User:S4188552

Aimee Davidson Bench E Date ^[1]

Classification

Higher order taxa

Kingdom – Domain – Phylum – Class – Order – Family – Genus

Kingdom - Bacteria - Firmicutes - Negativicutes - Selenomonadales - Veillonellaceae - Veillonella ^[3]

Species

Species name and type strain (consult LPSN http://www.bacterio.net/index.html for this information)

Veillonella parvula strain 10790

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]

Genome structure

Select a strain for which genome information (e.g. size, plasmids, distinct genes, etc.) is available.

V. parvula exhibits a circular 2.13 Mb (2,132,142 bp) genome, 88.46 % of which is DNA encoding, and was the first member of the Veillonella family to have its complete genome sequenced. Its 1920 genes are comprised of 1859 protein-encoding genes, 61 RNA specific genes and 15 pseduogenes, with an overall GC content of 38.63%. The majority of these genes are classified under COG predicated annotation to have an either unknown (385 genes) or general function (177 genes). COG does however predict that the majority of the remaining genes are required for: translation, ribosomal structure, cell wall or membrane biogenesis, energy production and converstion, amino acid, coenzyme and inorganic transport and metabolism [5].

Cell structure and metabolism

Cell wall, biofilm formation, motility, metabolic functions.

Ecology

Aerobe/anaerobe, habitat (location in the oral cavity, potential other environments) and microbe/host interactions.

Pathology

Do these microorganisms cause disease in the oral cavity or elsewhere?

V. parvula has a well established association with human oral diseases, in particular demonstrating a strong association with severe early childhood carries and intraradicular infections [5,6].

Although V. parvula is generally presented as a commensal or non-pathogenic resident in the bacterial communities of the oropharynx and the gastrointestinal, genitourinary and respiratory tracks [7], it has rarely been associated with a number of serious and life-threatening infections. These infections include: osteomyeltitis, spondylodiscitis, discitis, meningitis and sinus infections [7,8].