sulfur bacteria

sulfur bacteria
several species of bacteria, esp. of the genera Beggiatoa and Thiobacillus, that have the ability to utilize sulfur or inorganic sulfur compounds as an energy source.
[1900-05]

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Any of a diverse group of bacteria that are capable of metabolizing sulfur and its compounds and are important in the sulfur cycle.

Members of the genus Thiobacillus, widespread in marine and terrestrial habitats, react with sulfur to produce sulfates useful to plants; in deep ground deposits they generate sulfuric acid, which dissolves metals in mines and corrodes concrete and steel. Desulfovibrio desulficans reduces sulfates in waterlogged soils and sewage to hydrogen sulfide, a gas with the common rotten-egg odour.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • sulfur bacteria — noun any bacterium of the genus Thiobacillus • Syn: ↑thiobacteria, ↑sulphur bacteria • Hypernyms: ↑thiobacillus * * * several species of bacteria, esp. of the genera Beggiatoa and Thiobacillus, that have the ability to utilize sulfur or inorganic …   Useful english dictionary

  • sulfur bacteria — sul′fur bacte ria n. pl. mcr several species of bacteria, esp. of the genera Beggiatoa and Thiobacillus, that have the ability to utilize sulfur or inorganic sulfur compounds as an energy source • Etymology: 1900–05 …   From formal English to slang

  • Purple sulfur bacteria — Scientific classification Kingdom: Bacteria Phylum: Proteobacteria Class …   Wikipedia

  • Green sulfur bacteria — in a Winogradsky column Scientific classification Domain: Bac …   Wikipedia

  • Sulfur cycle — Sulfur is one of the constituents of many proteins, vitamins and hormones. It recycles as in other biogeochemical cycles.The essential steps of the sulfur cycle are: * Mineralization of organic sulfur to the inorganic form, hydrogen sulfide:… …   Wikipedia

  • colorless sulfur bacteria — A diverse group of nonphotosynthetic proteobacteria that can oxidize reduced sulfur compounds such as hydrogen sulfide. Many are lithotrophs and derive energy from sulfur oxidation. Some are unicellular, whereas others are filamentous gliding… …   Dictionary of microbiology

  • green sulfur bacteria — a group of green or brown bacteria of the families Chlorobiaceae and Chloroflexaceae that occur in aquatic sediments, sulfur springs, and hot springs and that utilize reduced sulfur compounds instead of oxygen. * * * …   Universalium

  • green sulfur bacteria — a group of green or brown bacteria of the families Chlorobiaceae and Chloroflexaceae that occur in aquatic sediments, sulfur springs, and hot springs and that utilize reduced sulfur compounds instead of oxygen …   Useful english dictionary

  • Sulfur — This article is about the chemical element. For other uses, see Sulfur (disambiguation). phosphorus ← sulfur → chlorine …   Wikipedia

  • bacteria — bacterial, adj. bacterially, adv. /bak tear ee euh/, n.pl., sing. bacterium / tear ee euhm/. ubiquitous one celled organisms, spherical, spiral, or rod shaped and appearing singly or in chains, comprising the Schizomycota, a phylum of the kingdom …   Universalium

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