Brevibacterium linens

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A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Brevibacterium linens

Classification

Higher order taxa

Bacteria; Actinobacteria; Actinobacteria; Actinobacteridae; Actinomycetales; Micrococcineae; Brevibacteriaceae; Brevibacterium [1]

Species

Structure of linens[5]

Species (linens)

Brevibacterium linens

Description and significance

Romadur cheese[6]

Brevibacterium linens is found in soil but what makes it unique to other Brevibacterium is that it is also found on human skin, more specifically our feet [4]. It causes foot odor. Another thing that makes it unique is that it is found in cheeses. It is the ripening process from yeast and mold flora to a bacterial flora [3]. It was first isolated from romadur cheese in Germany, but is also found mostly in Limburger cheese [4].

Genome structure

Brevibacterium linens has a linear genome with 4,366,969 base pairs. There are 2,741,031 G+C base pairs, making up 63% of the genome [4]. The picture above shows a partial sequence of the genome. Each color represents different types of transports and the direction that transport is going [4].

Cell and colony structure

Brevibacterium linens are gram positive, rod-shaped colonies [4]. When looking under the microscope it exhibits a rod coccis shape on the media but as the cells enter stationary phase they become coccoid shaped [2]. Both of these shapes are gram positive but some of the strains can decolorize easily [2]. They are non-motile and aerobic. These colonies have a pH range of 5.5-9.5. It is halo-tolerant and non sporing. The temperature range is mesophilic, however the optimum temperature for growth is 20-30C [4].

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 Limburger cheese. In this cheese the organism has orange yellow colonies.

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#>

[5]Leary, Heather. The Microscopy Facility. <http://bioweb.usu.edu/microscopy/Research.htm>

Edited by Brittany Harlow, student of Dr. Lisa R. Moore, University of Southern Maine, Department of Biological Sciences, http://www.usm.maine.edu/bio