TOLUMONAS AUENSIS GEN-NOV, SP-NOV, A TOLUENE-PRODUCING BACTERIUM FROMANOXIC SEDIMENTS OF A FRESH-WATER LAKE

A new toluene-producing bacterium, strain TA 4(T) (T = type strain), w as isolated from anoxic sediments of a freshwater lake, The individual cells of this organism were nonmotile, gram-negative rods that were 0 .9 to 1.2 by 2.5 to 3.2 mu m. The optimum temperature and pH for growt h were 22 degrees C and pH 7.2, respectively, The G+C content of the D NA was 49 mol%, Toluene was produced from phenylalanine, phenylpyruvat e, phenylacetate, and phenylacetate, and phenol was produced from tyro sine, Both the presence of a carbon source and the presence of a tolue ne precursor were essential for initiation of toluene production, Bact erial growth occurred under oxic and anoxic conditions, Acetate, ethan ol, and formate were the major fermentation products of the bacterium when it was grown on glucose, The major lipoquinones were ubiquinone 8 and menaquinone 8 under both oxic and anoxic growth conditions, On th e basis of the results of a 16S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis, we co ncluded that this organism is a member of the gamma subclass of the Pr oteobacteria, and we suggest the name Tolumonas auensis for this speci es.