ABSTRACT
The genus Dehalogenimonas (Dhgm) is a recently discovered taxonomic group within the class Dehalococcoidia of the phylum Chloroflexi. To date, Dhgm consists of three formally described species including Dehalogenimonas lykanthroporepellens, Dehalogenimonas alkenigignens and Dehalogenimonas formicexedens. All isolates of these three Dhgm species are obligate organohalide-respiring bacteria. They use hydrogen and formate as electron donors and chlorinated ethanes (e.g., 1,2,3-trichloropropane, 1,2-dichloropropane, 1,2-dichloroethane) as electron acceptors in energy-conserving reductive dechlorination reaction. Chlorinated ethanes are common groundwater contaminants in China. The unique metabolic capacities of Dhgm strains implicate it may play important roles in site remediation. The recently reported Dhgm sp. strain WBC-2 and 'Candidatus Dehalogenimonas etheniformans' strain GP are capable of dechlorinating certain chlorinated ethenes. More importantly, strain GP can completely detoxify the carcinogenic vinyl chloride (VC) to ethene. These findings expand the diversity of microorganisms involved in the respiratory VC reductive dechlorination and improve the understanding of Dhgm's ecological functions. Here, we summarize the advances in physiological and biochemical characteristics, ecological functions and genomic features of Dhgm, with the aim to develop effective and sustainable strategies to facilitate the bioremediation of chlorinated compounds contaminated sites.