Legionella nagasakiensis: Difference between revisions

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{{Biorealm Genus}}
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[[Image:Legionella.jpg|frame|right|''Legionella''. [http://www.uvo3.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/legionella-1.gif]]]
==Classification==
==Classification==


===Higher order taxa===
===Higher order taxa===


Domain (Bacteria); Phylum (Proteobacteria); Class (Gammaproteobacteria); Order (Enterobacteriales); Family (Enterobacteriaceae); Genus (Rahnella)
Domain (Bacteria); Phylum (Proteobacteria); Class (Gammaproteobacteria); Order (Legionellales); Family (Legionellaceae); Genus (Legionella)


===Species===
===Species===
Species (aquatilis)
Species (nagasakiensis)


''Rahnella aquatilis''
''Legionella nagasakiensis''


==Description and significance==
==Description and significance==
Rahnella aquatilis is a relatively rare gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria which has been found in fresh water, soil, certain animals such as snails [5] and certain beetles, [4] and isolated human clinical specimens. [2] This bacterium is of importance because of its abundance and its disease-causing ability in humans.  Many different strains have been isolated, and presumably more will be disocvered.
 
L. nagasakiensis is very similar to other species of Legionella, but differs due to a variety of novel proteins and other molecules not seen in the other 52 species. It is a gram negative bacillus although depending on conditions it can appear to be slightly coccoid as well. Also, like the other species of Legionella, it causes Legionnaires disease. There are several strains of nagasakiensis found through the world, two strains were found in Australian drinking water, one in a U.S Legionnaires patient, and the initial strain was found at the Nagasaki Municipal Medical Center, Japan thus its name [1].


==Genome structure==
==Genome structure==
As of the year 2000, at least 70 strains of Rahnella aquatilis have been identified [1]. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), the whole genome has been sequenced for R. aquatilis Strain Y9602.  This particular strain has a genome consisting of 4,864,217 basepairs, with two identified plasmids [2]. Another strain, Rahnella aquatilis CUETM 77-115, was shown to have a genome consisting of 5,440,269 basepairs, and had a G-C content of 52.1% [3].
While nagasakiensis has not had its entire genome processed it has had sections analyzed to determine its phylogenetic placement among species of Legionella. Nagasakiensis’ genome shares only a 29% genomic similarity to its closest sister species- Legionella oakridgensis making it a novel species. Other strains of Legionella only shared roughly a 10% similarity [1]. However nagasakiensis is not so dissimilar that it belongs to another genus; its 16S rDNA gene sequence, which is 1,496bp long, shares an 96.6% relatedness to its sister species [2]. This makes it different enough to be its own species.


==Cell and colony structure==
==Cell and colony structure==
Rahnella aquatilis is gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium, about 2-3 microns in length.  Strain ISL 19 was isolated from soybean rhizosphere, and was seen to have several flagella for motility [6]. The bacterium can be readily cultured in the laboratory.  
The cell is motile due to a single flagella at the rear of the cell and is able to propel itself along. Due to the flagella the colonies tend to be more dispersed than other non-motile bacteria that clump together as a result. They have two stages, a non-motile stage where they reproduce, and a motile stage where they are highly infectious. It should be noted that the macrophage infectivity potentiator is inactive making the cell avirulent when it is in it's non-motile stage.


==Metabolism==
==Metabolism==
Rahnella aquatilis is a facultative anaerobe (it can live in the absence or presence of oxygen) that fixes Nitrogen [2]. R. aquatilis metabolizing whey lactose produces high levels of organic acids (except for lactic acid) [7].     
All species of Legionella are aerobic bacteria that feed on amino acids. L-cysteine is a required amino acid nutrient for nagasakiensis to survive as it is unable to produce it for itself. It grows well on alpha-BYCE agar with blood. When tested, nagasakiensis showed positive results for esterase, esterase lipase, leucine arylamidase, cystine arylamidase, valine arylamidase, acid phosphatase, phosphatase, naphthol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase, catalase, gelatinase, tyrosine browning and b-lactamase. [1]


==Ecology==
==Ecology==
Rahnella aquatilis is named so because of its prevalence in fresh water. It has been found around the globe in places like the United States, Korea, Japan, Russia, the Ukraine, and Egypt. R. aquatilis has also been found in humans, soil,  and snails [5]. One of the most unusual places for the the microbe to have been found was inside the gut of certain speicies of longicorn beetles in Korea [4].
L. nagasakiensis is largely found in fresh water. Two sites where L. nagasakiensis has been found is in southern Australia and in well water from Nagasaki Medical Hospital. L. nagasakiensis is often found alongside the more well known L. pneumophila in cases of Legionnaires disease. The bacterium thrives in warmer water around 36oC [2] but also does well in soil. In a lab setting it can be cultivated on a buffered charcoal yeast extract (BYCE) agar that has been specially treated with acid at 35oC [1]. As a result of its preferred habitat L. nagasakiensis is able to adapt very easily to mammalian conditions. It often finds its way into the lungs as a result of being an airborne pathogen. L. nagasakiensis produces a unique autoinducer called Legionella autoinducer-1 which is singnaling molecule responsible for the organisms quorum sensing. Quorum sensing is the ability to determine the surrounding population density of members of the same species and adjust the individual’s physiology to match the conditions.
 


==Pathology==
==Pathology==
Rahnella aquatilis is pathogenic in humans. The organism can be diagnosed in patients via blood cultures, respiratory washings, and in wound cultures. Various infections, such as bacteremia (from renal infection), sepsis, respiratory infection, and urinary tract infection can be the result. One case involved an 11-month-old girl with congenital heart disease who developed infective endocarditis [8].  Another case involved a 76-year-old male who had prostatic hyperplasia presenting with acute pyelonephritis [9]. It is noted that R. aquatilis can potentially cause life-threatening infections in humans, infants and adults alike, especially the immunocompromised and organ transplant recipients.  Treatments have included intravenous and oral levofloxacin therapy (and other members of the quinolone family).
The major virulence factor of most forms of Legionella is macrophage infectivity potentiator protein which allows the bacteria to infect amoebas or human macrophages [4]. It naturally infects specific amoebas and develops inside of it using it for nutrients. When inhaled, Legionella mistakes macrophages found inside a person as being the amoeba and infects them. Nagasakiensis is no different than its relatives; it is often found with other virulent strains in patients with Legionnaires [3]. It is an airborne pathogen that ends up in the lungs after being inhaled and causes pneumonia and other symptoms related to hypoxia (the body is deprived of oxygen). Legionnaires' Disease is a condition that is caused by a strain of Legionella infecting the alveolar sacs of the lungs. Legionella also causes Pontiac Fever which occurs when Legionella infected amoeba are inhaled and cause a much milder infection than Legionnaires'.
 


==References==
==References==
[1] J Chemother. 2000 Feb;12(1):30-9. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10768513>
[2] R.J. Martinez. J Bacteriol. 2012 Apr;194(8):2113-4. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genome/?term=Rahnella%20aquatilis>
[3] Robert Martinez, University of Alabama. <http://genome.jgi-psf.org/rahac/rahac.info.html>
 
[4] Park, Doo-Sang, Hyun-Woo Oh, Won-Jin Jeong, et al. "A Culture-Based Study of the Bacterial Communities within the Guts
of Nine Longicorn Beetle Species and their Exo-enzyme Producing Properties
for Degrading Xylan and Pectin." The Journal of Microbiology, October 2007, p. 394-401.
[5] Brenner, Don J., Hans E. Muller, Arnold G. Steigerwalt, et al. "Two new Rahnella genomospecies that cannot
be phenotypically differentiated from Rahnella aquatilis." lnternstional Journal of Systematic Bacteriology (1 998), 48, 141 -149.
[6] Kim, Kil Yong, Diann Jordan, and Hari B. Krishnan. "Rahnella aquatilis, a bacterium isolated from soybean rhizosphere, can solubilize hydroxyapatite." FEMS Microbiology Letters Volume 153, Issue 2, 15 August 1997, Pages 273–277.
[7] Pintado, Manuela E., Ana I.E. Pintado, and F. Xavier Malcata. "Fate of Nitrogen During Metabolism of Whey Lactose by Rahnella aquatilis." Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 82, Issue 11, November 1999, Pages 2315-2326.
[8] Matsukura H., Katayama K., Kitano N., et al.  "Infective endocarditis caused by an unusual gram-negative rod, Rahnella aquatilis." Pediatric Cardiology, 1996 Mar-Apr; 17(2): 108-11.
[9] Tash, Kaley. "Rahnella aquatilis Bacteremia from a Suspected Urinary Source." Journal of Clinical Microbiology. May 2005, vol. 43 no. 5, 2526-2528.


[1] Yang Genyan, Robert F. Benson, Rodney M. Ratcliff, Ellen W. Brown, Arnold G. Steigerwalt, W. Lanier Thacker, Maryam I. Daneshvar, Roger E. Morey, Atsushi Saito and Barry S. Fields (2012). Legionella nagasakiensis sp. nov., isolated from water samples and from a patient with pneumonia. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 62, 284–288. DOI 10.1099/ijs.0.027193-0


[1] Furuhata Katsunori, Akiko Edagawa, Hiroshi Miyamoto, Keiichi Goto, Shin-Ichi Yoshida, Masafumi Fukuyama (2011). The first case of Legionella nagasakiensis isolation from hot spring water. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/bio/16/4/16_4_171/_pdf Biocontrol Science Vol. 16, Issue 4, 171-176.


[1] Meghan M. Pearce, Nicole Theodoropoulos, Gary A. Noskin, John P. Flaherty, Mary E. Stemper, Teresa Aspeslet, Nicholas P. Cianciotto, and Kurt D. Reed (2011). Native valve endocarditis due to a novel strain of Legionella. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3165573/ Journal of Clinical Microbiology 49(9): 3340–3342. PMCID: PMC3165573


Edited by Christopher John Connor, student of Dr. Lisa R. Moore, University of Southern Maine, Department of Biological Sciences, http://www.usm.maine.edu/bio
[1] GenBank: ACI87823.1 macrophage infectivity potentiator protein, partial [Legionella nagasakiensis] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/protein/ACI87823.1

Latest revision as of 19:46, 1 May 2013

This student page has not been curated.

A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Legionella nagasakiensis

Legionella. [1]

Classification

Higher order taxa

Domain (Bacteria); Phylum (Proteobacteria); Class (Gammaproteobacteria); Order (Legionellales); Family (Legionellaceae); Genus (Legionella)

Species

Species (nagasakiensis)

Legionella nagasakiensis

Description and significance

L. nagasakiensis is very similar to other species of Legionella, but differs due to a variety of novel proteins and other molecules not seen in the other 52 species. It is a gram negative bacillus although depending on conditions it can appear to be slightly coccoid as well. Also, like the other species of Legionella, it causes Legionnaires disease. There are several strains of nagasakiensis found through the world, two strains were found in Australian drinking water, one in a U.S Legionnaires patient, and the initial strain was found at the Nagasaki Municipal Medical Center, Japan thus its name [1].

Genome structure

While nagasakiensis has not had its entire genome processed it has had sections analyzed to determine its phylogenetic placement among species of Legionella. Nagasakiensis’ genome shares only a 29% genomic similarity to its closest sister species- Legionella oakridgensis making it a novel species. Other strains of Legionella only shared roughly a 10% similarity [1]. However nagasakiensis is not so dissimilar that it belongs to another genus; its 16S rDNA gene sequence, which is 1,496bp long, shares an 96.6% relatedness to its sister species [2]. This makes it different enough to be its own species.

Cell and colony structure

The cell is motile due to a single flagella at the rear of the cell and is able to propel itself along. Due to the flagella the colonies tend to be more dispersed than other non-motile bacteria that clump together as a result. They have two stages, a non-motile stage where they reproduce, and a motile stage where they are highly infectious. It should be noted that the macrophage infectivity potentiator is inactive making the cell avirulent when it is in it's non-motile stage.

Metabolism

All species of Legionella are aerobic bacteria that feed on amino acids. L-cysteine is a required amino acid nutrient for nagasakiensis to survive as it is unable to produce it for itself. It grows well on alpha-BYCE agar with blood. When tested, nagasakiensis showed positive results for esterase, esterase lipase, leucine arylamidase, cystine arylamidase, valine arylamidase, acid phosphatase, phosphatase, naphthol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase, catalase, gelatinase, tyrosine browning and b-lactamase. [1]

Ecology

L. nagasakiensis is largely found in fresh water. Two sites where L. nagasakiensis has been found is in southern Australia and in well water from Nagasaki Medical Hospital. L. nagasakiensis is often found alongside the more well known L. pneumophila in cases of Legionnaires disease. The bacterium thrives in warmer water around 36oC [2] but also does well in soil. In a lab setting it can be cultivated on a buffered charcoal yeast extract (BYCE) agar that has been specially treated with acid at 35oC [1]. As a result of its preferred habitat L. nagasakiensis is able to adapt very easily to mammalian conditions. It often finds its way into the lungs as a result of being an airborne pathogen. L. nagasakiensis produces a unique autoinducer called Legionella autoinducer-1 which is singnaling molecule responsible for the organisms quorum sensing. Quorum sensing is the ability to determine the surrounding population density of members of the same species and adjust the individual’s physiology to match the conditions.

Pathology

The major virulence factor of most forms of Legionella is macrophage infectivity potentiator protein which allows the bacteria to infect amoebas or human macrophages [4]. It naturally infects specific amoebas and develops inside of it using it for nutrients. When inhaled, Legionella mistakes macrophages found inside a person as being the amoeba and infects them. Nagasakiensis is no different than its relatives; it is often found with other virulent strains in patients with Legionnaires [3]. It is an airborne pathogen that ends up in the lungs after being inhaled and causes pneumonia and other symptoms related to hypoxia (the body is deprived of oxygen). Legionnaires' Disease is a condition that is caused by a strain of Legionella infecting the alveolar sacs of the lungs. Legionella also causes Pontiac Fever which occurs when Legionella infected amoeba are inhaled and cause a much milder infection than Legionnaires'.

References

[1] Yang Genyan, Robert F. Benson, Rodney M. Ratcliff, Ellen W. Brown, Arnold G. Steigerwalt, W. Lanier Thacker, Maryam I. Daneshvar, Roger E. Morey, Atsushi Saito and Barry S. Fields (2012). Legionella nagasakiensis sp. nov., isolated from water samples and from a patient with pneumonia. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology 62, 284–288. DOI 10.1099/ijs.0.027193-0

[1] Furuhata Katsunori, Akiko Edagawa, Hiroshi Miyamoto, Keiichi Goto, Shin-Ichi Yoshida, Masafumi Fukuyama (2011). The first case of Legionella nagasakiensis isolation from hot spring water. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/bio/16/4/16_4_171/_pdf Biocontrol Science Vol. 16, Issue 4, 171-176.

[1] Meghan M. Pearce, Nicole Theodoropoulos, Gary A. Noskin, John P. Flaherty, Mary E. Stemper, Teresa Aspeslet, Nicholas P. Cianciotto, and Kurt D. Reed (2011). Native valve endocarditis due to a novel strain of Legionella. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3165573/ Journal of Clinical Microbiology 49(9): 3340–3342. PMCID: PMC3165573

[1] GenBank: ACI87823.1 macrophage infectivity potentiator protein, partial [Legionella nagasakiensis] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/protein/ACI87823.1