Symbiobacterium thermophilum
A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Symbiobacterium thermophilum
Classification
Higher order taxa
Bacteria; Firmicutes; Lactobacillales; Symbiobacterium Domain; Phylum; Class; Order; family [Others may be used. Use NCBI link to find]
Species
NCBI: Taxonomy |
Genus species Symbiobacterium thermophilum
Description and significance
Describe the appearance, habitat, etc. of the organism, and why you think it is important.
Symbiobacterium thermophilum is a Gram-negative and tryptophanase-positive thermophilic bacterium found in a commensal submerged culture that was derived from compost. This bacterium is characterized by a marked growth dependence on microbial commensalism; it does not grow by itself under standard culture conditions; however, when cocultured with Bacillus sp. strain S, it propagates up to 5 × 108 cells/ml. Molecular phylogeny using the 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequence has indicated that S.thermophilum belongs to an unknown taxonomic group in the Gram-positive bacterial cluster. The current 16S rDNA database content suggests that the presence of this bacterium and related organisms is still poorly recognized, probably due to the technical problems involved in its isolation. Meanwhile, our ecological study has revealed the potential phylogenetic diversity and the wide distribution of Symbiobacterium and related bacteria in the natural environment.
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?
Cell structure and metabolism
Interesting features of cell structure; how it gains energy; what important molecules it produces.
Ecology
Habitat; symbiosis; contributions to the environment.
Pathology
How does this organism cause disease? Human, animal, plant hosts? Virulence factors, as well as patient symptoms.
Current Research
Enter summarries of the most rescent research here--at least three required
References
Edited by student of Dr. Kirk Bartholomew