Tenacibaculum amylolyticum

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Classification

Domain: Bacteria

Phylum: Bacteroidetes

Class: Flavobacteriia

Order: Flavobacteriales

Family: Flavobacteriaceae

Species

Tenacibaculum amylolyticum

The genus name "Tenacibaculum" comes from the Latin words tenax meaning "holding fast" and baculum meaning "a stick." The name "amylolyticum" was created using the Greek words amylum and lyticos, which translate to "starch" and "loosening/dissolving," respectively.[1]


Description and Significance

Tenacibaculum amylolyticum was originally discovered by members of the Marine Biotechnology Institute and the Institute for Fermentation in 2001. It and other bacterial strains were found living on samples of sponge and green algae that had been gathered from waters by the Pacific island of Palau and off the coast of Japan. Tenacibaculum amylolyticum was especially prominent on the surface of macroalgae, specifically Avrainvillea riukiuensisi collected from Palau.[1]

Tenacibaculum amylolyticum is a rod-shaped, Gram-negative, flexirubin-negative bacterium. It shows gliding motility, does not form gas vesicles or spores, and is mesophilic. They are typically 2-5µm in length and 0.4µm in diameter. Tenacibaculum amylolyticum is cultured with a liquid medium and requires oxygen for growth. At least half-strength sea water must be used as the medium in order for the microbe to grow. These bacteria can survive in a pH between 5.3 and 8.3. Being a mesophile, Tenacibaculum amylolyticum grows best at moderate temperatures. It grows well between 19°C and 35°C with an optimal temperature occurring between 27°C and 33°C. These bacteria cannot live at temperatures below 15°C or above 40°C. When cultured and incubated, a yellow colony forms with irregular edges.[1]

Tenacibaculum amylolyticum is part of the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides (CFB) complex. This group of bacteria decompose biomacromolecules and are an important player in the marine/aquatic portion of the carbon cycle.[2] They also are known to affect the shape development of macroalgae. It is possible that Tenacibaculum amylolyticum has a role in climate change and has an effect on the morphogenesis of the algae it grows on.[1]

These bacteria contain zeaxanthin as the major carotenoid pigment, with beta-cyrptoxanthin and beta-carotene as lesser components.[1]

Genome Structure

This bacteria is part of the marine MK-6 group of bacteria, meaning that analysis of the amino acid sequences of the gyrB gene, which encodes the subunit B protein of DNA gyrase [3], contains methaquione-6(MK-6). Little specifics are known about the genome structure of Tenacibaculum amylolyticum. It is known, however, to have a G+C content of 31 mol%. It has a 16S rDNA similarity of 95.5% with Tenacibaculum mesophilum and has a low DNA-DNA hybridization value with all members of the Tenacibaculum genus. [1]

Metabolism

Tenacibaculum amylolyticum is an aerobic heterotroph. An organic source of nitrogen is necessary for growth to occur, and a singular source of amino acids can provide carbon and/or nitrogen to the organism. The microbe gets its energy through the process of amylolysis, hence the species name "amylolyticum." This process converts starch into sugar. The hydrolysis of starch into sugar is performed by certain enzymes in the microbe. Proteins (casein), proteinogenic amino acids (tyrosine), peptide-protein mixes (gelatin), and Polysorbate 80 are also degraded by Tenacibaculum amylolyticum. These processes result in the creation of the enzymes oxidase and catalase.[1]


Ecology

Tenacibaculum amylolyticum grows in marine environments. It has been found living on the surface of algae, and is most associated with green algae. Along with its discovery, one more species was found and two more warranted reclassification. The other new species found was Tenacibaculum mesophilum, which is the closest known related species to Tenacibaculum amylolyticum. Flexibacter ovolyticus and Flexibacter maritimus were reclassified as Tenacibaculum ovolyticum and Tenacibaculum maritimus, respectively, due to their genomic evaluation. The interaction between these species is relatively unknown.[1]

References

[1] Suzuki, M., Nakagawa, Y., Harayama, S., and Yamamoto, S. "Phylogenetic and taxonomic study of marine Cytophaga-like bacteria: proposal for Tenacibaculum gen. nov. with Tenacibaculum maritimum comb. nov. and Tenacibaculum ovolyticum comb. nov., and description of Tenacibaculum mesophilum sp. nov. and Tenacibaculum amylolyticum sp. nov.". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 2001. Volume 51. p. 1639-1652.

[2] Kirchman, D. "The ecology of Cytophaga-Flavobacteria in aquatic environments". FEMS Microbiology Ecology. 2006. Volume 39. p. 91-100.

[3] Wang, L. T., F. L. Lee, C. J. Tai, and H. Kasai. 2007. Comparison of gyrB gene sequences, 16S rRNA gene sequences and DNA-DNA hybridization in the Bacillus subtilis group. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 57:1846–1850.

Author

Page authored by Brian McElroy, student of Prof. Ned Walker at Michigan State University.