Dissimilatory Reduction of Inorganic Sulfur by Facultatively Anaerobic Marine Bacteria

Abstract

Three strains, selected from a large number of newly isolated, facultatively anaerobic marine bacteria, reduced inorganic sulfur compounds other than sulfate anaerobically in defined culture media in the following different patterns: (i) sulfite and thiosulfate were reduced to sulfide, and tetrathionate was reduced to thiosulfate; (ii) tetrathionate was reduced to thiosulfate only; or (iii) thiosulfate was reduced to sulfide only when pyruvate was the substrate. Comparison of anaerobic growth in the presence or absence of inorganic sulfur compounds indicated true dissimilatory reductions.