On the isolation of dipicolinic acid fromhendospores of Sarcina ureae

Phenotypic Characterization and Draft Genome Sequence Analyses of Two Novel Endospore-Forming Sporosarcina spp. Isolated from Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) Feces

In an attempt to isolate new probiotic bacteria, two Gram-variable, spore-forming, rod-shaped aerobic bacteria designated as strain A4 and A15 were isolated from the feces of Canada geese (Branta canadensis). Strain A4 was able to grow in high salt levels and exhibited lipase activity, while A15 did not propagate under these conditions. Both were positive for starch hydrolysis, and they inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. The strains of the 16S rRNA sequence shared only 94% similarity to previously identified Sporosarcina spp. The ANI (78.08%) and AAI (82.35%) between the two strains were less than the species threshold. Searches for the most similar genomes using the Mash/Minhash algorithm showed the nearest genome to strain A4 and A15 as Sporosarcina sp. P13 (distance of 21%) and S. newyorkensis (distance of 17%), respectively. Sporosarcina spp. strains A4 and A15 contain urease genes, and a fibronectin-binding protein gene indicates that these bacteria may bind to eukaryotic cells in host gastrointestinal tracts. Phenotypic and phylogenetic data, along with low dDDH, ANI, and AAI values for strains A4 and A15, indicate these bacteria are two novel isolates of the Sporosarcina genus: Sporosarcina sp. A4 sp. nov., type strain as Sporosarcina cascadiensis and Sporosarcina sp. A15 sp. nov., type strain Sporosarcina obsidiansis.

The putative DNA translocase SpoIIIE is required for sporulation of the symmetrically dividing coccal species Sporosarcina ureae

The spoIIIE gene of Sporosarcina ureae encodes a 780-residue protein, showing 58% identity to the SpoIIIE protein of Bacillus subtilis, which is thought to be a DNA translocase. Expression of the S. ureae spoIIIE gene is able to restore sporulation in a B. subtilis spoIIIE mutant. Inactivation of the S. ureae spoIIIE gene blocks sporulation of S. ureae at stage III. Within the limits of detection, the sporulation division in S. ureae shows the same symmetry, or near symmetry, as the vegetative division (in contrast to the highly asymmetric location of the sporulation division for B. subtilis), and so it is inferred that SpoIIIE facilitates chromosome partitioning during sporulation, even when the division is not grossly asymmetric. It is suggested that chromosome partitioning lags behind division during sporulation but not during vegetative growth.

Biology of the sugar-fermenting Sarcinae

Images

Comparative allostery of 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthetase as a molecular basis for classification

The allosteric pattern of control for 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate (DAHP) synthetase has previously been shown to be strongly conserved among the member species of a given genus in bacteria. The implications of this finding as a procedural tool of bacterial phylogeny were pursued by a study of two organisms, Sporosarcina ureae and Aeromonas formicans, the taxonomic positions of which have been historically controversial. S. ureae has characteristics of both Bacillaceae and Micrococcaceae, and A. formicans has characteristics of both Enterobacteriaceae and pseudomonads. Since the patterns of control for DAHP synthetase in all four of these microbial groups are different from one another but internally homogeneous within each group, the results obtained from the two test organisms were unambiguous. It was concluded that S. ureae is properly classified within Bacillaceae, probably deserving generic rank, and that A. formicans belongs with the family Enterobacteriaceae.

Genetic relationship between Sarcina ureae and members of the genus Bacillus

Deoxyribonucleic acid-ribonucleic acid (DNA-RNA) and DNA-DNA hybridization studies were performed to determine the degree of genetic relatedness between Sarcina ureae and several members of the genus Bacillus. DNA-RNA hybridization showed a high degree of homology between S. ureae RNA and DNA from Bacillus species having a similar guanine plus cytosine content. The DNA from other genera of the family Micrococcaceae showed less homology with S. ureae RNA than did that of the Bacillus species tested; however, this homology was not found between the DNA of S. ureae and DNA from these Bacillus species or DNA from the other Micrococcaceae tested. Transformation with Bacillus DNA, infection with representatives from several major classes of Bacillus phages, and electrophoretic analysis of proteins in crude extracts of these strains were also attempted as a further test of the genetic relationship between the genera. These experiments did not support the belief that the two groups are closely related genetically.

A methane-dependent coccus, with notes on classification and nomenclature of obligate, methane-utilizing bacteria

Foster, J. W. (The University of Texas, Austin), and Richard H. Davis. A methane-dependent coccus, with notes on classification and nomenclature of obligate, methane-utilizing bacteria. J. Bacteriol. 91:1924-1931. 1966.-A new coccus-shaped bacterium capable of aerobic growth at the expense of methane or methanol in a mineral salts medium is described. The organism did not grow at the expense of any of the conventional substrates or homologous hydrocarbons tested. It is gram-negative, nonmotile, and thermotolerant. It grows well at 50 C, optimally at 37 C, but does not grow at 55 C. The cells are encapsulated and have a characteristic diplococcoid arrangement. Washed, "resting-cell" suspensions oxidized certain primary alcohols and short-chain alkanes, an example of "nongrowth oxidation." Of the methane-C utilized, 86% was "fixed" in organic form; the remainder was oxidized to CO(2). The guanine-cytosine content of the extracted deoxyribonucleic acid was 62.5%. Obligate methane-utilizing bacteria are considered as "one-carbon" organisms rather than hydrocarbon utilizers. The assimilation pathway in the obligate methane-methanol bacteria is different from that in the facultative methanol utilizers. Nomenclatural problems arising from the use of the prefix "Methano-" to denote both bacteria that oxidize methane and bacteria that produce methane are discussed. The obligate, one-carbon, methane-methanol bacteria are considered as "methyl" utilizers, and the prefix "Methylo-" is suggested as a solution to the problem of generic cognomens. "Methylococcus capsulatus" gen. n., sp. n. is the name proposed for the new methane coccus.