The bacteria of genus Leucobater represents one of 12
genera of irregular rod-shaped aerobic bacteria of the
family Microbacteriaceae which possess 2,4-diaminobutyric
acid (DAB) in the peptidoglycan [6,11,21]. The
species of these genera are distinguished from each other
by their menaquinone types, the composition of their
cell wall sugars, the mole % G+C of the DNA and key
physiological features.
Despite the toxic effects of hexavalent chromium
(Cr(VI)) several microorganisms have evolved resistance/detoxification
mechanisms [2,16]. To increase the
success of microbially based metal remediation strategies
a better knowledge of the organisms belonging to
microbial communities under metal stress is necessary
[16]. Species from the genus Leucobacter turn out to be
part of metal stressed communities and have been
isolated from activated sludge subjected to chromium
contamination [14].
In this paper, we describe two new species based on
strains also isolated from chromium-contaminated