Desulfonispora thiosulfatigenes gen, nov., sp, nov., a taurine-fermenting,thiosulfate-producing anaerobic bacterium

Strain GKNTAU(T) has been described as a bacterium able to ferment the orga nosulfonate taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonate) quantitatively to acetate, amm onia and thiosulfate, an unusual metabolic product. This novel fermentation has now also been observed in four independent isolates from two continent s. All five organisms were strictly anaerobic, Gram-positive, motile, spore -forming bacteria. Enrichments with isethionate (2-hydroxyethanesulf onate) and cysteate (2-amino-3-sulfopropionate), in contrast, yielded bacteria th at disproportionated the sulfonate to sulfate and sulfide. The phylogenetic location of the taurine fermenters was analysed on the basis of 16S rDNA s equences. Strain GKNTAU(T) (= DSM 11270(T) = ATCC 700533(T)) is described a s the type strain of a new genus and species, for which the name Desulfonis pora thiosulfatigenes gen. nov., sp, nov. is proposed.