A Numerical Classification of Some Thermus Isolates

Abstract

A numerical classification was performed on a collection of 45 Thermus isolates recovered from New Zealand hot pools and on six type strains including T. aquaticus and 'T. thermophilus'. Unweighted average linking (UPGMA) and single linkage clustering methods were applied to similarity matrices derived from simple matching (S,,,,,) and Jaccard similarity (S,) coefficients. Differences were observed between phenograms derived from S,, and S, coefficients, indicating that some of the clusters formed were derived from a significant component of negative matches. Test error was estimated at 2.9%. In the UPGMA/SsM phenogram, seven clusters were formed. A majority of the New Zealand isolates did not cluster with non-New Zealand isolates. Analysis of variance showed that there was a relationship between the composition of the clusters and the temperature and pH of the source of the isolate. Chi-squared testing showed that, within New Zealand, the geographical source of the isolate had no bearing on the clusters formed.

Geobacillus toebii subsp. decanicus subsp. nov., a hydrocarbon-degrading, heavy metal resistant bacterium from hot compost

“…Phenotypic characterization was performed after L1 T incubation at 68°C for 3 days in TH medium or TH agar (Hudson et al, 1986;Maugeri et al, 2002;Santos et al, 1989). Sensitivity of the strain to antibiotics was tested by using the enrichment-solid medium TH and sensi-discs (6 mm, Oxoid).…”

Marinithermus hydrothermalis gen. nov., sp. nov., a strictly aerobic, thermophilic bacterium from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney

“…Many strains of Thermus and Meiothermus have been isolated from terrestrial geothermal environments, although some strains, such as T. thermophilus Gy1211, have been obtained from shallow and deep-sea hydrothermal vent environments (Hudson et al, 1986;Kristjánsson et al, 1986;Hjörleifsdó ttir et al, 1989;Manaia & da Costa, 1991;Marteinsson et al, 1999). A distinctive physiological feature commonly displayed by all Thermus strains, including marine isolates, is that they do not show an absolute requirement for NaCl for growth.…”

Meiothermus hypogaeus sp. nov., a moderately thermophilic bacterium isolated from a hot spring

“…Hydrolysis of casein, starch (Manaia & da Costa, 1991) and gelatin (Smibert & Krieg, 1981) and degradation of arbutin, aesculin (Manaia & da Costa, 1991), elastin, hide-powder azure and fibrin (Hudson et al, 1986) were tested by using Thermus medium. Strain AZM34c11 T was positive for hydrolysis of starch and gelatin and for the degradation of hide-powder azure, but was negative for the other reactions.…”