were Gram-negative, and grew optimally at 30-35ºC, 2.5% NaCl, and pH 5.5. Growth occurred under aerobic chemolithoautotrophic conditions in the presence of thiosulfate and CO2, under heterotrophic conditions with acetate or n-alkanes as sole carbon and energy sources and in complex Artificial Seawater (ASW) medium.

Caminibacter mediatlanticus sp. nov.

Epsilonproteobacteria
In the picture - Electron micrograph of a thin section of Caminibacter mediatlanticus cells.

Caminibacter mediatlanticus is a thermophilic, anaerobic chemosynthetic bacterium isolated from an active deep-sea hydrothermal vent at Rainbow, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Cells were Gram-negative, and grew optimally at 55ºC, 3% NaCl, and pH 5.5. Growth occurred under chemolithoautotrophic conditions using H2 as the energy source and CO2 as the carbon source. Nitrate and sulfur were used as electron acceptors with production of ammonia and sulfide, respectively.

Thermovibrio ammonificans sp. nov.

Aquificae
In the picture - Electron micrograph of a thin section of Thermovibrio ammonificans cells.

Thermovibrio ammonificans is a hyperthermophilic, anaerobic chemolithotrophic bacterium isolated from the walls of an active deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney on the East Pacific Rise. The cells were Gram-negative rods, and exhibited optimal growth at 75ºC, 2% NaCl, and pH 5.5, under chemolithoautotrophic conditions. H2 and CO2 were used as the energy and carbon sources, while nitrate and sulfur were used as terminal electron acceptors.