Summary
A strictly anaerobic spirochete was isolated from a sample of marine mud. The organism possessed two axial fibrils entwined with the regularly coiled protoplasmic cylinder. An outer envelope or sheath enclosed both protoplasmic cylinder and axial fibrils. The spirochete grew in chemically defined media containing glucose, amino acids or NH4Cl, sulfide, NaCl, vitamins, coenzyme A, and in-organic salts. A reducing agent, such as sodium sulfide or l-cysteine, as well as exogenous supplements of biotin, niacin and coenzyme A were required for growth. Pantothenate replaced coenzyme A as an exogenous growth factor, but the resulting cell yields were low. The spirochete grew in media prepared with sea water, but not in fresh water media containing less than 0.05 M NaCl (optimum concentration 0.35 M). Both Na+ and Cl- were required. Carbohydrates served as fermentable substrates. Amino acids, sugar alcohols, tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates, and other organic acids and alcohols were not fermented. Glucose was fermented to ethyl alcohol, acetate, CO2, H2, and small amounts of lactate, formate and pyruvate. The guanine + cytosine content of the DNA of the spirochete was 50.5 moles-% (buoyant density). It is proposed that the marine isolate be considered a new species and that it be named Spirochaeta litoralis.
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Hespell, R.B., Canale-Parola, E. Spirochaeta litoralis sp. n., a strictly anaerobic marine spirochete. Arch. Mikrobiol. 74, 1–18 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00408683
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00408683