Peptostreptococcus anaerobius
Classification
Domain: Bacteria
Phylum: Firmicutes
Class: Clostridia
Order: Clostridiales
Family: Clostridiaceae
Genus: Peptostreptococcus
Species
Peptostreptococcus anaerobius or P. anaerobius
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NCBI: Taxonomy |
Description and Significance
Describe the appearance, habitat, etc. of the organism, and why you think it is important.
Peptostreptococcus anaerobius is a slow growing, Gram-positive anaerobic cocci (GPAC) bacteria. This means that it is not able to grow in oxygen-rich environments. P. anaerobius, under the correct harsh conditions, becomes an opportunistic pathogen that can cause multiple deep organ abscesses and infections in the abdominal cavity and female urogenitary tract (academic oup). Peptostreptococcus anaerobius is a short chain cocci which means it is a spherical bacterium with a size of 0.5µ to 0.6µ.
Peptostreptococcus anaerobius is one of the most frequently isolated and most common gram-positive cocci. It is part of the normal microbial flora within the human mouth and female genitourinary system (cmr-asm). Their optimal growth temperature is 37°C on blood agar where they form a raised, white, glossy colony (science direct).
Peptostreptococcus anaerobius displays a large importance in the field of medicine. As mentioned, P. anaerobius is an opportunistic pathogen. This means that it can cause infections all throughout the human body. Some infections can be very severe while others can be small. However, rates of infection due to P. anaerobius and other GPAC's are increasing, which puts an even larger importance on the microbe itself. Researching their properties and their resistance to antibiotics is key to not only understanding the microbe but combatting future infections.
Genome Structure
Describe the size and content of the genome. How many chromosomes? Circular or linear? Other interesting features? What is known about its sequence?
The content within the genome of Peptostreptococcus anaerobius has been scarcely observed and researched. The DNA base composition of P. anaerobius is 33-34% and its type strain is ATCC27337 (sciendirect). The genome has been found to be much smaller than the other peptostreptococcus species (academic-oup).
Cell Structure, Metabolism and Life Cycle
Interesting features of cell structure; how it gains energy; what important molecules it produces.
Peptostreptococcus anaerobius contains a coccobacillary cell structure with a diameter of 0.5µ and 0.6µ (academic-oup). It aso contains a crystalline protein layer on top of the peptidoglycan layer within its cell wall (ncbi).
P. anaerobius is known to be biochemically inactive and usually will not ferment carbohydrates. Its growth is stimulated by 0.02 polysorbate-80 (science direct). However, when oxygen and P. anaerobius come into contact with each other, its metabolism is greatly diminished. It uses ethanol, acetate, and 4-methylvalerate under anaerobic conditions as its main fermentation and metabolic products (microbiology research). It can produce CO2 and H2 from pyruvate under anaerobic conditions. When in glucose, it produces a large amount of gas and ammonia (sciendirect).
Ecology and Pathogenesis
Habitat; symbiosis; biogeochemical significance; contributions to environment.
If relevant, how does this organism cause disease? Human, animal, plant hosts? Virulence factors, as well as patient symptoms.
P. anaerobius is known to be an opportunistic pathogen. It is one of the most common GPAC associated with infections of the abdominal cavity and female urogenitary tract (academic-oup). The most common female infection by P. anaerobius is bacterial vaginosis. However, it is know to create other abnormalities such as abscesses in different parts of the body and has the potential to cause orbital disease (academic-oup).
Peptostreptococcus anaerobius is not very susceptible to antibiotics either. It was found that there were more strains of P. anaerobius that were resistant to antibiotics than any other peptostreptococcus species (academic-oup).
Peptostreptococcus anaerobius has a commensal symbiosis with another microbe, Prevotella bivia. This relationship occurs during bacterial vaginosis where P. bivia supports the growth of P. anaerobius. Otherwise, P. anaerobius would not be able to grow in vaginal defined mediums (academic-oup).
References
Author
Page authored by Eric Salzeider, student of Prof. Jay Lennon at IndianaUniversity.
