KB-1 is a natural anaerobic bioaugmentation consortium used for reductive dechlorination of chlorinated ethenes in contaminated groundwater. The culture contains Dehalococcoides-related organohalide-respiring bacteria that convert tetrachloroethene and trichloroethene through chlorinated intermediates to ethene. Nondechlorinating acetogens, including Acetobacterium and Sporomusa, support the community by providing cobamide-related cofactors needed by Dehalococcoides.
Taxonomy
| Taxon | Ontology ID | Functional Roles | Abundance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dehalococcoides spp. in KB-1 — ontology label: Dehalococcoides | NCBITaxon:61434 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
PRIMARY_DEGRADER
|
N/A |
|
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| Acetobacterium spp. in KB-1 — ontology label: Acetobacterium woodii | NCBITaxon:33952 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
SYNTROPHIC_PARTNER
|
N/A |
|
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| Sporomusa spp. in KB-1 — ontology label: Sporomusa | NCBITaxon:2375 · TaxonMech · TraitMech |
SYNTROPHIC_PARTNER
|
N/A |
|
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Ecological Interactions
The graph shows only explicitly linked interaction participants. Community members without an asserted participant link are omitted; membership alone does not imply an interaction.
Reductive Dechlorination to Ethene
KB-1 bioaugmentation produced ethene in laboratory microcosms and the Kelly Air Force Base field test. Field ethene accounted for chlorinated-ethene mass loss and KB-1-associated Dehalococcoides spread downgradient. These are consortium outcomes, not assignment of every PCE/TCE reaction to Dehalococcoides. Separate vitamin-free KB-1 enrichment experiments also sustained TCE-to-ethene conversion. The canonical taxa are a community subset, not a proven three-member inoculant or reciprocal syntrophy.
Participating Taxa: Dehalococcoides spp. in KB-1, Acetobacterium spp. in KB-1, Sporomusa spp. in KB-1
Metabolites: trichloroethene (CHEBI:16602 · MediaIngredientMech · CMMMech), chloroethene (CHEBI:28509 · MediaIngredientMech · CMMMech), ethene (CHEBI:18153 · MediaIngredientMech · CMMMech)
Evidence
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PMID:12523427 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)"PCE, TCE, and cis-1,2-DCE within the PTA were all below"
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PMID:12523427 - SUPPORT (IN_VIVO)"ethene production accounted for the observed mass loss"
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PMID:31441646 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)"Acetobacterium supports complete TCE dechlorination by Dehalococcoides"
Acetogen Cobamide Support
Vitamin-free KB-1 transfers sustained TCE dechlorination with increased Acetobacterium abundance and cobalamin, supported by a DMB-biosynthesis operon. These positive community experiments support Acetobacterium-associated cofactor provision. PARTIAL - donor-resolved transfer, exclusive mediation and the return benefit remain unresolved. The canonical Acetobacterium woodii label is not verified as the source population Acetobacterium sp. KB-1; its grounding remains #1526. Acid inhibition is distinct from cofactor shortage: DMB did not rescue stalled low-pH dechlorination, whereas pH adjustment did.
Participating Taxa: Dehalococcoides spp. in KB-1, Acetobacterium spp. in KB-1
Metabolites: cobalamin (CHEBI:30411 · MediaIngredientMech · CMMMech)
Biological Processes:
- vitamin metabolic process (GO:0006766 · PathwayMech)
PARTIAL - Acetobacterium-associated cofactor availability can support Dehalococcoides dechlorination in the vitamin-free KB-1 laboratory cultures. Community transfers, cofactor measurements and biosynthetic genes support this route, but do not isolate its exclusive contribution or establish its mediation of the separate field bioaugmentation result.
Evidence
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PMID:31441646 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)"Acetobacterium supports complete TCE dechlorination by Dehalococcoides"
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PMID:31441646 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)"substantial increase in cobalamin"
Sporomusa DMB-Guided Cobalamin Support
Controlled cocultures tested a Sporomusa sp. KB-1 isolate with Dehalococcoides strains BAV1, GT and FL2. DMB amendment changed donor cobamide chemistry and restored partner dechlorination and growth; without DMB, the phenolic cofactors did not support those requirements. FL2 still produced both VC and ethene. The explicit canonical participant is the KB-1-derived donor only: these external recipient strains are not established as the record's KB-1 Dehalococcoides population. This positive conditional partner-support result is not demonstrated mediation of the field endpoint.
Participating Taxa: Sporomusa spp. in KB-1
Metabolites: cobalamin (CHEBI:30411 · MediaIngredientMech · CMMMech), 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole (CHEBI:15890 · MediaIngredientMech · CMMMech)
Biological Processes:
- vitamin metabolic process (GO:0006766 · PathwayMech)
Evidence
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PMID:31441646 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)"the lower ligand of cobalamin, and Sporomusa are dominant acetogens"
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PMID:23479750 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)"Sporomusa ovata and Sporomusa sp. strain KB-1, as Dehalococcoides partner populations"
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PMID:23479750 - SUPPORT (IN_VITRO)"Dehalococcoides dechlorination activity and growth occurred in M. barkeri and Sporomusa sp. co-cultures amended with 10 µM 5',6'-dimethylbenzimidazole"
Knowledge gaps & discussions (1)
KNOWLEDGE_GAP OPEN Which same-system cofactor routes mediate KB-1 dechlorination?
Keep the positive field outcome, vitamin-free community support and controlled donor chemistry/partner phenotypes distinct. Remove the Sporomusa-to-KB-1-outcome arrow because external recipient strains were not identified as the KB-1 population. The Acetobacterium route remains PARTIAL for exact transfer and field mediation. Canonical taxonomy and non-graph blocks are preserved, not recertified; #1526 tracks Acetobacterium identity. Full 2013/2019 primary main texts read; 2019 selected tables/figures inspected, 2002 field abstract only. No separate supplements/raw-data audit or new graph structure.
Attaches to: ecological_interactions#Reductive Dechlorination to Ethene, ecological_interactions#Acetogen Cobamide Support, ecological_interactions#Sporomusa DMB-Guided Cobalamin Support
Environmental Factors
| Factor | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Anaerobic contaminated groundwater | Reducing conditions after methanol and acetate amendment | N/A |
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| pH limit for vinyl chloride dechlorination | Sustained VC-to-ethene dechlorination at pH 5.5; inhibition below pH 5.0 | N/A |
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Growth Media
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