Halomonas titanicae

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A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Halomonas titanicae

Classification

Higher order taxa

Domain; Phylum; Class; Order; family [Others may be used. Use NCBI link to find]

Domain: Bacteria

Phylum: Proteobacteria

Class: Gannaproteobacteria

Order: Oceanospirillales

Family: Halomandacae

Genus: Halomonas

Species: H. titanicae

Species

H. titanicaeNEUF2011

NCBI: Taxonomy

Genus species

Description and significance

Describe the appearance, habitat, etc. of the organism, and why you think it is important.

Halomonas titanicae is a gram-negative, bacilli shaped bacterium from strain BH1T. It's 0.5–0.8×1.5–6.0 μm in size It’s a motile microorganism which moves by flagella, and it has a peritrichous appearance. It inhabits the ocean at depths near the ocean floors thus it is psychrophilic, thriving at low temperatures. This bacterium collects on the side of metal surfaces, and was discovered on the ship the RMS Titanic. This bacterium was isolated from porous structures of corrosive by-product called rusticles. Rusticles also house 27 other species bacteria.

H. titanicae is significant because it is capable of accelerating the speed of which metals are corroded. Scientists are now gaining more information in regards to its destructive power. In 1995, Scientist had thought the structure of the titanic would 30 more years, however, with this Bacterium’s destructive ability this expectancy could be less than expected. Although a tragedy to the titanic, this new bacterium can be utilized to recycle the metal on other sea wreaks sitting idle on the ocean floor. By studying the structure and capabilities of H. titanicae new paints and coatings can be created that will abate in preserving ships and prevent against their degradation.

Due to its environment this bacterium is difficult to grow under laboratory conditions. Further research on it is difficult because it's challenging to reproduce colonies in a setting other than its natural habitat.

The image on the left displays a negative stain electro micrograph of H.titanicae (courtesy the Society for General Microbiology). The middle image provides a photograph of the rusticles found on the RMS Titanic (courtesy of RMS Titanic Inc). The image on the right is a single bacterium seen under environment scanning electric microscope (courtesy of Dr. Henrietta Mann. Entire image courtesy of http://species.asu.edu/2011_species03

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?

The genome size is 1453 base pairs (bp) and is linear. Due to of the high variability of the 16S rRNA gene it was amplified and analyzed to classify the bacterium as a Halomonas (its closest relative being H. neptunia). The C+G content of the strain that this bacterium is from has been found to be 60.0 mol%. This high C+G content enable the bacterium in being stable in the extreme environment it lives in.

Cell structure and metabolism

Interesting features of cell structure; how it gains energy; what important molecules it produces.

The Halomonas titanicae bacteria are gram-negative bacilli that are typically unpigmented or yellow tinted. It is an extreme halophile with peritrichous flagella for motility.

As a chemo-organotrophic organism its metabolism is respiratory and Catalase as well as Oxidase are produced. They ferment D-galactose, D-glucose and D-fructose. They are capable of anaerobic growth with the aid of glucose but in addition they are able to perform denitrification to gain energy through taking nitrate, but not nitrite, and converting it to nitrogen.

It is known as a "steel munching" bacteria because it metabolizes steel rust as with the Titanic. When the bacteria breaks down the rust it gains energy in the form of electrons from the degradation iron that is present.

Ecology

Habitat; symbiosis; contributions to the environment.

Halomonas titanicae inhabits a niche in the depths of the ocean where temperature is low and salt concentration is considerable. The family Halomonadaceae, that this bacterium belongs to, generally inhabits environments that are salty. H. Titanicae's optimal salt concentration is 2.0-8.0%. This bacterium clings to metal because that’s its main energy source. H. Titancae is valuable in destroying metal located in the ocean, removing and recycle unwanted ship wreaks, oil rigs and other metal sitting idle on the ocean floor by. Although other species bacteria are found in the rusticles with H.titanicae it is uncertain at this point if these organisms have a symbiotic relationship. Research is still being conducted to determine of other species in the rusticles contribute to the degradation of the metal as well.

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

Cool Factor

Describe something you fing "cool" about this microbe.

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 student of Iris Keren

Sanchez-Porro, C., Kaur, B., Mann, H., Ventosa, A. (2010). "Halomonas titanicae sp. nov., a halophilic bacterium isolated from the RMS titanic." International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary microbiology 60(12): 2768-2774.

Liu, W., Wang, J., Yuan, M. (2010). "Halomonas aidingensis sp. nov., a moderately halophilic bacterium isolated from Aiding salt lake in Xinjiang, China." Springer 99(3).