Desulfococcus

Desulfococcus is a genus of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). Members are Gram-negative, obligate anaerobes that derive energy by reducing sulfate to hydrogen sulfide during respiration.

These organisms are typically found in anoxic environments such as marine and freshwater sediments, hydrocarbon-rich subsurface environments, and wastewater systems. In natural ecosystems they participate in the degradation of organic matter in partnership with fermentative microbes and other members of microbial communities.

Metabolism in Desulfococcus species is typically chemoorganotrophic, using a variety of organic electron donors—common substrates include fatty acids such as acetate and propionate and simple alcohols—with sulfate serving as the terminal electron acceptor. The overall process releases hydrogen sulfide, which can accumulate in the surrounding environment and influence mineral precipitation, metal mobility, and bio-corrosion in industrial contexts.

Genomics and taxonomy: Desulfococcus belongs to the broader group of sulfate-reducing Deltaproteobacteria. Taxonomic assignment and identification rely on phylogenetic analyses and the presence of marker genes associated with dissimilatory sulfite reduction (dsr genes), which characterize sulfate-reducing metabolism.

Ecological and applied relevance: As SRB, Desulfococcus species contribute to sulfur cycling in anaerobic ecosystems and can impact the souring of oil reservoirs and metal corrosion in infrastructure. They also participate in anaerobic digestion processes and are of interest in studies of microbial ecology, biogeochemistry, and potential bioremediation of sulfate-rich, hydrocarbon-impacted environments.