Desulfovibrio desulfuricans is a Gram-negative sulfate-reducing bacteria. It is generally found in soil, water, and the stools of animals, although in rare cases it has been found to cause infection in humans. It is particularly noted for its ability to produce methyl mercury. The reductive glycine pathway, a seventh route for organisms to capture , was discovered in this species.Sánchez-Andrea, I., Guedes, I.A., Hornung, B. et al. The reductive glycine pathway allows autotrophic growth of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans. Nat Commun 11, 5090 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-18906-7 Since these bacteria are killed by exposure to atmospheric oxygen, the environmental niches most frequently occupied by these bacteria are anaerobic. Desulfovibrio desulfuricans 27774 was reported to produce gene transfer agents.Rapp, Barbara J., and Judy D. Wall. "Genetic transfer in Desulfovibrio desulfuricans." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 84.24 (1987): 9128-9130.
Morphology Desulfovibrio desulfuricans has been described as a motile, rod-shaped, Gram-negative obligate anaerobe with polar flagella. It measures approximately 3 μm by 0.5 μm.
References
External links Desulfovibrio desulfuricans genome from NCBI Type strain of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans at BacDive - the Bacterial Diversity Metadatabase