Clostridium amylolyticum sp. nov., isolated from H2-producing UASB granules

A Gram-stain-positive, strictly anaerobic, mesophilic, amylolytic, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain SW408(T), was isolated from a laboratory-scale H(2)-producing upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor. The strain grew at 24-45 degrees C (no growth at or below 22 degrees C or at or above 47 degrees C), with optimum growth at 37 degrees C. The pH range for growth was 4.0-9.0 (no growth at or below pH 3.6 or at or above pH 9.3), with optimum growth at pH 7.0. Starch, cellobiose, glucose, fructose, galactose, lactose, maltose, mannose, ribose and sucrose supported growth. The major end products from glucose fermentation were ethanol, acetate, hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Abundant H(2) was produced from starch fermentation. The DNA G+C content was 33.1 mol% (T(m) method). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that the bacterium represents a previously unrecognized species within Clostridium rRNA cluster I and is most closely related to the type strain of Clostridium frigidicarnis (94.9% similarity). On the basis of phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic characteristics, strain SW408(T) was identified as a representative of a novel species of the genus Clostridium, for which the name Clostridium amylolyticum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SW408(T) (=JCM 14823(T)=AS 1.5069(T)=CGMCC 1.5069(T)).