ABSTRACT
A comprehensive taxonomic re-evaluation was performed on the marine, zeaxanthin-producing bacterium formerly classified as [Favobacterium] sp. strain R-1 512 (ATCC 21588). This strain, together with two other previously described marine isolates, [Flavobacterium] strain R-1506 and Paracoccus sp. strain MBIC 3966, were found to comprise a new species of the genus Paracoccus. The name Paracoccus zeaxanthinifaciens sp. nov. is proposed, with ATCC 21588T (= R-1512T =LMG 21293T) designated as the type strain.
Subject(s)
Paracoccus/classification , Paracoccus/metabolism , beta Carotene/analogs & derivatives , beta Carotene/biosynthesis , Base Composition , Base Sequence , DNA, Bacterial/chemistry , DNA, Bacterial/genetics , DNA, Ribosomal/genetics , Fatty Acids/analysis , Molecular Sequence Data , Paracoccus/genetics , Phenotype , Phylogeny , RNA, Bacterial/genetics , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics , Species Specificity , Xanthophylls , ZeaxanthinsABSTRACT
Cultures of the zeaxanthin-producing bacterium Paracoccus species strain PTA-3335 (formerly Flavobacterium) were grown with supplements of (13)C-labeled glucose. Zeaxanthin was isolated and analyzed by (13)C NMR spectroscopy. The data showed that the isoprenoid precursors of zeaxanthin were biosynthesized via the mevalonate pathway. The microorganism was found to utilize glucose mainly via the Entner-Doudoroff pathway.
