Corynebacterium renale

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A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Corynebacterium renale

Phase Contrast of Corynebacterium

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Classification

Higher order taxa

Domain: Bacteria; Phylum: Actinobacteria; Class: Actinobacteria; Subclass: Actinobacteridae; Order: Actinomycetales; Suborder: Corynebacterineae; Family: Corynebacteriaceae; Genus: Corynebacterium [Others may be used. Use NCBI link to find]

Species

NCBI: Taxonomy

Corynebacterium renale

Description and significance

The Corynebacterium genus is comprised of sixty six species. This large group contains human and animal, as well as, plant pathogens, and lives in a variety of habitats. One important human pathogen in the genus is C. diphtheriae which causes a fatal upper respiratory tract infection. C. renale is only one species of the genus not well known or studied. The C. renale group was formerly known as immunological types I, II, and III. Only in the late 1970s, due to numerous phenotypic analysis’s and DNA studies has the group been recognized as three different species. The organisms were then renamed C. renale (Type I), C. pilosum (Type II), and C. cystitidis (Type III).

C. renale is a rather large Gram positive bacilli (0.5 by 1.3 to 2.6 μm) that is shaped as a short stumpy rod, thicker at one end then the other. Not surprisingly its name when defined means “club bacterium” and thus, implies this microbe’s club-like shape. In Gram stained cultures these organisms tend to clump together and form “picket fence” and “Chinese letter” arrangements. However, these organisms can vary from a few individuals to hundreds in colonies such as biofilms. Yet, C. renale is opaque, ivory-colored, and dull. In addition, these organism are non-motile, non-spore bearing, and non-encapsulated. Through the use of their pili, they attach themselves to their favored environment in the bladder, ureters, kidney, pelvis, and kidney tissue in cows, and occasionally horses and sheep.

Genome structure

Describe the size and content of the genome. How many chromosomes? Circular or linear? Other interesting features? What is known about its sequence? Does it have any plasmids? Are they important to the organism's lifestyle?

Cell structure and metabolism

C. renale is a Gram positive rod. Gram positive bacteria differ from gram negative bacteria in two ways. One by having a thicker and more cross-linked peptidoglycan cell wall and two, by lacking an outer membrane. In particular, the peptidoglycan of C. renale contains meso-diaminopimelic acid (m-DAP) as the constituent of amino acid. This species also contains mycolic acids, arabinose and galactose in their cell walls, as well as, distinctive cellular fatty acids and menaquiniones. In addition, there are proteins anchored to this organism’s cell wall in three ways: 1) by their C-terminal ends, 2) by way of charge or hydrophobic interactions, and 3) by their N-terminal region (lipoproteins). Thus, C. renale’s cell wall can be considered highly complex, because it is made up of proteins with specific binding functions and enzymatic activity that have the ability to generate energy.

Not only is C. renale’s cell structure complex, but also its metabolism. This organism uses facultative and fermentative metabolism to grow, or else it becomes inert. This means that this organism can make ATP by aerobic respiration when oxygen is present, but it is also capable of switching to fermentation when oxygen is not present. Most facultative anaerobes, such as C. renale, are thus pathogenic for animals. Because, this organism multiples in sterile bovine urine, it becomes strongly alkaline. This is because of C. renale contains the enzyme urease. In particular, urease catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea into carbon dioxide and ammonia. Organisms that tend to produce urease tend to be gastrointestinal or urinary tract pathogens, since urease enables them to neutralize the acid present in their acidic environments. In addition, C. renale can also perform catalase production. Catalase is a common enzyme that catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide is a harmful by-product of many normal metabolic processes and so to prevent damage it is converted into less dangerous compounds.

Ecology

Describe any interactions with other organisms (included eukaryotes), contributions to the environment, effect on environment, etc.

Pathology

How does this organism cause disease? Human, animal, plant hosts? Virulence factors, as well as patient symptoms.

Current Research

Enter summaries of the most recent research here--at least three required

References

[Sample reference] Takai, K., Sugai, A., Itoh, T., and Horikoshi, K. "Palaeococcus ferrophilus gen. nov., sp. nov., a barophilic, hyperthermophilic archaeon from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 2000. Volume 50. p. 489-500.

Edited by Luca Van Der Kraan a student of Rachel Larsen