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Geobacter uraniireducens sp. nov., isolated from subsurface sediment undergoing uranium bioremediation

Evgenya S. Shelobolina^1,, Helen A. Vrionis¹, Robert H. Findlay² and Derek R. Lovley¹

¹ Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Morrill Science Center IVN, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
² Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Box 870206, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0206, USA

Correspondence
Evgenya S. Shelobolina
shelobolina{at}wisc.edu

A Gram-negative, rod-shaped, motile bacterium, strain Rf4^T, which conserves energy from dissimilatory Fe(III) reduction concomitant with acetate oxidation, was isolated from subsurface sediment undergoing uranium bioremediation. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain Rf4^T matched sequences recovered in 16S rRNA gene clone libraries constructed from DNA extracted from groundwater sampled at the same time as the source sediment. Cells of strain Rf4^T were regular, motile rods, 1.2–2.0 µm long and 0.5–0.6 µm in diameter, with rounded ends. Cells had one lateral flagellum. Growth was optimal at pH 6.5–7.0 and 32 °C. With acetate as the electron donor, strain Rf4^T used Fe(III), Mn(IV), anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate, malate and fumarate as electron acceptors and reduced U(VI) in cell suspensions. With poorly crystalline Fe(III) oxide as the electron acceptor, strain Rf4^T oxidized the following electron donors: acetate, lactate, pyruvate and ethanol. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain Rf4^T placed it in the genus Geobacter. Strain Rf4^T was most closely related to ‘Geobacter humireducens’ JW3 (95.9 % sequence similarity), Geobacter bremensis Dfr1^T (95.4 %) and Geobacter bemidjiensis Bem^T (95.1 %). Based on phylogenetic analysis and phenotypic differences between strain Rf4^T and closely related Geobacter species, this strain is described as a representative of a novel species, Geobacter uraniireducens sp. nov. The type strain is Rf4^T (=ATCC BAA-1134^T =JCM 13001^T).

Present address: Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1215 W. Dayton St. A362, Madison, WI 53706, USA.

The GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ accession number for the 16S rRNA gene sequence of Geobacter uraniireducens strain Rf4^T is EF527427.