Desulfurispirillum

Abstract

De.sul.fu.ri.spi.ril’lum. L. pref. de from, off, away; L. neut. n. sulfur sulfur; N.L. dim. neut. n. spirillum, a small spiral (from L. fem. n. spira, spiral); N.L. neut. n. Desulfurispirillum, a spirillum that reduces sulfur. The genus Desulfurispirillum is a member of the family Chrysiogenaceae in the phylum Chrysiogenetes. Members of Desulfurispirillum are obligate anaerobes, which can reduce nitrate to ammonia. Some strains also respire arsenate, sulfur, or selenate. They are moderately salt tolerant and either alkaliphilic or neutrophilic mesophiles. The genus currently includes two species: D. alkaliphilum, the type species of the genus, and D. indicum. DNA G+C content (mol%): 45–56. Type species: Desulfurispirillum alkaliphilum Sorokin, Foti, Tindall and Muyzer 2010, 1VP (Effective publication: Sorokin, Foti, Tindall and Muyzer 2007, 368).