Skip to main content
  • Published:

Viable phototrophic sulfur bacteria from the Black-Sea bottom

Abstract

Phototrophic sulfur bacteria were isolated from Black-Sea mud at depths of 660 and 2,240 m. The species obtained in pure cultures were identified asChromatium warmingii andThiocapsa roseopersicina. In addition,Chlorobium phaeovibrioides occurred in enrichment cultures. The findings prove that Chromatiaceae and Chlorobiaceae are capable of survival in 2000 m depth, in the dark, in the presence of H2S and organic materials. There is, however, no evidence for growth or reproduction of these organisms in this environment.

Literature Cited

  • Degens, E. T. & Ross, D. A., (Eds.), 1974. The Black Sea — Geology, chemistry, and biology. Am. Ass. Petrol Geologists, Tulsa, Oklahoma (Memoir. 20.), 633 pp.

  • Gürgün, V., Kirchner, G. & Pfennig, N., 1976. Fermentation of pyruvate by seven species of phototrophic purple bacteria. Z. allg. Mikrobiol.16, 573–586.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, T. A., 1974. Sulfide as electrondonor voor Rhodospirillaceae. Diss., Univ. Groningen, 68 pp.

  • Hashwa, F., 1972. Die enzymatische Thiosulfatspaltung bei phototrophen Bakterien. Diss. Univ. Göttingen, 145 pp.

  • Hendley, D. D., 1955. Endogenous fermentation in Thiorhodaceae. J. Bact.70, 625–634.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jannasch, H. W., Eimhjellen, K., Wirsen, C. O. & Farmanfamaian, A., 1971. Microbial degradation of organic matter in the deep sea. Science, N.Y.171, 672–675.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jannasch, H. W., Trüper, H. G. & Tuttle, J. H., 1974. Microbial sulfur cycle in Black Sea. In: The Black Sea — Geology, Chemistry, and Biology. Ed. by E. T. Degens & D. A. Ross. Am. Ass. Petroleum Geologists, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 419–425. (Memoir. 20.)

    Google Scholar 

  • —, Wirsen, C. O. & Taylor, C. D., 1976. Undecompressed microbial populations from the deep sea. Appl. environ. Microbiol.32, 360–367.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Krasilnikova, E. N., Pedan, L. V. & Kondratieva, E. N., 1976. Growth of purple sulfur bacteria in dark under anaerobic conditions. Mikrobiologiya45, 581–585.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • —, Petushkova, Yu. P. & Kondratieva, E. N., 1975. Growth of the purple sulfur bacteriumThiocapsa roseopersicina under anaerobic conditions in the darkness. Mikrobiologiya44, 700–703.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kriss, A. E. & Rukina, E. A., 1953. Purple sulfur bacteria in deep sulfurous water of the Black Sea. Dokl. Akad. Nauk. SSSR93, 1107–1110.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kuznetsov, S. I., 1956. On the possibility of radiosynthesis. Mikrobiologiya25, 195–199.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Niskin, S. J., 1962. A water sampler for microbiological studies. Deep Sea Res.9, 501–503.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfennig, N., 1965. Anreicherungskulturen für rote und grüne Schwefelbakterien Zbl. Bakt. ParasitKde (Abt. 1) Suppl.1, 179–189, 503–504.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, & Trüper, H. G., 1974. The phototrophic bacteria. In: Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology. Ed. by R. E. Buchanan and N. E. Gibbons. Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, 24–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schön, G., 1968. Fructoseverwertung und Bacteriochlorophyllsynthese in anaeroben Dunkel-und Lichtkulturen vonRhodospirillum rubrum. Arch. Mikrobiol.63, 362–375.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Trüper, H. G., 1970. Culture and isolation of phototrophic sulfur bacteria from the marine environment. Helgoländer wiss. Meeresunters.20, 6–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • — & Schlegel, H. G. 1964. Sulphur metabolism in Thiorhodaceae. I. Quantitative measurements on growing cells ofChromatium okenii. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek30, 225–238.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tuttle, J. H. & Jannasch, H. W., 1973. Dissimilatory reduction of inorganic sulfur by facultatively anaerobic marine bacteria. J. bact.115, 732–737.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Uffen, R. L. & Wolfe, R. S., 1970. Anaerobic growth of purple non-sulfur bacteria under darkconditions. J. Bact.104, 462–472.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Gemerden, 1968. On the ATP generation byChromatium in darkness. Arch. Mikrobiol.64, 118–124.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Niel, C. B., 1936. On the metabolism of the Thiorhodaceae. Arch. Mikrobiol.7, 323–358.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hashwa, F.A., Trüper, H.G. Viable phototrophic sulfur bacteria from the Black-Sea bottom. Helgolander Wiss. Meeresunters 31, 249–253 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02297000

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02297000

Keywords