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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Phylogenetic relationships of filamentous sulfur bacteria (Thiothrix spp. and Eikelboom type 021N bacteria) isolated from wastewater-treatment plants and description of Thiothrix eikelboomii sp. nov., Thiothrix unzii sp. nov., Thiothrix fructosivorans sp. nov. and Thiothrix defluvii sp. nov.

The relationship of mixotrophic and autotrophic Thiothrix species to morphologically similar chemoorganotrophic bacteria (e.g. Leucothrix species, Eikelboom type 021N bacteria) has been a matter of debate for some years. These bacteria have alternatively been grouped together on the basis of shared morphological features or separated on the basis of their nutrition. Many of these bacteria are difficult to maintain in axenic culture and, until recently, few isolates were available to allow comprehensive phenotypic and genotypic characterization. Several isolates of Thiothrix spp. and Eikelboom type 021N strains were characterized by comparative 16S rRNA sequence analysis. This revealed that the Thiothrix spp. and Eikelboom type 021N isolates formed a monophyletic group. Furthermore, isolates of Eikelboom type 021N bacteria isolated independently from different continents were phylogenetically closely related. The 16S rRNA sequence-based phylogeny was congruent with the morphological similarities between Thiothrix and Eikelboom type 021N. However, one isolate examined in this study (Ben47) shared many morphological features with the Thiothrix spp. and Eikelboom type 021N isolates, but was not closely related to them phylogenetically. Consequently, morphology alone cannot be used to assign bacteria to the Thiothrix/type 021N group. Comparative 16S rRNA sequence analysis supports monophyly of the Thiothrix/type 021N group, and phenotypic differences between the Thiothrix spp. and Eikelboom type 021N bacteria are currently poorly defined. For example, both groups include heterotrophic organisms that deposit intracellular elemental sulfur. It is therefore proposed that the Eikelboom type 021N bacteria should be accommodated within the genus Thiothrix as a new species, Thiothrix eikelboomii sp. nov., and three further new Thiothrix species are described: Thiothrix unzii sp. nov., Thiothrix fructosivorans sp. nov. and Thiothrix defluvii sp. nov.

Base Composition↗
PubMed2002

Characterization of filamentous Eikelboom type 021N bacteria and description of Thiothrix disciformis sp. nov. and Thiothrix flexilis sp. nov.

The phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of 15 strains of Eikelboom type 021 N bacteria isolated from wastewater treatment plants were investigated. The strains shared many characters with Thiothrix species. However, the Eikelboom type 021N bacteria had only 88.3-92.0% 16S rDNA sequence similarity to members of the Thiothrix nivea group, including T. nivea, 'Thiothrix ramosa', Thiothrix unzii and Thiothrix fructosivorans, and were differentiated from them in sugar utilization and other properties, suggesting that the Eikelboom type 021N bacteria belong to species distinct from the T. nivea group. The 15 Eikelboom type 021N bacteria that were investigated were divided into three distinct groups (I to III) on the basis of their genotypic and phenotypic characteristics. The creation of two novel species is proposed, Thiothrix disciformis sp. nov. for the group I strains (type strain B3-1T = JCM 11364T = DSM 14473T) and Thiothrix flexilis sp. nov. for the group III strains (type strain EJ2M-BT = JCM 11135T = DSM 14609T). Thiothrix eikelboomii AP3T was included in group II and shared many characters with the other group II strains. The inclusion of all group II strains within the species T. eikelboomii is proposed,together with emendation of the description of T. eikelboomii.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed1990

Occurrence of a Thiothrix sp. Attached to Mayfly Larvae and Presence of Parasitic Bacteria in the Thiothrix sp.

Larvae of the mayfly (Drunella grandis [Eaton]) from Diamond Fork Creek, Utah, were covered with a heavy growth of the sulfide-oxidizing bacterium Thiothrix. The bacterium did not seem to harm the mayfly, but the Thiothrix trichomes were parasitized by three morphologically distinct bacteria, two of which were cytoplasmic and one of which was probably periplasmic. At least two of the parasites destroyed the cytoplasmic contents of the Thiothrix sp., thus killing the host cell. Attempts to obtain the parasites in pure culture were unsuccessful.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Studies on the in situ physiology of Thiothrix spp. present in activated sludge.

The in situ physiology of the filamentous sulphur bacterium Thiothrix spp. was investigated in an industrial wastewater treatment plant with severe bulking problems as a result of overgrowth of Thiothrix. Identification and enumeration using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with species-specific 16S and 23S rRNA probes revealed that 5-10% of the bacteria in the activated sludge were Thiothrix spp. By using a combination of FISH and microautoradiography it was possible to study the in situ physiology of probe-defined Thiothrix filaments under different environmental conditions. The Thiothrix filaments were very versatile and showed incorporation of radiolabelled acetate and/or bicarbonate under heterotrophic, mixotrophic and chemolithoautotrophic conditions. The Thiothrix filaments were active under anaerobic conditions (with or without nitrate) in which intracellular sulphur globules were formed from thiosulphate and acetate was taken up. Thiothrix-specific substrate uptake rates and growth rates in activated sludge samples were determined under different conditions. Doubling times of 6-9 h under mixotrophic conditions and 15-30 h under autotrophic conditions were estimated. The key properties that Thiothrix might be employing to outcompete other microorganisms in activated sludge were probably related to the mixotrophic growth potential with strong stimulation of acetate uptake by thiosulphate, as well as stimulation of bicarbonate incorporation by acetate in the presence of thiosulphate.

Acetates↗
PubMed1995

Development and application of a monoclonal antibody against Thiothrix spp.

Historically, methods used to identify Thiothrix spp. in environmental samples have been inadequate because isolation and identification procedures are time-consuming and often fail to separate Thiothrix spp. from other filamentous microorganisms. We described a monoclonal antibody-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) procedure which was used to identify Thiothrix spp. in wastewater, artesian springs, groundwater, and underwater subterranean samples. The ELISA utilized monoclonal antibody T3511 to a species-specific carbohydrate epitope of Thiothrix spp. No cross-reactions were observed among non-Thiothrix strains consisting of 12 species and nine genera. In field trials, the ELISA identified 100% of 20 biochemically and cytologically confirmed Thiothrix spp.-containing samples with no false positives. Indirect immunofluorescent microscopy utilizing T3511 was effective for wastewater samples but not for those from natural spring water because of background fluorescence in the latter. In addition, electron micrographs of Thiothrix spp. labeled with T3511-biotin-anti-mouse antibody-gold showed that epitope T3511 was intracellular both in laboratory strains and environmental isolates. The minimum level of detection of the ELISA was 0.10 microgram/ml.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed2003

Phylogenetic and physiological characterization of a heterotrophic, chemolithoautotrophic Thiothrix strain isolated from activated sludge.

The sheathed filamentous bacterium known as strain CT3, isolated by micromanipulation from an activated sludge treatment plant in Italy, is a member of the genus Thiothrix in the gamma-Proteobacteria according to 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The closest phylogenetic neighbours of strain CT3 are strains I and Q(T), which were also isolated from activated sludge and belong to the species Thiothrix fructosivorans. These strains have respectively 99.2 and 99.4 % similarity to CT3 by 16S rDNA sequence comparison. CT3 shows 63-67 % DNA-DNA hybridization with strain I, which is the only currently viable strain of T. fructosivorans. CT3 is the second strain in the genus Thiothrix that has been shown to be capable of growing autotrophically with reduced sulfur compounds as the sole energy source; autotrophy was also confirmed in strain I. The first reported chemolithoautotrophic isolate of this genus was a strain of 'Thiothrix ramosa' that was isolated from a hydrogen sulfide spring and is morphologically distinguishable from all other described strains of Thiothrix, including CT3. CT3 is an aerobic organism that is non-fermentative, not capable of denitrification and able to grow heterotrophically. Autotrophy in the genus Thiothrix should be investigated more fully to better define the taxonomy of this genus.

DNA, Bacterial↗
PubMed2002

Application of oligonucleotide probes for the detection of Thiothrix spp. in activated sludge plants treating paper and board mill wastes.

Filamentous bacteria belonging to the genus Thiothrix were detected in activated sludge samples using the fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH) technique. A 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probe was developed for the detection of members of the T. fructosivorans group, and the performance of probe TNI for the detection of Thiothrix nivea group was enhanced by using an unlabeled competitor. A set of 5 probes covering all phylogenetic groups of Thiothrix were used to examine samples taken from selected activated sludge plants treating paper and board mill wastes. Members of the T. eikelboomii group formed the predominant filamentous bacterial population in plants experiencing poor sludge settleability, whereas members of the T. nivea group were commonly found but not dominantly in the remaining plants. Members of the T. fructosivorans group were not detected at any significant level in any of the samples. The distribution of the main Thiothrix types remained unchanged throughout the investigation period. It was evident that mixed populations of Thiothrix spp. were present in all activated sludge samples investigated, the observed differences were in the relative abundance of the various groups. These findings were supported by the results obtained using conventional microscopy.

Bioreactors↗
PubMed1997

Biofouling of groundwater systems by Thiothrix spp.

Thiothrix spp., sulfide-oxidizing filamentous bacteria, were found to be a principal bacterial component of aquatic biofilms causing biofouling in selected municipal water storage tanks, private wells, and drip irrigation systems in Florida. Treatments of up to 200 ppm chlorine in the affected systems could not prevent return of the biofouling problem. The water originated from the upper Floridan aquifer and associated surficial aquifers in central and north Florida. Samples were examined where visible biofilms had a white, filamentous appearance, indicative of Thiothrix spp. The detection of Thiothrix spp. was confirmed by enzyme-liked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), indirect immunofluorescence (IIF), and microbiological procedures. It was estimated through immunocytochemical procedures that Thiothrix spp. comprised 18% of the biofilm in the municipal water storage tanks. These observations confirm that specific biological and chemical interactions may induce physical changes leading to significant biofouling.

Bacteroidetes↗
PubMed1985

Filamentous sulfur bacteria of activated sludge: characterization of Thiothrix, Beggiatoa, and Eikelboom type 021N strains.

Seventeen strains of filamentous sulfur bacteria were isolated in axenic culture from activated sludge mixed liquor samples and sulfide-gradient enrichment cultures. Isolation procedures involved plating a concentrated inoculum of washed filaments onto media containing sulfide or thiosulfate. The isolates were identified as Thiothrix spp., Beggiatoa spp., and an organism of uncertain taxonomic status, designated type 021N. All bacteria were gram negative, reduced nitrate, and formed long, multicellular trichomes with internal reserves of sulfur, volutin, and sudanophilic material. Thiothrix spp. formed rosettes and gonidia, and four of six strains were ensheathed. Type 021N organisms utilized glucose, lacked a sheath, and differed from Thiothrix spp. in several aspects of cellular and cultural morphology. Beggiatoa spp. lacked catalase and oxidase, and filaments were motile. Biochemical and physiological characterization of the isolates revealed important distinguishing features between the three groups of bacteria. Strain differences were most evident among the Thiothrix cultures. A comparison of the filamentous sulfur bacteria with freshwater strains of Leucothrix was made also.

Bacteroidetes↗
PubMed1987

Ultrastructure of Thiothrix spp. and "Type 021N" Bacteria.

The ultrastructural features of two groups of filamentous sulfur bacteria, Thiothrix spp. and an unnamed organism designated "type 021N," were examined by transmission electron microscopy. Negative staining of whole cells and filaments with uranyl acetate revealed the presence of tufts of fimbriae located at the ends of individual gonidia of Thiothrix sp. strain A1 and "type 021N" strain N7. Holdfast material present at the center of mature rosettes was observed in thin sections stained with ruthenium red. A clearly defined sheath enveloped the trichomes of two of three Thiothrix strains but was absent from "type 021N" filaments. The outer cell wall appeared more complex in "type 021N" strains than in Thiothrix isolates. Bulbs or clusters of irregularly shaped cells, often present in filaments of "type 021N" bacteria, appeared to result from crosswalls which formed at angles oblique to the filament axis. The multicellular nature of these sulfur bacteria was apparent in that only the cytoplasmic membrane and peptidoglycan layer of the cell wall were involved in the septation process. Sulfur inclusions which developed in the presence of sodium thiosulfate were enclosed by a single-layered envelope and located within invaginations of the cytoplasmic membrane.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Symbiotic relationship of thiothrix spp. with An echinoderm

Immunoassay procedures were used to investigate the symbiotic relationship of Thiothrix spp. in the intestinal cecum of the spatangoid species Echinocardium cordatum. Thiothrix spp. were identified in nodule samples from E. cordatum digestive tubes based on microscopic examination, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and indirect immunofluorescence. Thiothrix spp. protein made up as much as 84% of the total protein content of the nodules. This is the first identification of Thiothrix spp. internally symbiotic with marine invertebrates.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Transient development of filamentous Thiothrix species in a marine sulfide oxidizing, denitrifying fluidized bed reactor.

In this study, microscopic and molecular microbial analyses were integrated to characterize rapidly developing white filamentous tufts in a fluidized bed reactor used for nitrate removal from a marine recirculating fish culture system. Formation and rapid elongation of the tufts (often exceeding 50 mm day (-1)) was strongly correlated to transient elevated sulfide concentrations (>50 microM) in the reactor. The dominant bacterial constituents of these tufts were filamentous gram-negative bacteria with densely packed intracellular sulfur granules. Using 16S rRNA gene analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization it was found that these filamentous bacteria represented a novel Thiothrix phylotype closely related (97% sequence identity) to a previously identified Thiothrix strain endogenous to the marine crustacean Urothoe poseidonis. In addition to filamentous morphotypes, rosette-shaped morphotypes of Thiothrix were also detectable within the tufts.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2003

Identification of Thiothrix unzii in two distinct ecosystems.

AIMS: Molecular procedures were used to identify Thiothrix spp. in biofilms from sulphide-rich waters in two distinct ecosystems. METHODS AND RESULTS: Biofilm samples were obtained from two groundwater-fed systems in central and northern Florida, including an artesian spring and municipal water tank. The 16S rDNA in each sample was directly amplified by polymerase chain reaction. CONCLUSIONS: Clonal libraries of biofilm 16S rDNA from each site contained rDNA sequences that were 99-99.5% similar to Thiothrix unzii. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This is the first report of T. unzii in a natural system. Biofilm formation by Thiothrix spp. can cause fouling in groundwater processing equipment, including municipal water-processing facilities, agricultural irrigation systems and spring water bottling plant filters. Biofouling can have severe economic and human health impacts as it will influence flow rates and related water treatments. Characterization of specific fouling bacteria and their molecular ecology is essential for their regulation.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1990

HCO(3) Fixation by Naturally Occurring Tufts and Pure Cultures of Thiothrix nivea.

Naturally occurring tufts of the mixotroph Thiothrix nivea blanketed the East Everglades (Dade County, Fla.) Chekika artesian well and runoff areas. The rate of HCO(3) fixation by these Thiothrix tufts was determined to be 14.0 +/- 5.4 nmol of HCO(3) per min per mg of dry weight, which reflected a growth rate of 5.0%/h. The addition of 10 mM glucose, ribose, acetate, or pyruvate or 0.05% Casamino Acids (Difco Laboratories, Detroit, Mich.) did not appear to alter the HCO(3) fixation rate. Whereas 1 mM acetate or 10 mM lactate, ethanol, glycerol, alpha-ketoglutarate, succinate, fumarate, or citrate slightly stimulated HCO(3) fixation, 5 to 10 mM malate inhibited HCO(3) fixation by 90%. Pure Thiothrix cultures isolated from Chekika fixed HCO(3) at rates as high as 29.9 +/- 2.8 nmol of HCO(3) per min per mg of dry weight in the presence of growth medium. Malate did not have a suppressive effect but rather slightly stimulated in vivo HCO(3) fixation.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1993

Sorption of heavy metals to the filamentous bacterium thiothrix strain A1.

A study was undertaken to determine the ability of the filamentous bacterium Thiothrix strain A1 to sorb heavy metals from solution. Cells of Thiothrix strain A1 were harvested, washed, and suspended in solutions of metals. After an equilibration period, biomass was separated from solution and the metal content in acid-digested cells and/or filtrates was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Sorption of nickel and zinc was very rapid; most of the sorbed metal was bound in less than 10 min. The sorption data for copper fit the Freundlich isotherm, and nickel and zinc data fit biphasic Freundlich isotherms. Sorption of both nickel and zinc was dependent on cell age. Cells harvested 24 h after inoculation sorbed approximately one-half of the amount of metal per gram cell protein than did cells harvested after 48, 72, or 96 h. Calcium and magnesium effectively competed with zinc for binding sites, whereas potassium had only a slight effect on the capacity of cells to sorb zinc. The primary mechanism of metal sorption apparently was ion exchange, because 66 to 75% of nickel or zinc could be desorbed by placing metal-laden cells in a solution of 5 mM CaCl(2). A competition experiment with nickel and zinc indicated that both metals occupied the same sorption sites. The strong chelating agents EDTA and NTA effectively prevented metal uptake, but lactate enhanced the uptake of nickel. Thiothrix strain A1 grown in nickel-containing medium had a relatively low uptake of nickel compared with uptake by resting cells suspended in a simple buffer solution.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Phylogenetic relationships of the filamentous sulfur bacterium Thiothrix ramosa based on 16S rRNA sequence analysis.

The phylogeny of Thiothrix ramosa based on 16S rRNA sequences was determined. This species is the first species in this genus that has been shown to be capable of autotrophic growth with reduced sulfur compounds as sole energy sources. T. ramosa forms a monophyletic clade with Thiothrix nivea, as determined by distance, parsimony, and maximum-likelihood methods. Both of these species clearly belong to the gamma subdivision of the Proteobacteria, where they are loosely associated with other sulfur-oxidizing chemoautotrophic organisms.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2004

Novel epibiotic thiothrix bacterium on a marine amphipod.

Comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to identify epibiotic filamentous bacteria living on the marine amphipod crustacean Urothoe poseidonis. The epibionts belong to the gamma proteobacteria and represent a novel marine phylotype within the genus Thiothrix. FISH and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis revealed that the Thiothrix filaments are present on the majority of the amphipods examined.

Amphipoda↗
PubMed2006

Effect of periodic feeding on substrate uptake and storage rates by a pure culture of Thiothrix (CT3 strain).

A pure culture of Thiothrix strain CT3 has been aerobically cultured under periodic acetate feeding in a Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) at volumetric organic load rate of 0.12gCODL(-1)d(-1). Two different culture residence times (12d or 20d) were adopted as well as two different feed frequencies (1 and 4d(-1), for each culture residence time), the volumetric organic load rate being the same under all conditions. The transient response of the microorganism to the periodic acetate feed was investigated through batch tests with biomass withdrawn from the SBR, as function of the different SBR operating conditions. In all tested conditions, a quick transient response to the acetate spike was observed with fast increase of acetate uptake rate (ranging from 71 to 247mgCODgCOD(-1)h(-1)). This transient response was mainly due to acetate storage in form of poly-hydroxybutyrate (ranging from 45% to 64% of the observed yield) whereas the growth response (i.e. increase of production rate of active biomass) generally played a minor role (ranging from 21% to 38% of the observed yield). Apart from this general trend, culture residence time as well as feed frequency had a strong impact on transient behaviour of cultured cells. The overall transient response (i.e. maximum specific substrate removal rate) increased as culture residence time decreased or as feed frequency increased. Moreover, the ratio of storage response and growth response increased as the overall transient response decreased, i.e. the storage response was preferentially maintained when cells presented a lower transient response. The ability of the cells to increase their growth rate with respect to SBR average value was the lowest under the most unfavourable conditions (residence time 20d, feed frequency 1d(-1)) and increased with the increase in maximum substrate uptake rate.

Acetates↗