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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, June 2005, p. 3331-3336, Vol. 71, No. 6
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.6.3331-3336.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Characteristics and Living Patterns of Marine Myxobacterial Isolates

Yu-qing Zhang, Yue-zhong Li,* Bing Wang, Zhi-hong Wu, Cui-ying Zhang, Xun Gong, Zhi-jun Qiu, and Yong Zhang

State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, College of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, People's Republic of China

Received 24 February 2004/ Accepted 22 December 2004

The growth, morphology, and life cycle of two marine myxobacterial isolates, halotolerant Myxococcus fulvus strain HW-1 and halophilic Haliangium ochraceum strain SMP-2, were studied as models to determine the living patterns of myxobacteria in the ocean. The growth, morphology, and development of halotolerant strain HW-1 shifted in response to salinity. The optimal seawater concentration for growth of HW-1 was 0 to 80% (salinity, 0.1 to 2.9%), and the strain grew poorly in media with a salinity of more than 4%. The cells became shorter as the seawater concentration increased. The fruiting body structure was complete only on agar prepared with low concentrations of seawater or salts (less than 60% seawater; salinity, 2.1%), and rudimentary structures or even simple cell mounds appeared as the seawater concentration increased. In contrast, the halophilic strain SMP-2 was unable to grow without NaCl. The cell length and the morphology of the fruiting body-like structure did not change in response to salts. In seawater liquid medium, the cells of both strains were confirmed to be able to form myxospores directly from vegetative cells, but they could not do so in medium containing a low seawater concentration (10% or less). HW-1 cells from medium containing a high concentration of seawater grew independent of cell density, while cells from medium containing a low concentration of seawater (10% or less) showed density-dependent growth. SMP-2 cells showed density-dependent growth under all salinity conditions. The results suggest that the halotolerant myxobacteria are the result of degenerative adaptation of soil myxobacteria to the marine environment, while the halophilic myxobacteria form a different evolutionary group that is indigenous to the ocean.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, College of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, People's Republic of China. Phone and fax: 86-531-856 4288. E-mail: lilab{at}sdu.edu.cn.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, June 2005, p. 3331-3336, Vol. 71, No. 6
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.6.3331-3336.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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