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
Stigmatella aurantica has two distinct bodies. The vegetative cells of Stigmatella aurantica are flexible, slender rods that are5 to 8 um long and .7 and .8 wide. The fine structure resembles that of other gram negative bacteria. The cell wall is composed of a cytolplasmic membrane with a triple layered organization and a cell wall. The cell wall consists of an outer triple layer and third dense monolayer in the periplasm.
The myxospores of Stigmatella aurantica are short, fat, rods that are 1.5 to 3.5 um I length and1.1 to 1.8 um in width. There are three distinct changes that occur between these two physical states: the formation of large amounts of granules,; the formation of a capsule; and heavy folding of the outer third layer of the cell wall. The triple layer of the cell wall formed tight packs of either lamellar or vesicular organization. The change in the cell shape takes place within 10 to 15 minutes, and the fruiting body formation requires many hours during which time the cell can change its metabolism and regulate changes in the cell wall structure much more efficiently.
Stigmatella aurantica are aerobic organisms and therefore require oxygen to produce energy. Stigmatella aurantica has two food sources, decomposing wood and other microbes.. They can produce electron transport inhibitors, such as myxothiazol, the dawenols, themyxochromides, and iron chelators myxochelin A and B. These compounds can kill and lyse on microbial cell.
Ecology
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Pathology
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Application to Biotechnology
Does this organism produce any useful compounds or enzymes? What are they and how are they used?
Current Research
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References
Edited by student of Rachel Larsen
