Lysinibacillus acetophenoni sp. nov., a solvent-tolerant bacterium isolated from acetophenone

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Environmental Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Microorganisms capable of tolerating and degrading organic solvents are crucial for bioremediation.
• Acetophenone is a widely used organic solvent and a potential environmental pollutant.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize a novel bacterium from acetophenone with significant solvent tolerance.
• To determine the phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic properties of the isolated strain.

Main Methods:

• Isolation of bacteria from acetophenone.
• Gram staining, biochemical tests (oxidase, catalase).
• 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, DNA-DNA hybridization.
• Physiological and chemotaxonomic analyses (fatty acids, polar lipids, G+C content).

Main Results:

• A Gram-positive, aerobic, spore-forming bacterium, strain JC23T, was isolated.
• Strain JC23T exhibited tolerance to organic solvents with log p values between 1 and 4.
• Phylogenetic analysis placed strain JC23T within the genus Lysinibacillus, distinct from known species.
• Chemotaxonomic data supported its classification as a novel species, Lysinibacillus acetophenoni.

Conclusions:

• Strain JC23T represents a new species, Lysinibacillus acetophenoni, characterized by its remarkable solvent tolerance.
• This discovery contributes to the understanding of microbial adaptation to extreme environments.
• Lysinibacillus acetophenoni has potential applications in the bioremediation of organic solvent-contaminated sites.