Base composition of deoxyribonucleic acid of sulfate-reducing bacteria deduced from buoyant density measurements in cesium chloride

Abstract

Saunders, Grady F. (University of Illinois, Urbana), L. Leon Campbell, and John R. Postgate. Base composition of deoxyribonucleic acid of sulfate-reducing bacteria deduced from buoyant density measurements in cesium chloride. J. Bacteriol. 87:1073-1078. 1964.-The base composition of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of sulfate-reducing bacteria was calculated from buoyant density measurements in CsCl. The sporulating sulfate-reducing bacteria fell into two groups: Desulfovibrio orientis with a DNA base composition of 42% guanine plus cytosine (G + C), and Clostridium nigrificans with a DNA base composition of 45% G + C. The mesophilic relative of C. nigrificans had a DNA base composition of 46% G + C. Thirty strains of nonsporulating sulfate-reducing bacteria called D. desulfuricans were studied. They fell into three groups as judged by DNA base composition: group I (11 strains), 60 to 62% G + C; group II (13 strains), 54 to 56% G + C; and group III (6 strains), 46 to 47% G + C. These data underline the need for a taxonomic revision of this group of microorganisms.