Clostridium thermocellum
A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Clostridium thermocellum
Classification
Higher order taxa
Bacteria; Firmicutes; Clostridia; Clostridiales; Clostridiaceae; Clostridium
Species
Clostridium thermocellum
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NCBI: Taxonomy |
Description and significance
Like most species from the Clostridium genus, Clostridium thermocellum is a bacteria that has a rod-like shape for its cell body. It is classified as a gram-positive bacteria which means that the cell body is only surrounded by a single bilayer lipid membrane. Because it is a gram-positive bacterium, the outside of the cell membrane also contains a thick cell wall known as murein, which is made of peptidoglycans. C. thermocellum is an anaerobic and thermophilic organism that produces spores. In addition, it has celluar structures and mechanism that give it motility in the environment it resides in. The organism was completely isolated and sequenced at the DOE Joint Genome Institute. The bacterium had its genome completely sequenced because it contains a unique extracellular enzyme system capable of breaking down insoluble cellulose into ethanol which is vital for biomass energy. Because of its ability to break down cellulose, it is highly likely that c. thermocellum can be isolated from many plant organisms.
Genome structure
The number of nucleotides present in the genome of Clostridium thermocellum has been discovered and reported to be at 3,843,301 base pairs which makes up 3307 genes. The nucleotides make up one double-stranded circular DNA. The circularity of the chromosome is advantageous for C. thermocellum because exonucleases cannot digest the ends of its DNA. Another advantageous feature of the circularity of the chromosome is that the chromosome can be supercoiled which drastically lowers the energy barrier making it easier for DNA to be activated and separated into single strands for transcription into RNA. In regards to genomic organization, C. thermocellum like all other prokaryotic organisms lack a true nucleus for DNA storage and transcription. Instead, the entire genome is tightly packaged in a small region called the nucleoid and transcription takes place between the cytoplasm and nucleoid. In addition to the circular chromosome, C. thermocellum also has a plasmid which is an extrachromosomal genetic element that is not essential in affecting its lifestyle. Unlike the circular chromosome which is necessary for viability, the loss of the plasmid will not affect the bacteria's ability to reproduce. Because C. thermocellum is known as a degrader of cellulose, its DNA contains specific nucleotide sequences that make up the genes that encode for the system of enzymes that are necessary for cellulose degradation.
Cell structure and metabolism
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Ecology
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Pathology
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Application to Biotechnology
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Current Research
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References
Edited by Kenny Lam
