sp. nov., a novel species of thermoacidophilic archaea, isolated from a volcanic area.

A novel thermoacidophilic archeaon, strain J1 (=DSM 112778,=JCM 34702), was isolated from a hot pool in a volcanic area of Java, Indonesia. Cells of the strain were irregular, motile cocci of 1.0-1.

Electrochemical Studies of Stainless Steel and Stainless Steel-TiO Composite in Reference to Molten Aluminum Alloy Using a Solid-State BaCO Electrolyte.

The influence of TiO addition on the high-temperature electrochemical characteristics of stainless-steel-based materials was investigated by means of differential potential measurement, electrochemical polarization and impedance spectroscopy. A new three-electrode approach was utilized which incorporated a liquid aluminum alloy AlSi7Mg0.3 as the reference electrode, barium carbonate BaCO as the solid-state electrolyte, and stainless steel or a stainless steel-TiO composite as the working electrode.

On the Enigma of Glutathione-Dependent Styrene Degradation in Gordonia rubripertincta CWB2.

Among bacteria, only a single styrene-specific degradation pathway has been reported so far. It comprises the activity of styrene monooxygenase, styrene oxide isomerase, and phenylacetaldehyde dehydrogenase, yielding phenylacetic acid as the central metabolite. The alternative route comprises ring-hydroxylating enzymes and yields vinyl catechol as central metabolite, which undergoes -cleavage.

Sphingopyxis fribergensis sp. nov., a soil bacterium with the ability to degrade styrene and phenylacetic acid.

Strain Kp5.2(T) is an aerobic, Gram-negative soil bacterium that was isolated in Freiberg, Saxony, Germany. The cells were motile and rod-shaped.