Characterization of Representative Enzymes from a Sulfate Reducing Bacterium Implicated in the Corrosion of Steel

This communication reports the isolation, purification and characterization of key enzymes involved in dissimilatory sulfate reduction of a sulfate reducing bacterium classified asDesulfovibrio desulfuricanssubspeciesdesulfuricansNew Jersey (NCIMB 8313) (DddNJ). The chosen strain, originally recovered from a corroding cast iron heat exchanger, was grown in large scale batch cultures. Physico-chemical and spectroscopic studies of the purified enzymes were carried out. These analyses revealed a high degree of similarity between proteins isolated from theDddNJ strain and the homologous proteins obtained fromDesulfomicrobium baculatusNorway 4. In view of the results obtained, taxonomic reclassification ofDesulfovibrio desulfuricanssubspeciesdesulfuricansNew Jersey (NCIMB 8313) intoDesulfomicrobium baculatus(New Jersey) is proposed.