Observations on the morphology ofThiovulum majus Hinze

Boer, Willemina E. de; Rivière, J. W. M. la; Houwink, A. L.

doi:10.1007/bf02538470

Cited by 35 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…The bacteria do not show any sulfur inclusions as in, e.g., the sulfide-oxidizing Beggiatoa spp. and T. majus (3,23). Interestingly, the three-layered structure found below the polar cell wall of the bacterium is similar to cell structures observed in bacteria found in filamentous sulfur mats at hydrothermal vents (31).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

“…Light microscopic observations were made of bacterial samples in flat glass capillaries (internal dimensions, 8 by 0.8 by 40 mm 3 ; VitroCom Inc., Mountain Lakes, N.J.). The openings of the capillaries were sealed with petroleum jelly (Vaseline; Cheseborough-Pond Inc., Greenwich, Conn.) in order to avoid evaporation, which would cause convective water movements in the capillary.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Conspicuous Veils Formed by Vibrioid Bacteria on Sulfidic Marine Sediment

Thar

Kühl

2002

Appl Environ Microbiol

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We describe the morphology and behavior of a hitherto unknown bacterial species that forms conspicuous veils (typical dimensions, 30 by 30 mm) on sulfidic marine sediment. The new bacteria were enriched on complex sulfidic medium within a benthic gradient chamber in oxygen-sulfide countergradients, but the bacteria have so far not been isolated in pure culture, and a detailed characterization of their metabolism is still lacking. The bacteria are colorless, gram-negative, and vibrioid-shaped (1.3-to 2.5-by 4-to 10-m) cells that multiply by binary division and contain several spherical inclusions of poly-␤-hydroxybutyric acid. The cells have bipolar polytrichous flagella and exhibit a unique swimming pattern, rotating and translating along their short axis. Free-swimming cells showed aerotaxis and aggregated at ca. 2 M oxygen within opposing oxygen-sulfide gradients, where they were able to attach via a mucous stalk, forming a cohesive whitish veil at the oxic-anoxic interface. Bacteria attached to the veil kept rotating and adapted their stalk lengths dynamically to changing oxygen concentrations. The joint action of rotating bacteria on the veil induced a homogeneous water flow from the oxic water region toward the veil, whereby the oxygen uptake rate could be enhanced up to six times, as shown by model calculations. The veils showed a pronounced succession pattern. New veils were generated de novo within 24 h and had a homogeneous whitish translucent appearance. Bacterial competitors or eukaryotic predators were apparently kept away by the low oxygen concentration prevailing at the veil surface. Frequently, within 2 days the veil developed a honeycomb pattern of regularly spaced holes. After 4 days, most veils were colonized by grazing ciliates, leading to the fast disappearance of the new bacteria. Several-week-old veils finally developed into microbial mats consisting of green, purple, and colorless sulfur bacteria.Marine sediments and biofilms are characterized by opposing gradients of chemical compounds, which can react with each other via exergonic redox reactions (6, 14). The bestinvestigated gradient systems are sulfide-oxygen or sulfide-nitrate countergradients, and a variety of microorganisms which are specialized in efficiently utilizing the energy released by the redox reaction of the two gradient compounds have been described. Detailed physiological studies of species which can be cultured in homogeneous media, e.g., Thiobacillus spp., have been performed (18). However, many conspicuous gradient microorganisms in natural habitats (e.g., the colorless sulfide oxidizer Thiovulum majus) can be kept in the laboratory only as enrichment cultures, and only a few species have been successfully isolated in pure culture based on gradient media (24). While detailed physiological studies are still lacking, the behavior and motility of gradient microorganisms, especially of the relatively large and easily identifiable colorless and photosynthetic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, have been described in the literature...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conspicuous Veils Formed by Vibrioid Bacteria on Sulfidic Marine Sediment

Thar

Kühl

2002

Appl Environ Microbiol

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“…Due to their relatively large size (Ͼ5 m) and their frequently unusual morphology, members of this group have been described since the early days of microbiology, e.g., Thiovulum or Thiospira (10,11,17). The recently described species "Ca.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1 and Table 1), each of them was found repetitively during the period of observation. Three of them represented conspicuous bacterial species, which have been described in former publications, i.e., NivaVib1 (39,40), "Ovobacter propellens" (20), and Thiovulum majus (10,17,42). Therefore, the present study concentrates on the remaining six new morphotypes comprising five spirilla (NivaSpi1-NivaSpi5) and one vibrio (NivaVib2).…”

Section: Morphotypesmentioning

confidence: 98%

Survey of Motile Microaerophilic Bacterial Morphotypes in the Oxygen Gradient above a Marine Sulfidic Sediment

Thar

Fenchel

2005

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Enrichment cultures for free-swimming microaerophilic bacteria were prepared from marine sulfidic sediment samples (Nivå Bay, Denmark). We observed nine different morphotypes; three of these morphotypes represented already-described species, i.e., Thiovulum majus, "Candidatus Ovobacter propellens," and an as-yet-unnamed large vibrioid bacterium. In addition, we observed several morphotypes of spirilla and one vibrioid morphotype. A common feature of all investigated bacteria was that they aggregated chemotactically at the oxic-anoxic interface, whereas preferred oxygen concentration were in the range of 1 to 10 M. The motile behavior and flagellar dynamics are analyzed in detail with an emphasis on spirilla.Sulfidic marine sediments covered by air-saturated seawater are generally characterized by steep opposing oxygen and sulfide gradients within the upper millimeters of the sediment. Dissolved sulfide is produced by sulfate-reducing bacteria within the anoxic deeper sediment layers, from where it constantly diffuses upward toward the sediment surface (23). The layer several 100 m in thickness where molecular oxygen and sulfide coexist at the oxic-anoxic interface harbors a variety of colorless sulfur bacteria, which are able to utilize the free energy obtained from the oxidation of reduced sulfur compounds (18,25). The position of the oxic-anoxic interface often changes, e.g., due to convective water currents at the sediment surface or due to diel activity cycles of oxygenic photosynthesis (24). Thus, many colorless sulfur bacteria are highly motile in order to follow their preferred position within the oxygen gradient.If the oxic-anoxic interface is positioned within or directly at the surface of the sediment, species of colorless sulfur bacteria relying on surface associated motility are often abundant in high numbers (e.g., Beggiatoa spp. showing gliding motility or Achromatium spp. showing "rolling" motility) (21, 31). However, if the sulfide production within the sediment is sufficiently high, the oxic-anoxic border moves above the sediment surface. Provided that the overlaying water is constantly mixed and air saturated, this border will be positioned within the diffusive boundary layer covering the sediment surface. The thickness of this layer measures typically several 100 m (26). In this case only microaerophilic bacteria relying on free-swimming motility can keep their position at the oxic-anoxic interface. Long known and best described among these free-swimming species in marine environments is Thiovulum majus (19,27,42), whereas in recent years we described two additional new species: "Candidatus Ovobacter propellens" (20) and a large vibrio (designated NivaVib1 here) (39,40). None of these species have thus far been isolated in pure culture, most probably because the complex gradient system of their natural environment could not be mimicked sufficiently by the applied culturing techniques (40,42). During our previous studies we became aware that enrichment cultures for these three species often als...

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“…[38]. Electron cryo-tomography studies of C. 92 jejunipole morphology reveal a ribosome exclusion zone at flagellated poles [39] and a single polyphosphate 93 storage granule beneath the flagellar motor.…”

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confidence: 97%

Motility in the epsilon-proteobacteria

Beeby

2015

Current Opinion in Microbiology

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The epsilon-proteobacteria are a widespread group of flagellated bacteria frequently associated with either animal digestive tracts or hydrothermal vents, with well-studied examples in the human pathogens of Helicobacter and Campylobacter genera. Flagellated motility is important to both pathogens and hydrothermal vent members, and a number of curious differences between the epsilon-proteobacterial and enteric bacterial motility paradigms make them worthy of further study. The epsilon-proteobacteria have evolved to swim at high speed and through viscous media that immobilize enterics, a phenotype that may be accounted for by the molecular architecture of the unusually large epsilonproteobacterial flagellar motor. This review summarizes what is known about epsilon-proteobacterial motility and focuses on a number of recent discoveries that rationalize the differences with enteric flagellar motility.Motility in the epsilon-proteobacteria animal digestive tracts or hydrothermal vents, with well-studied examples in the human pathogens of 10Helicobacter and Campylobacter genera. Flagellated motility is important to both pathogens and 11 hydrothermal vent members, and a number of curious differences between the epsilon-proteobacterial and 12 enteric bacterial motility paradigms make them worthy of further study. The epsilon-proteobacteriahave 13 evolved to swim at high speed and through viscous media that immobilize enterics, a phenotype that may be 14 accounted for by the molecular architecture of the unusually large epsilon-proteobacterialflagellar motor. 15This review summarizes what is known about epsilon-proteobacterial motility and focuses on a number of 16 recent discoveries that rationalize the differences with enteric flagellar motility. 17

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Observations on the morphology ofThiovulum majus Hinze

Cited by 35 publications

References 4 publications

Conspicuous Veils Formed by Vibrioid Bacteria on Sulfidic Marine Sediment

Conspicuous Veils Formed by Vibrioid Bacteria on Sulfidic Marine Sediment

Survey of Motile Microaerophilic Bacterial Morphotypes in the Oxygen Gradient above a Marine Sulfidic Sediment

Motility in the epsilon-proteobacteria

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