Mutualistic growth of the sulfate-reducer Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough with different carbohydrates

Abstract

Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough genome presents a phosphotransferase system putatively involved in the transport of carbohydrates. However, utilization of sugars by this sulfate reducing bacterium has never been reported. Herein, we have observed proliferation of D. vulgaris Hildenborough with some car bohydrates, in mutualism with Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, a non- fermentative, gram- negative gam- maproteobacterium, or Microbacterium, a gram- positive actinobacterium. These results suggest the impor tance of feedback interactions between different heterotrophic bacterial species including the alternative for D. vulgaris of exploiting additional organic resources and novel habitats. Thus, D. vulgaris strongly partici pates in the mineralization of carbohydrates both in complex natural and artificial systems.