Brevibacterium linens
A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Brevibacterium linens
Classification
Higher order taxa
Bacteria; Actinobacteria; Actinobacteria; Actinobacteridae; Actinomycetales; Micrococcineae; Brevibacteriaceae; Brevibacterium
Species
Species (linens)
Brevibacterium linens
Description and significance
Brevibacterium linens is important because it is the ripening process from yeast and mold flora to a bacterial flora. It can be found on the surfaces of ripened cheeses and can also be found on the bottom of our feet. When looking under a microscope this organism will exhibit a rod coccis on the media but as the cells enter stationary phase they become coccoid shaped. Both shapes are gram positive but some of the strains of this organism and older colonies of this organism can decolorize easily.
Genome structure
Cell and colony structure
The colonies of the organism have color tints to them which make up the color of the different cheeses. One example of cheese that the organism is found in is Limberger cheese. In this cheese the organism has orange yellow colonies.
Metabolism
Ecology
This organism does not have any endospore formations, is nonmotile, and grows best at temperatures of 20-30 degrees Celsius. It is an obligate aerobe and has slight or no acid production from glucose.
Pathology
Besides producing the color of cheese and the odor of it, this organism is the reason why out feet smell. We have this bacterium on the bottom of our feet and that is what causes the foot odor.
References
[1] NCBI. U.S. National Library of Medicine. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/>
[2] Rattray, Fergal P., and Patrick F. Fox. "Aspects of Enzymology and Biochemical Properties of Brevibacterium Linens Relevant to Cheese Ripening." Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 82, 1999, Pages 891-909.
[3] Sorhaug, Terje, and John Ordal. "Cell-Bound Lipase and Esterase of Brevibacterium Linens." Applied Microbiology, Volume 25, 1974, Pages 607-608.
[4] JGI. DOE Joint Genome Institute. <http://img.jgi.doe.gov/cgi-bin/w/main.cgi?section=TaxonDetail&taxon_oid=638341022#>
Edited by Brittany Harlow, student of Dr. Lisa R. Moore, University of Southern Maine, Department of Biological Sciences, http://www.usm.maine.edu/bio
