User:S4441208
Name Christoffer Vinther Soerensen Bench ID E Date 31/8 [1]
Organism: Veillonella parvula
Classification
Higher order taxa
Bacteria; Firmicutes; Clostridia; Clostridiales; Veillonellaceae
Species
Species name and type strain (consult LPSN http://www.bacterio.net/index.html for this information)
Veillonella parvula
Description and significance
Give a general description of the species (e.g. where/when was it first discovered, where is it commonly found, has it been cultured, functional role, type of bacterium [Gram+/-], morphology, etc.) and explain why it is important to study this microorganism. Examples of citations [1], [2]
The genus Veillonella was first described back in 1898 by Veillon and Zuber, and the name Veillonella was proposed in 1933 by Prevot. It is an anaerobic, nonsporulating, non-motile gram-negative cocci and has been cultured from humans. (http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/14/1/361.full.pdf+html) Veillonella are strictly anaerobic, gram-negative cocci. They are commonly found in dental plaque, but have been isolated from most surfaces of the oral cavity. The genus cannot metabolize carbohydrates because they lack glucokinase and fructokinase. Instead it is able to utilize short-chain organic acids, especially lactate as energy sources.
Important to study the organism?
Genome structure
Select a strain for which genome information (e.g. size, plasmids, distinct genes, etc.) is available.
Cell structure and metabolism
Cell wall, biofilm formation, motility, metabolic functions.
Veillonellae is able to utilize short-chain organic acids, especially lactate for growth. Vellionallae is often found in dual-species dental biofilm, the other species often being streptococci. When streptococci is growing on sugars it produces lactate, which Veillonellea then can utilize. (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1600-0722.2006.00262.x/full)
Ecology
Aerobe/anaerobe, habitat (location in the oral cavity, potential other environments) and microbe/host interactions.
Vellionellae have quite important functions regarding the ecology of dental plaque since they are able to reduce lactic acid to weaker acids. Lactic acid is involved in breaking down the enamel, and is the strongest acid produced in quantity by oral bacteria.
Pathology
Do these microorganisms cause disease in the oral cavity or elsewhere?
Application to biotechnology
Bioengineering, biotechnologically relevant enzyme/compound production, drug targets,…
Current research
Summarise some of the most recent discoveries regarding this species.
References
References examples
- ↑ MICR3004
This page is written by Christoffer Vinther Soerensen for the MICR3004 course, Semester 2, 2016