Desulfovibrio carbinoliphilus sp nov., a benzyl alcohol-oxidizing, sulfate-reducing bacterium isolated from a gas condensate-contaminated aquifer

Phenotypic and phylogenetic studies were performed on a novel sulfate-reducing bacterium, strain D41(T), isolated as part of a methanogenic syntrophic culture from a gas condensate-contaminated aquifer undergoing intrinsic bioremediation. The bacterium was a Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, curved rod, motile by a single polar flagellum, which oxidized several alcohols incompletely, including methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanol, 2-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol (isoamyl alcohol), ethylene glycol, 1,2-propanediol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, phenylethanol and benzyl alcohol. Additionally, the strain oxidized H-2/CO2, formate, lactate, pyruvate, maleate, malate and fumarate. Sulfate, thiosulfate and sulfite were used as electron acceptors. The DNA G + C content was 63 mol%. Based on phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence, the novel species Desulfovibrio carbinoliphilus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is D41(T) (=ATCC BAA-1241(T) =DSM 17524(T)).