Isolation and Characterization of a Dibenzothiophene Degrading Sulfate-Reducing Soil Bacterium

Sulfate-reducing bacteria have been isolated from soil and their abilities to degrade dibenzothiophene (DBT) were compared with those of type cultures. Among the strains tested a soil isolate M6 showed the highest ability to degrade DBT. Isolate M6 was characterized as a mesophilic obligatory anaerobe. The morphology of the bacterium was vibrioid with the size of $0.4-0.7{\;}\mu\textrm{m}{\;}by{\;}1.0-1.5{\;}\mu\textrm{m}$. Gram reaction was negative and nonsporulating. Desulfoviridin is present. Lactate, pyruvate, ethanol and malate supported growth of the bacterium in the presence of sulfate. Sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate and sulfur served as electron acceptors for growth. Hydrogenase was present. The mol% of guanine and cytosine of DNA was determined as 56%. The bacterium produced viscous material. From these results, the isolate M6 was identified as Desulfovibrio desulfuricans.