Physiologische, chemotaxonomische und molekularbiologische Eigenschaften mariner Partikel-assoziierter Bakterien aus dem Atlantik

The morphological, physiological, chemotaxonomical, and molecular properties of heterotrophic particle associate bacteria from the South Atlantic (Antarctica) were examined to get more information about the ability of these bacteria to metabolize organic compounds. BIOLOG GN- and API 50 CH-system as well as tests with sole carbon sources in ASNIII-medium showed that these isolates differed strongly in their ability to use high and low molecular weight organic compounds as carbon sources.The 16S rDNA sequences assigned the bacteria into the following genera: Loktanella, Sulfitobacter, Paracoccus, Pseudoalteromonas, Psychrobacter, and Polaribacter. A new species was described and the name Psychrobacter nivimaris sp. nov. was proposed.Additionally, morphological and molecular properties of particle associated bacteria from samples of different water depths of the equatorial Atlantic are investigated, to examine if there is a change of diversity with increasing water depth. Some isolates formed yellowish pigmented colonies. The pigments of selected isolates were characterized with photometric, chromatographic and mass spectrometric methods. One isolate formed Zeaxanthin. The pigments of two other isolates, forming greenish yellow colonies, could probably be Bacteriorubixanthin. These two showed a great similarity in their 16S rDNA to species of the genus Erythrobacter.