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. 1974 Sep;28(3):489–497. doi: 10.1128/am.28.3.489-497.1974

Sulfate Reduction by a Desulfovibrio Species Isolated from Sheep Rumen1

Joellen Huisingh 1, J J McNeill 1, G Matrone 1
PMCID: PMC186748  PMID: 4472525

Abstract

Several dissimilatory, sulfate-reducing bacteria were isolated from the rumen fluid of sheep fed purified diets containing sulfate. One isolate, strain D, was selected for characterization. This organism is a nonsporeforming, obligately anaerobic, mesophilic, nonmotile, gram-negative, straight rod. Cell-free extracts show absorption maxima for cytochrome c3 and desulfoviridin, characteristic of Desulfovibrio. Carbohydrates, as a sole carbon source, will support growth. Lactate supports growth in the presence of sulfate, not in its absence, whereas glucose or pyruvate support growth either in the presence or absence of sulfate. The isolate has a deoxyribonucleic acid base composition of 61.2% guanine plus cytosine, which is similar to that of several other species of Desulfovibrio; however, it differs from previously described species in morphology, motility, and carbon source utilization. Cell-free extracts of this bacterium exhibit adenosine 5′-triphosphate-sulfurylase, adenosine-5′-phosphosulfate-reductase, and hydrogenase activity. After incubation of cell-free extracts with adenine 5′-triphosphate and 35SO42-, adenosine-5′-phosphosulfate rather than 3′-phosphoadenosine-5′-phosphosulfate was shown to be labeled, indicating that the pathway of sulfate reduction in this organism is similar to that of other dissimilatory sulfate reducers. This is the first report of a Desulfovibrio sp. isolated from the rumen.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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