Stigmatella aurantica
A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Stigmatella aurantica
Classification
Higher order taxa
Bacteria; Proteobacteria; Deltaproteobacteria; Myxococcales; Cystobacterineae; Cystobacteraceae; Stigmatella
Species
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NCBI: Taxonomy |
Stigmatella aurantica
Description and significance
Stigmatella aurantiac is a member of myxovbacteria, which are known to have complex development and differtiating life cycles, including one as individual organism and one in a group. Myxovbacteria also have a unique ability to aggregate and move as a population has the food source becomes scarce. Single cells can be motile by “adventurous motility” and seeks other Stigmatella aurantiac . As cell density increases, the organism switches to “social motility” of cells can gather together into masses termed fruiting bodies that may consist of up to 100,000 cells. There is a physical and metabolic change when Stigmatella aurantiac form fruiting bodies. Through chemical signals between cells, the Stigmatella aurantiac develop fruiting bodies almost as a multi-cellular organism, including specialized cells and differentiation of cellular structure according to position.
Stigmatella aurantiac is a rod shaped gram negative bacterium. They are terrestrial organisms that are commonly found on rotting wood and bark. As a mesophile, they grow in moderate temperatures (between 25-40 degrees Celsius). Their ability to move as a fruiting body was a well researched topic, and led to a deeper understanding of cell to cell communication and signals. Stigmatella aurantiac also produce anti microbial compounds, such as aurafuron A and stigmatellin, which may beimportant as anti cancer agents and to produce new antibodies.
Genome structure
Stigmatella aurantiac has a circular chromosome that consists of 10.2654 million base pairs with a GC content of 67.4% and 43 pseudo genes. The chromosome is composed of DNA and codes for 8543 proteins. The gene fbfA is responsible for the fruiting body formation, allowing the structural and metabolic changes needed to form the myxospores . In experiments where the fbFA gene was deactivated, the bacterium formed structured clumps instead of fruiting bodies. The genome also produces antimicrobial compounds that can kill and lyse other microbes. This has peaked the interests of many because of the compounds potential as anti cancer agents and antibodies.
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 student of Rachel Larsen
