Paenibacillus macerans

Paenibacillus macerans is a diazotroph bacterium found in soil and plants capable of nitrogen fixation and fermentation. This bacteria was originally discovered in 1905 by an Austrian biologist named Schardinger and thought to be a bacillus.[1]

Paenibacillus macerans
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Bacteria
Division:
Firmicutes
Class:
Bacilli
Order:
Bacillales
Family:
Paenibacillaceae
Genus:
Paenibacillus Ash et al. 1994
Species:
Paenibacillus macerans
Binomial name
Paenibacillus macerans
Synonyms
Bacillus macerans
Schardinger 1905

Aerobacillus macerans
Donker 1926
Zymobacillus macerans
Kluyver and van Niel 1936
Bactrillum macerans
Pribram 1933
Bacillus acetoethylicum
Northrop et al. 1919
Bacillus betanigrificans
Cameron et al. 1936
Bacillus soli
Alerie and Gray 1947
Aerobacillus schuylkilliensis
Eisenberg 1942

Bacillus vagans
Alarie and Gray 1947

Characteristics

Paenibacillus macerans is a part of the family Paenibacillaceae which are facultative anaerobes. It is gram-variable, being gram-positive or gram-negative rods.[2] Does not have a capsule and has peritrichous flagella for movement. It does form ellipsoidal, terminal, or subterminal spores which may last in the soil for many years.[3]

Growth conditions

P. macerans can be grown in the lab on a nutrient agar with a slightly acidic pH around 5. Optimal growth temperature is 30 °C. No growth in 5% NaCl.[3]

Metabolic capabilities

P. macerans has been shown to have some of the broadest metabolic capabilities of any of the genus Paenibacillus. It is able to ferment hexoses, deoxyhexoses, pentoses, cellulose, hemicellulose and glycerol under anaerobic conditions.[4] The high fermentation rates of glycerol makes this an important organism in the study of fuel and chemical production. P. Macerans also produces a significant amount of histamines which may cause allergies in some individuals if ingested.[5] This bacterium is a facultative anaerobe capable of nitrogen fixation so in the absence of oxygen it is able to convert nitrogen gas to ammonia which is more easily used by plants.[6]

Ecology

P. macerans is usually found in soil and plant materials but has also been identified in blood cultures of infants with infection.[7] The bacterium is not normally pathogenic in humans but could cause allergies as a result of its histamine producing properties.[4]

References
  1. "Paenibacillus macerans - Information on Paenibacillus macerans - Encyclopedia of Life". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  2. "Paenibacillus macerans". Interdisciplinary Atlas. Department of Veterinary Disease Biology - University of Copenhagen. 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  3. REGNUM PROKARYOTAE. "ABIS Encyclopedia". Tgw1916.net. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  4. Gupta, Ashutosh; Murarka, Abhishek; Campbell, Paul; Gonzalez, Ramon (2009). "Anaerobic Fermentation of Glycerol in Paenibacillus macerans: Metabolic Pathways and Environmental Determinants". Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 75 (18): 5871–83. doi:10.1128/AEM.01246-09. PMC 2747847. PMID 19617389.
  5. Rodriguez-Jerez, J.J.; Giaccone, V.; Colavita, G.; Parisi, E. (1994). "Bacillus macerans—a new potent histamine producing micro-organism isolated from Italian cheese". Food Microbiology. 11 (5): 409–15. doi:10.1006/fmic.1994.1046.
  6. "Bacillus and related endospore-forming bacteria". Textbookofbacteriology.net. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  7. Noskin, Gary A.; Suriano, Terra; Collins, Susan; Sesler, Stefani; Peterson, Lance R. (2001). "Paenibacillus macerans pseudobacteremia resulting from contaminated blood culture bottles in a neonatal intensive care unit". American Journal of Infection Control. 29 (2): 126–9. doi:10.1067/mic.2001.111535. PMID 11287883.
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