Hyphomonas neptunium

A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Hyphomonas neptunium

Classification

Higher order taxa

Bacteria; Proteobacteria; Alphaproteobacteria; Rhodobacterales; Hyphomonadaceae; Hyphomonas

Species

NCBI: Taxonomy |}

Hyphomonas neptunium is a marine, biphasic prosthecate, which refers to an organism having a stalk or an appendage. Hyphomonas neptunium, as one of the eight species of the genus Hyphomanas, was frist isolated from the seawater of Barceloan, Spain. It was orginally named Hyphomicrobium neptium, but later was amended to its current name based on DNA homology. DNA-DNA hybridization information showed a closer relationship to Hyphomanas Polymorpha(Pongratz.1957) and also lacks the ability to utilize C1 molecules as carbon source furthur supports its closer relationship to Polymorpha. Pongratz in 1957 first described the genus Hyphomonas upon isolation a budding prostecate bacterium from the nasal mucus of a diver with infectitious sinusitis. Hyphomonas is unique in the sense that it does not devide by binary fusion but, rather devides by asymmetrical budding. The mother cell are non-motile while the daughters are motile, until they become mother cells themselves. (hyphomonas.com)The mobile swarmer cells use single polar flagellum and since they do not respond to any chemotatic stimuli, it suggests that Hyphomonas neptunium motility is a random dispersal mechanism rather than stimulus-controlled navigation system for locating specific location.(jb.asm.org) Hyphomonas uses its prostecae also in reproduction; the genetic materals are transfered to the daughter cell via the prostecae. Hyphomonas bacteriums are Gram-negative and as a bacterium belong to alpha-Proteobacteria, which contains over 50 genera, the outer membrance mainly composed of lipopolysaccarides.

Genome structure

its genome is circular with 3705021 bp long and has 3,552 genes. it has 3705021 nucleotides and 47 RNA gens. It has total of 162 transporter proteins and the major transporter types include ATP-dependent (23.5%, secondary Transporter(66%), ion channels(5.6%) and phosphotransferase systerm or PTS(2.5%). (www.membranetransport.org/transporter2/php?0OID=hnep1)

Metabolism

it it a heterotrphic that utilizes a wide range of substrates including nitrogen as the main energy source of metabolism. Hyphomonas species catabolize proteins and amino acids, however, they cannot utilize C1 as their carbon source. They also require an absolute <1% salt formulations.

Ecology

Hyphomonas neptunium is a marine prostecate. Generally, prostecate and budding bacteria are found in vertually everywhere, including some of the most extreme places like Antazrctic sea ice, ocean hydrothermal vents and even in soils. many species are oligotrophic. Currents studies suggest that Hyphomonas play important roles in biofilm formation by production of localized capsule, extracellur, polymeric substances.

Application to Biotechnology

Does this organism produce any useful compounds or enzymes? What are they and how are they used?

References

[Sample reference] Takai, K., Sugai, A., Itoh, T., and Horikoshi, K. "Palaeococcus ferrophilus gen. nov., sp. nov., a barophilic, hyperthermophilic archaeon from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 2000. Volume 50. p. 489-500.

Edited by student of Rachel Larsen and Kit Pogliano