Polyphasic characterization and identification of the bioremediation agent Bacillus sp. SFC 500-1E

• Published in: Genomics (San Diego, Calif.) Calif.), 2020-11, Vol.112 (6), p.4525-4535
• Main Authors: Pereira, Paola P., Torres Tejerizo, Gonzalo A., Fernandez, Marilina, Blanch, Anicet R., Gonzalez, Paola S., Agostini, Elizabeth
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: B. cereus group; Bacillus taxonomy; Bacillus toyonensis SFC 500-1E; Environmental remediation; Polyphasic study
• ISSN: 0888-7543; 1089-8646
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2020.08.008

Bacillus sp. SFC 500-1E is used for the effective treatment of tannery effluents since it consistently removes hexavalent chromium from diverse contaminated matrices. The aim of the present study was to complete identification of the strain through a polyphasic characterization, which included the pattern of carbohydrate utilization, fatty acids profile, multilocus sequence analysis, multiplex PCR profile and the analysis of the complete genome sequence. Morpho-physiological and biochemical characterization results and analysis of 16S rRNA sequences were not conclusive. The strain formed a monophyletic clade with B. toyonensis BCT-7112, B. thuringiensis MC28 and B. cereus Rock 1–3. However, genomic comparisons with type strains of B. cereus and B. thuringiensis showed that the isolated belonged to a different species. Results of this study highlight the relevance of the genome sequence of this strain, identified as Bacillus toyonensis SFC 500-1E, to expand knowledge of its bioremediation potential and to explore unknown decontamination activities. •The bioremediation agent Bacillus sp. SFC 500-1E was comprehensively characterized.•Phenotypic characteristics and housekeeping genes analyses were not conclusive.•Phylogeny against a same species varied with the use of type or non-type strains.•Genome analysis supported its classification as Bacillus toyonensis SFC 500-1E.