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Thiosulfate oxidation by Comamonas sp. S23 isolated from a sulfur spring.
Shachindra K Pandey1, Kunwar Digvijay Narayan, Saumya Bandyopadhyay
1Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Life Sciences, Nalco Square, Bhubaneswar, India.
Current Microbiology
|February 4, 2009
Summary
A novel bacterial strain, S23, belonging to the Comamonas genus, was identified for its ability to oxidize thiosulfate under mixotrophic conditions. This discovery highlights a new metabolic capability within this bacterial group.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Environmental Science
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Thiosulfate oxidation is a key process in sulfur cycling, often performed by specialized bacteria.
- The genus Comamonas is known for diverse metabolic capabilities, but thiosulfate oxidation under mixotrophic conditions has not been previously reported.
- Sulfur springs are rich environments for discovering microorganisms with unique metabolic pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate and characterize a novel bacterial strain from a sulfur spring capable of thiosulfate oxidation.
- To determine the phylogenetic relationship and key genetic markers of the isolated strain.
- To investigate the growth conditions supporting thiosulfate oxidation in the novel isolate.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of bacteria from sulfur spring environment.
- Gram staining, aerobic cultivation, and motility tests for basic characterization.
- DNA extraction, G + C content determination, fatty acid analysis, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing for phylogenetic analysis.
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using soxB-specific primers and DNA sequencing to detect the thiosulfate oxidation gene.
- Mixotrophic growth experiments to assess thiosulfate oxidation capability.
Main Results:
- A gram-negative, aerobic, motile bacterial isolate, designated S23, was obtained.
- Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence and other characteristics identified S23 as a member of the genus Comamonas, closely related to Comamonas testosteroni (99.9% similarity).
- Strain S23 demonstrated thiosulfate oxidation ability under mixotrophic growth conditions.
- The presence of the soxB gene, crucial for thiosulfate oxidation, was confirmed in strain S23 via PCR and sequencing.
Conclusions:
- Bacterial isolate S23 represents a new strain within the Comamonas genus with the capability for thiosulfate oxidation.
- This is the first report of thiosulfate oxidation in a Comamonas species under mixotrophic growth conditions.
- The presence of the soxB gene supports the observed metabolic activity, expanding our understanding of microbial sulfur metabolism.
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