Genus
Firmicutes/“Clostridia”/Clostridiales/“Peptostreptococcaceae”/
Tepidibacter
Slobodkin, Tourova, Kostrikina, Chernyh, Bonch-Osmolovskaya, Jeanthon and Jones 2003,
1133VP
..........................................................................................................................................................................................
Alexander Slobodkin, Russian Academy of Sciences, Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology, 7/2, Prospekt 60-letiya
Oktyabrya, Moscow 117312, Russia
Te.pi.di.bac’ter. L. adj. tepidus warm; N.L. bacter masc.
equivalent of Gr. neut. dim. n. bakterion rod; N.L. masc.
n. Tepidibacter a warm rod.
Straight to slightly curved rods 0.7–0.9 μm in diameter and 3.5–6.0 μm in length. Gram-positive type cell
wall. Cells occur singly, in pairs or in short chains and
exhibit tumbling motility due to peritrichous lagellation. Forms round or ovoid refractile endospores in
terminally or subterminally swollen sporangia. Anaerobic. Moderately thermophilic, the temperature range
for growth is 30–60∘ C. Neutrophilic. Optimal growth
at marine salinity. Grows organotrophically on a number of proteinaceous substrates and carbohydrates.
Elemental sulfur may be reduced, but sulfur reduction
does not stimulate growth.
DNA G+C content (mol%): 24–29 (Tm ).
Type species: Tepidibacter thalassicus Slobodkin,
Tourova, Kostrikina, Chernyh, Bonch-Osmolovskaya,
Jeanthon and Jones 2003, 1133VP .
..................................................................................
Straight to slightly curved rods 0.7–0.9 μm in diameter and
3.5–6.0 μm in length. Gram-positive type cell wall. Cells
occur singly, in pairs or in short chains and exhibit tumbling
motility due to peritrichous lagellation. Forms round or
ovoid refractile endospores in terminally or subterminally
swollen sporangia. Anaerobic. Moderately thermophilic, the
temperature range for growth is 30–60∘ C. Neutrophilic.
Optimal growth at marine salinity. Grows organotrophically
on a number of proteinaceous substrates and carbohydrates.
Elemental sulfur may be reduced, but sulfur reduction does
not stimulate growth.
DNA G+C content (mol%): 24–29 (Tm ).
Type species: Tepidibacter thalassicus Slobodkin, Tourova,
Kostrikina, Chernyh, Bonch-Osmolovskaya, Jeanthon and
Jones 2003, 1133VP .
Number of validated species: 2
Further descriptive information
16S rRNA gene sequence analysis places the genus Tepidibacter
within cluster XI of the clostridia (nomenclature of Collins
et al., 1994). Members of the genus Tepidibacter are currently represented by two species, Tepidibacter thalassicus and
Tepidibacter formicigenes, which share 95% of 16S rRNA gene
sequence similarity.
Both species of the genus Tepidibacter form terminal or subterminal endospores. In the late-exponential phase of growth,
up to 30% of the cells contain spores.
The best growth of Tepidibacter can be obtained on
complex proteinaceous substrates such as tryptone, casein,
and peptone. Tepidibacter thalassicus is able to perform
the Stickland reaction with alanine and proline. Carbohydrates, with an exception of starch, slightly stimulate
growth of Tepidibacter thalassicus. Growth of Tepidibacter formicigenes on sugars is more eficient. Both species produce
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Bergey’s Manual of Systematics of Archaea and Bacteria, Online © 2015 Bergey’s Manual Trust. This article is © 2009 Bergey’s Manual Trust.
DOI: 10.1002/9781118960608.gbm00669. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., in association with Bergey’s Manual Trust.
2
acetate and ethanol from glucose, and either H2 /CO2 ,
(Tepidibacter thalassicus) or formate (Tepidibacter formicigenes). External electron acceptors do not enhance growth,
however, elemental sulfur can be reduced to hydrogen
sulide.
Both members of the genus Tepidibacter were isolated
from deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Tepidibacter thalassicus
was isolated from the outer wall of a ‘black smoker’ covered with the polychetous annelid Alvinella species (13∘
N hydrothermal ield on the East-Paciic Rise, depth 2650
m); Tepidibacter formicigenes was isolated from hydrothermal
luid (the Menez-Gwen hydrothermal site, Mid-Atlantic
Ridge, depth 800–1000 m). Location of these vents, one
of which is in Paciic and other in Atlantic Ocean, suggests
wide geographical distribution of Tepidibacter in marine
hydrothermal environments where they probably function
as decomposers of organic matter produced by deepsea
biota.
Table 1 shows differential characteristics for Tepidibacter from other members of Peptostreptococcaceae and related
genera.
Enrichment and isolation procedures
Members of the genus Tepidibacter have been isolated from
deep-sea hydrothermal vents (Slobodkin et al., 2003; Urios
et al., 2004). There are no reports that members of this genus
occur in other environments. Employment of the marine
anaerobic media rich in proteinaceous substrates and incubation in the temperature range of 45–55∘ C may favor the
enrichment of Tepidibacter species. Tepidibacter thalassicus
rapidly hydrolyzes casein (Hammerstein grade) that results
in visual disappearance of the casein locks and may help in
the detection of growth. Tepidibacter forms colonies in 1.5%
(w/v) agar.
Maintenance procedures
Members of the genus Tepidibacter may be maintained on the
medium of Slobodkin et al. (2003) with peptone or casein as
a substrate or on the glucose/yeast extract/peptone medium
of Urios et al. (2004). Good and reproducible growth can also
be obtained in liquid medium lacking sulide as a reducing
agent and prepared anaerobically (Slobodkin et al., 2003).
Freeze-drying of the cultures results in good recovery. Liquid
cultures may be stored at +4∘ C for 10–12 months without loss
of viability.
Bergey’s Manual of Systematics of Archaea and Bacteria
List of species of the genus Tepidibacter
Tepidibacter thalassicus
Slobodkin, Tourova, Kostrikina, Chernyh,
Bonch-Osmolovskaya, Jeanthon and Jones 2003,
1133VP
...................................................................................
tha.las’si.cus. Gr. fem. n. thalassa the sea; N.L. masc. adj. thalassicus of the sea.
Cells are straight to slightly curved rods, 0.7–0.9 μm
in diameter and 3.5–6.0 μm in length, which form round,
refractile endospores in terminally swollen sporangia. Cells
occur singly or in short chains and exhibit tumbling motility
due to peritrichous lagellation. The temperature range
for growth is 33–60∘ C, with an optimum at 50∘ C. The pH
range for growth is 4.8–8.5, with an optimum at 6.5–6.8.
Growth occurs at NaCl concentrations in the range 1.5–6%
(w/v). Anaerobic. Substrates utilized include casein, peptone, albumin, yeast extract, beef extract, alanine plus
praline, and starch. Glucose, maltose, pyruvate, valine, and
arginine slightly stimulate growth in the presence of yeast
extract. Fructose, sucrose, xylose, cellobiose, L-arabinose, glycerol, sorbitol, acetate, butyrate, lactate, formate, methanol,
fumarate, glycine, alanine, proline, alanine plus glycine,
betaine, olive oil, xylan, carboxymethylcellulose, ilter paper,
chitin, keratin, and H2 /CO2 are not utilized. The products
of glucose fermentation are ethanol, acetate, and molecular
hydrogen. Reduces elemental sulfur to hydrogen sulide.
Does not use nitrate, fumarate, sulfate, sulite, thiosulfate,
amorphous Fe(III) oxide, Fe(III) citrate, or oxygen as
electron acceptors.
DNA G+C content (mol%): 24 (Tm ).
Type strain: SC 562, DSM 15285, UNIQEM 215.
GenBank accession number (16S rRNA gene): AY158079.
Tepidibacter formicigenes
Urios, Cueff, Pignet and Barbier 2004, 442VP
...................................................................................
for.mi.ci’ge.nes. N.L. adj. formicicum from L. n. formica
ant; Gr. v. gennaio produce; N.L. adj. formicigenes producing
formic acid.
Rod-shaped cells, 0.8 μm in diameter and 4.0 μm in
length; motile by means of peritrichous lagella. Cells stain
Gram-stain-positive. Forms ovoid refractile subterminal
endospore. Growth occurs between 35 and 55∘ C (optimum,
45∘ C), between pH 5.0 and 8.0 (optimum, 6.0) and at 2–6%
(w/v) sea salts (optimum, 3%). Anaerobic, able to ferment
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This article is © 2009 Bergey’s Manual Trust. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., in association with Bergey’s Manual Trust.
Morphology
Oxygen requirement
Peptidoglycan (position 3, bridge)
Sugar fermented
Major metabolic
product from PYG
Peptostreptococcus
Filifactor
Tepidibacter
Anaerococcus
Finegoldia
Fusibacter
Gallicola
Helcococcus
Micromonas
Peptoniphilus
Sedimentibacter
Sporanaerobacter
Tissierella
Characteristic
GenBank accession
number (16S rRNA)b
DNA G+C content
(mol%)
Growth temperature
(optimum) (°C)
Habitats
D14150
X73452
AY158079
D14139
D14149
AF050099
AB038361
X69837
AF542231
D14138
L11305
AF358114
X80833
34–36
34
24–29
30–35
32–34
43
32–34
29–29.5
28–30
30–34
34
32.2
28–32
30–39 (37)
(37)
50
30–39 (37)
30–39 (37)
20–40 (37)
30–39 (37)
30–39 (37)
30–39 (37)
30–39 (37)
(37)
25–50 (40)
20–39 (37)
Bergey’s Manual of Systematics of Archaea and Bacteria
Freshwater Anaerobic Human intestine,
Human
Human
Human
Oil-producHuman
Chicken
HydrotherCat skin
Human
Human
sediment
sludge
vagina, abscess
intestine,
oral cavity,
abscess,
ing well
intestine,
intestine,
abscess,
mal vent
intestine,
intestine,
vagina,
human
otorrhea
human
vagina,
vagina,
vagina,
human ginabscess
abscess
abscess
abscess
abscess
abscess
gival sulcus
Large
Gram-stain- Gram-stain- Small Gram- Gram-stain- Gram-stain- Gram-stain- Short rods, pairs,
SpindleGramGram-stainGram-stain- Gram-stainpositive
stain-positive
positive,
positive
Gram-stain- shaped rod,
positive
positive
positive
positive
stainoften stained
positive
motile, rod cocci (pairs, cocci (pairs, cocci (pairs, cocci (pairs, curved rods, rod, motile,
positive
cocci (pairs, negative, rods (single, cocci (pairs,
negative
chains)
motile,
mass)
mass)
mass)
tetrads)
cocci (pairs,
in pairs
ilamentous,
chains)
sporeformsporeformmass)
or short
spore variing
ing
chains)
able
Obligate
Obligate
Facultative
Obligate
Obligate
Anaerobic
Obligate
Obligate
Obligate
Obligate
Obligate
Obligate Obligate anaerobe
anaerobe
anaerobe
anaerobe
anaerobe
anaerobe
anaerobe
anaerobe
anaerobe
anaerobe
anaerobe
anaerobe
Lys, D -Asp Orn, D -Asp
ND
Lys, D -Glu
ND
Lys, D -Asp Orn, D -Glu
No data
No data
m-DAP, Orn, D -Glu
Lys, Gly
No data
Orn, D -Asp
w
Butyric acid,
caproic acid
−
ND
+
ND
w
Butyric acid
−
Acetic acid
w
No data
−
D
Acetic acid, Acetic acid,
butyric acid lactic acid
−
Acetic acid
−
Butyric
acid, acetic
acid
−
No data
+
No data
−
Acetic acid
a Symbols: +, >85% positive; d, different strains give different reactions (16–84% positive); −, 0–15% positive; D, different among species; w, weak acid produced; ND, not
determined.
b GenBank accession number given for type species of the genus.
3
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This article is © 2009 Bergey’s Manual Trust. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., in association with Bergey’s Manual Trust.
TABLE 1. Characteristics differentiating members of the family Peptostreptococcus fam. nov. and related generaa
4
Bergey’s Manual of Systematics of Archaea and Bacteria
mainly complex proteinaceous substrates and carbohydrates.
Grows on glucose/yeast extract/peptone medium. Tryptone,
glucose, sucrose, fructose, maltose, and pyruvate support
growth in the presence of yeast extract. Poor growth on
ethanol, mannose, and peptone. Cellobiose, xylose, starch,
cellulose, dextran, xylan, succinate, lactate, trehalose, lactose,
arabinose, galactose, ribose, rhamnose, mannitol, sorbitol,
glycerol, urea, and olive oil are not utilized. The products
of glucose fermentation (in decreasing order) are formate,
acetate, and ethanol. Elemental sulfur, polysulides, thiosulfate, sulite, sulfate, nitrite, nitrate, and FeCl3 do not enhance
growth.
DNA G+C content (mol%): 29 (Tm ).
Type strain: DV1184, CIP 107893, DSM 15518.
GenBank accession number (16S rRNA gene): AY245527.
J.A.E. Farrow. 1994. The phylogeny of the genus Clostridium: proposal of ive new genera and eleven new species
combinations. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol 44: 812–826.
Slobodkin, A.I., T.P. Tourova, N.A. Kostrikina, N.A.
Chernyh, E.A. Bonch-Osmolovskaya, C. Jeanthon and
B.E. Jones. 2003. Tepidibacter thalassicus gen. nov., sp. nov.,
a novel moderately thermophilic, anaerobic, fermentative bacterium from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent. Int. J.
Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 53: 1131–1134.
Urios, L., V. Cueff, P. Pignet and G. Barbier. 2004. Tepidibacter
formicigenes sp. nov., a novel spore-forming bacterium isolated from a Mid-Atlantic Ridge hydrothermal vent. Int. J.
Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 54: 439–443.
References
Collins, M.D., P.A. Lawson, A. Willems, J.J. Cordoba, J.
Fernández-Garayzábal, P. Garcia, J. Cai, H. Hippe and
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This article is © 2009 Bergey’s Manual Trust. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., in association with Bergey’s Manual Trust.