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Characterization
of an Unusual Non-marine Alginolytic Organism. An unknown bacterium that occurred as an experimental contaminant on a dilute nutrient broth (DNB) plate was characterized by phenotypic and phylogenetic analysis. The organism was found to be obligately aerobic, catalase positive, mesophilic, non-marine (NaCl intolerant), and rod-shaped in morphology.
Under low-nutrient conditions the bacterium produced a highly active low-molecular weight agarase
that caused softening and pitting of the agar around the bacterial
colonies.
This was considered to be unusual, since agar is a marine product. A portion of the 16s rRNA gene from this organism was amplified by PCR, cloned, and submitted for DNA sequencing.
Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene identified the microbe as a member of the genus
Sphingomonas, although a species match was not found. This laboratory provisionally named this terrestrial organism
Sphingomonas alginolyticus due to its ability to degrade agar. |
