Complete genome sequence of the haloalkaliphilic, obligately chemolithoautotrophic thiosulfate and sulfide-oxidizing γ-proteobacterium Thioalkalimicrobium cyclicum type strain ALM 1 (DSM 14477 T )

Thioalkalimicrobium cyclicum Sorokin et al . 2002 is a member of the family Piscirickettsiaceae in the order Thiotrichales . The γ-proteobacterium belongs to the colourless sulfur-oxidizing bacteria isolated from saline soda lakes with stable alkaline pH, such as Lake Mono (California) and Soap Lake (Washington State). Strain ALM 1 T is characterized by its adaptation to life in the oxic/anoxic interface towards the less saline aerobic waters (mixolimnion) of the stable stratified alkaline salt lakes. Strain ALM 1 T is the first representative of the genus Thioalkalimicrobium whose genome sequence has been deciphered and the fourth genome sequence of a type strain of the Piscirickettsiaceae to be published. The 1,932,455 bp long chromosome with its 1,684 protein-coding and 50 RNA genes was sequenced as part of the DOE Joint Genome Institute Community Sequencing Program (CSP) 2008.