Dehalococcoides sp. GT

Names Dehalococcoides sp. GT
Accession numbers NC_013890
Background Dehalococcoides sp. (strain GT) is an anaerobic, chemolithotrophic Gram-positive bacterium. Widespread groundwater contamination with chlorinated ethenes exists, and while some organisms dechlorinate tetrachloroethene (PCE) to trichloroethene (TCE) and dichloroethenes (DCEs), DCEs are toxic, and accumulate at PCE/TCE-impacted sites. Dehalococcoides sp. dechlorinates TCE directly to ethene and is therefore an ideal candidate for overcoming the "DCE stall" and avoids formation of carcinogenic vinyl chloride (VC), both major obstacles in bioremediating chlorinated ethene contaminated sites. Dehalococcoides sp. possesses multiple reductive dehalogenase (RDase) genes suggesting that this organism dechlorinates a spectrum of chloroorganic compounds. Further, the tceA gene, responsible for TCE reductive dechlorination in Dehalococcoides ethenogenes strain 195 and Dehalococcoides sp. strain FL2, is absent in strain GT suggesting that a different TCE RDase operates in strain GT. Dehalococcoides sp. is a key dechlorinator in Bio-Dechlor INOCULUM (BDI), a bioaugmentation consortium that was successfully applied at field sites for establishing bioreactive barriers. Bioremediation approaches with Dehalococcoides-containing cultures have successfully achieved complete detoxification within relatively shorter time frames than competing technologies, while saving significant amounts of US taxpayer money, thus freeing up funds for other pressing problems or permitting treatment of more sites. Despite their restricted metabolism, Dehalococcoides populations appear to be distributed in nature. Our recognition of a biogeochemical chlorine cycle, and the discovery of an enormous diversity of naturally produced chloroorganic compounds might suggest that Dehalococcoides populations evolved a restricted lifestyle based on respiratory reductive dechlorination (i.e, chlororespiration) before mankind dramatically affected the flux of chlorinated chemicals into the environment. (Adapted from: (HAMAP: DEHSG)
Strain GT
Complete Yes
Sequencing centre (04-FEB-2010) US DOE Joint Genome Institute, 2800 Mitchell Drive B310, Walnut Creek, CA 94598-1698, USA
(21-FEB-2010) National Center for Biotechnology Information, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
Sequencing quality Level 6: Finished
Sequencing depth NA
Sequencing method NA
Isolation site a chloroethene-contaminated aquifer
Isolation country NA
Number of replicons 1
Gram staining properties Negative
Shape NA
Mobility Yes
Flagellar presence No
Number of membranes 1
Oxygen requirements Anaerobic
Optimal temperature NA
Temperature range Mesophilic
Habitat Aquatic
Biotic relationship Free living
Host name NA
Cell arrangement NA
Sporulation Nonsporulating
Metabolism Dechlorinates Tetrachloroethene
Energy source Chemolithotroph
Diseases NA
Pathogenicity No