desulfitobacterium chlororespirans desulfitobacterium chlororespirans desulfitobacterium chlororespirans is a gram-positive, anaerobic, spore-forming species of bacteria. its type strain is co23 (= atcc 700175 = dsm 11544). it grows by coupling the oxidation of lactate to the reductive dechlorination of 3-chloro-4-hydroxybenzoate. desulfitobacterium chlororespirans scientific classification domain: bacteria phylum: bacillota class: clostridia order: clostridiales family: peptococcaceae genus: desulfitobacterium species: d. chlororespirans binomial name desulfitobacterium chlororespiranssanford et al. 2001