Enterobacter aerogenes

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A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Enterobacter aerogenes

Enterobacter aerogenes. From Dr. Kaiser Microbiology.

Classification

Higher order taxa

Bacteria; Proteobacteria; Gammaproteobacteria; Enterobacteriales; Enterobacteriaceae; Enterobacter

Species

Enterobacter aerogenes

Description and significance

The Enterobacteriaciae family includes genera of Escherichia, Shilgella, Salmonella, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Serratia, Proteus, and others. The gram-negative bacteria reside is soil, water, dairy products and inhabits a natural flora in the gastrointestinal tract of animals as well as humans. The rod shaped bacteria exists in a variety of sizes; are not spore forming; are both motile (with peritrichous flagella) or nonmotile; grow both aerobically and anaerobically; are active biochemically; ferment (versus oxidize) D-glucose as well as other sugars, often with gas production; reduce nitrate to nitrite; contain the enterobacter common antigen; and have a 39-59% guanine-plus-cytosine (G + C) content of DNA (2).

The genus Enterobacter is more specifically a nosocomial opportunistic pathogen and is sought out to be one of the many key causes for extraintestinal infections next to E. coli. Infections commonly attributed to E. aerogenes are respiratory, gastrointesntinal, and urinary tract infections, specifically cystits, in addition to wound, bloodstream, and central nervous system infections (1,2,3). Colonies of Enterobacter strains may be slightly mucoid

In the clinical setting, Enterobacter aerogenes and Enterobacter cloacae are the most frequently isolated in samples of infected hospitalized patients. The majority of the infections are etiologically due to inadvertent transfer of bacteria during surgery or prolonged treatment in hospitals in patients who use venous or urethral catheters. Enterobacteriaceae may account for 80% of clinically significant isolates of gram-negative bacilli and 50% bacilli clinically significant bacteria in clinical microbiology laboratories. Additionally, they account for nearly 50% of septicemia cases and more than 70% of urinary and intestinal tract infections. The severity of these infections thus create an importance to target, isolate, identify and test for susceptibility for the causes of these nosocomial infections (2).

Genome structure

E. aerogenes are smaller, rod-shaped cells that are motile and encapsulated compared to others in the same family of Enterobacteriaceae. The complete genomic information (88% is coded) has not been entirely sequenced as of yet, however, there is some research that shows studies on mutations as well as research that show evidence of replication through plasmids. The replicon name is R751. The bacteria consists of DNA and is circular. Its length is recorded as 53,435 basepairs and contains no structural RNAs. The G + C content is 64% and no psuedo genes are recorded for E. aerogenes (9).

Cell structure and metabolism

Enterbacter aerogenes is a gram-negative, rod shaped bacterium that contains flagella surround it's outer surface. E. aerogenes as well as others in its genus are known to be resistant to antibiotics, especially E. aerogenes and E. cloacae. Research shows that two clinical strains of E. aerogenes exhibited phenotypes of multiresistance to β-lactam antibiotics, fluoroquinolones, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, and kanamycin. Both strains showed a porin pattern different from that of a susceptible strain. They had a drastic reduction in the amount of the major porin but with an apparently conserved normal structure (size and immunogenicity), together with overproduction of two known outer membrane proteins, OmpX and LamB (8).

Ecology

Enterobacter are found in the soil, water, dairy products, and in the intestines of animals as well as humans. They are most frequently found in the gastrointestinal tract and are studied in clinical sites in stool samples. The minimum, optimum and maximum pH for E. aerogenes replication is 4.4, 6.0-7.0, and 9.0 (6).

Enterobacter aerogenes has been plated on several different medias and have been observed under several types of testing. The results are as follows- E. aerogenes tested negative when treated with/for: Indol, Methyl red, Hydrogen sulfide (by way of TSI), Urease, Arginine dihydrolase, Phenylalanine deaminase, and Dulcitol. E. aerogenes tested positive when treated with/for: Voges-Proskauer, Simmons' citrate, KCN, Motility, Lysine decarboxylase, Ornithine decarboxylase, Gas from glucose, Lactose, Sucrose, Manntiol, Salicin, Adonitol, Inositol, Sorbitol, Arabinose, Raffinose, and Rhamnose. Delayed positive results were obtained from: Gelatin (22*C) and Malonate (_ chart) In simpler terms, E. aerogenes resembles E. cloacae but the leusine decarboxylase test is positive and gelatin liquification is late. E. aerogenes is also, often times confused with Klebsiella aerogenes. However, E. aerogenes is motile and urease negative while K. aerogenes is nonmotile and urease positive (5). In actuality, research shows that "E. aerogenes is more related to Klebsiella aerogenes (47-64%) than it is to E. cloacae (44%) (9).

Different species of Enterobacter like E. cloacae are known to be found on a number of seeds and plants while E. sakazakii is commonly seen in infants who were given infant milk-based powder formulas (9).

Pathology

Enterobacter aerogenes causes disease in humans through inadvertent bacteria transfer in hospital settings. A selection of enteric bacteria like E. aerogenes are opportunistic and only infect those who already have suppressed host immunity defenses. Infants, the elderly, and those who are in the terminal stages of other disease or are immunosuppressed are prime candidates for such infections (_).

Additionally, E. aerogenes as well as other enteric bacteria, is known to have drug-resistant characteristics. There has been some success in dealing with infections through antibiotics, however, the fast development of multidrug resistence has become an increasingly growing problem (3). These multiresistant strains have caused outbreaks in intensive care units (ICUs) in Belgium, France, Austria, and the United States and has further become more emergent than its sister species E. cloacea (_ 3 ncbi). Research has shown that E. aerogenes is resistant to ampicillin and it has been more recently discovered that it is resistant to imipenem (_,_).

In general, the pathogenic mechanisms expressed by strains of Enterobacter are unknown. Like other strains such as Klebsiella, they express type 1 and type 3 fimbraie. Most strains also express an aerobactin-mediated iron uptake systems, commonly associated with extra-intestinal human bacterial pathogens. Some strains maybe produce a haemolysin resembling the alpha-haemolysin produced by strains of E. coli. Additionally, an outer membrane protein, OmpX, may be a pathogenic factor for strains E. cloacae. This particular protein appears to reduce the production of porins on the gram-negative bacteria, leading to decreased sensitivity to beta-lactam antibiotics and therefore might play a role in cell invasion of the host (7).

Preventative measures can be taken to reduce infection of E. aerogenes by monitoring careful, aseptic surgical techniques (3). Treatment for E. aerogenesz is difficult due to the highly resistant nature of the species. Enterobacter strains are resistant to penicillins and other cephalosporins because of the production of chromosomal beta-lactamase with cepholosprinase activity. Additionally, many are resistant to tetracycline, chloramphenicol and to streptomycin, as well as other aminoglycosides (such as gentamicin and fluoroquinolones). Most strains may appear to be susceptible to cefotaxime on primary testing, however, they often possess an inducible chromosomal cephalosporinase, allowing for the rapid development of resistance during treatment or therapy (7).

Application to Biotechnology

Does this organism produce any useful compounds or enzymes? What are they and how are they used?

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.

1. Brooks, Geo F., MD; Karen C. Carrol, MD; Janet S. Butel, PhD; Stephen A. Morse, PhD. Jawetz, melnick, & Adelberg’s Medical Microbiology. 24th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2007.

2. Lederberg, Joshua; Martin Alexander [et al.]. Encyclopedia of Microbiology. 2nd ed. San Diego, Ca.: Academic Press, 2000

3. Sankaran, Neeraja. Microbes and People an A-Z of Microorganisms in Our Lives. Phoenix, Az.: Oryx Press, 2000

4. National Center for Biotechnology Information site: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=genome&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=11232

5. Collins, C.G.; P.M. Lune, J.M. Grange, J.O Falkinham III. Microbiological Methods. 8th ed. London: Arnold, 2004

6. Atlas, Ronald M.; Richard Bartha. Microbial Ecology Fundamentals and Applications. 4th ed. Menlo Park, Ca.: Bemjammin/Cummings Publishing Company, Inc., 1998

7. Greenwood, David; Richard C.B. Slack; John F. Peuthere. Medical Microbiology, a Guide to Microbial Infections: Pathogens, Immunity, Laboratory Diagnosis and Control. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, 2002

8. National Center for Biotechnology Information site: http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=153306

9. Janda, J. Michael; Sharon L. Abbott. The Enterobacteria 2nd ed. Washington D.C.: ASM press, 2006

10. National Center for Biotechnology Information site: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=genome&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=11232


This page was created by Tiffany M. Liu, a student of Professor Rachel Larsen at the University of California, San Diego.