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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #251694
Title: Agarivorans gilvus sp. nov. Isolated From Seaweed

Author
item DU, ZONG-JUN - Shandong University
item LV, GUO-QIANG - Shandong University
item Rooney, Alejandro - Alex
item MIAO, TING-TING - Shandong University
item XU, QING-QIANG - Shandong University
item CHEN, GUAN-JUN - Shandong University

Submitted to: International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/29/2010
Publication Date: 3/1/2011
Citation: Du, Z., Lv, G., Rooney, A.P., Miao, T., Xu, Q., Chen, G. 2011. Agarivorans gilvus sp. nov. isolated from seaweed. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 61:493-496.

Interpretive Summary: This work describes the isolation of a new bacterial species obtained from seaweed collected from the coast of Weihai, China. This new microorganism, Agarivorans gilvus, is able to break down a major component of seaweed called agar. DNA sequence and biochemical analysis confirms that this is the first description of this bacterium. The unique agar-degrading properties of this bacterium may lead to new biotechnological applications.

Technical Abstract: A novel agarase-producing, non-endospore-forming marine bacterium WH0801T was isolated from a fresh seaweed sample collected from the coast of Weihai, China. Preliminary characterization based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that WH0801T shared 96.1% identity with Agarivorans albus MKT 106T, the type species of the genus Agarivorans. A polyphasic taxonomic study was conducted and confirmed the phylogenetic affiliation of strain WH0801T to the genus Agarivorans. Isolate WH0801T produces light yellow-pigmented colonies; cells are gram-negative, straight or curved rods which are motile with a single polar flagellum. It grew in 0.5-5% NaCl, with optimum growth at 3% NaCl, and its optimal pH and cultivation temperature were 8.4-8.6 and 28-32 degrees Celsius, respectively. The data from biochemical test analysis, whole-cell fatty acid profiling, 16S rDNA sequence studies and DNA-DNA hybridization clearly indicated that the isolate WH0801T represented a new species within the genus Agarivorans, for which the name Agarivorans gilvus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Agarivorans gilvus is WH0801T (=NRRL B-59247T =CGMCC 1.10131T).