Mycobacterium marinum

General Information

Mycobacterium marinum is a fascinating microorganism that has garnered significant interest in the scientific community due to its unique characteristics and relevance to both human and aquatic animal health. This bacterium is primarily known for causing a disease in fish known as 'fish tank granuloma' or 'swimming pool granuloma' in humans, which manifests as skin lesions following exposure to contaminated water. One of the most intriguing aspects of M. marinum is its close genetic and pathogenic relationship to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis in humans. This relationship makes M. marinum an invaluable model organism for studying mycobacterial infections and the host immune response. Researchers often use M. marinum to investigate the mechanisms of mycobacterial pathogenesis and to develop potential treatments for tuberculosis. Another notable feature of M. marinum is its ability to thrive in a wide range of temperatures, particularly in cooler environments, which is atypical for many mycobacteria. This adaptability allows it to infect ectothermic animals like fish, as well as humans, under specific conditions. Furthermore, M. marinum has a unique lipid-rich cell wall that contributes to its virulence and resistance to many common antibiotics. This characteristic is shared with other pathogenic mycobacteria and is a focal point of research aimed at understanding and overcoming mycobacterial drug resistance. In summary, Mycobacterium marinum is a valuable model organism for studying mycobacterial diseases, offering insights into the pathogenesis, immune response, and potential treatments for infections caused by mycobacteria. Its genetic similarity to M. tuberculosis, combined with its unique environmental adaptability and resistance mechanisms, makes it a subject of ongoing and significant scientific interest.

Mycobacterium marinum is a notable species of the genus Mycobacterium, primarily recognized for its role as a pathogen in aquatic environments and its association with human infections, particularly in individuals with compromised immune systems. This organism is particularly interesting due to its ability to thrive in both freshwater and marine environments, which sets it apart from many other mycobacterial species that are typically associated with terrestrial habitats. One of the unique aspects of M. marinum is its capacity to cause a condition known as swimming pool granuloma, which manifests as skin lesions in humans. This condition often arises from exposure to contaminated water, making M. marinum a significant concern for individuals who frequently engage in aquatic activities. The organism is also known for its intracellular lifestyle, allowing it to survive and replicate within host macrophages, which is a characteristic shared with other pathogenic mycobacteria, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis. From a research perspective, M. marinum serves as an important model organism for studying the pathogenic mechanisms of mycobacteria. Its genetic and biochemical similarities to M. tuberculosis provide valuable insights into the virulence factors and immune evasion strategies employed by mycobacteria. Furthermore, the organism's ability to adapt to different environmental conditions makes it a subject of interest in studies related to microbial ecology and evolution. In addition, M. marinum has been utilized in various laboratory studies to explore the interactions between mycobacteria and host immune responses, contributing to our understanding of how these pathogens can persist in the face of host defenses. Its unique ecological niche and pathogenic potential underscore its value in both clinical and environmental microbiology research.

Taxonomy

Superkingdom: Bacteria

Phylum: Actinomycetota

Class: Actinomycetes

Order: Mycobacteriales

Family: Mycobacteriaceae

Genus: Mycobacterium

Species: Mycobacterium marinum

NCBI ID

1781

Genome Info

FTP Path:
ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genomes/all/GCF/003/391/395/GCF_003391395.1_ASM339139v1

File for sequence-based predictions:
GCF_003391395.1_ASM339139v1_genomic.fasta

Descriptions

Clinical Implications and Relevance

Source: gpt-4o-mini-2024-07-18

The organism Mycobacterium marinum is a non-tuberculous mycobacterium that is primarily associated with cutaneous infections in humans, particularly in individuals who have been exposed to contaminated water, such as aquarists or those with fish tank exposure. It is known to cause swimming pool granuloma, a chronic skin infection characterized by nodular lesions that can be difficult to treat. The organism can also lead to systemic infections in immunocompromised patients, although this is less common. In terms of pathogenicity, M. marinum has developed several strategies to evade the immune response of the host. It can survive and replicate within macrophages, which are key components of the immune system, by inhibiting phagosome-lysosome fusion and modulating the host's inflammatory response. This ability to persist in host tissues contributes to the chronic nature of the infections it causes. Regarding antimicrobial resistance, M. marinum has shown varying susceptibility to common antibiotics, and treatment often requires prolonged courses of specific antimicrobials, such as rifampicin and ethambutol. Resistance patterns can complicate treatment, making it essential for clinicians to be aware of local susceptibility profiles. While M. marinum is primarily recognized for its role in infections, it has also been studied for potential medical applications. Some strains are being investigated for their use in vaccine development and as a model organism for studying mycobacterial pathogenesis. However, its clinical relevance remains largely focused on its role as a pathogen in skin infections and its implications for public health, particularly in aquatic environments.

Habitat and Ecological Niches

Source: gpt-4o-mini-2024-07-18

Mycobacterium marinum is a species of bacteria that is primarily associated with aquatic environments, particularly in marine and freshwater ecosystems. This microorganism thrives in warm, shallow waters and is often found in environments such as tropical and subtropical regions, where the water temperature is conducive to its growth. It is commonly isolated from fish tanks, ponds, and natural bodies of water, where it can exist as a free-living organism or in association with aquatic organisms. In terms of ecological roles, Mycobacterium marinum is known to be a pathogen of fish and can cause granulomatous infections in various species, including ornamental fish. This interaction highlights its role in the aquatic food web, where it can impact fish populations and, consequently, the predators that rely on these fish for food. The bacterium can also be involved in nutrient cycling within its habitat, contributing to the breakdown of organic matter. Additionally, Mycobacterium marinum has been documented in human infections, particularly in individuals who have contact with contaminated water, such as aquarists or those who work in fish handling. This underscores its potential as a zoonotic pathogen, illustrating the interconnectedness of aquatic ecosystems and human health. Overall, Mycobacterium marinum exemplifies the complex relationships within aquatic biomes, where it plays significant roles both as a pathogen and as a participant in nutrient dynamics, showcasing the delicate balance of life in these environments.

Industrial Application

Source: gpt-4o-mini-2024-07-18

The microorganism Mycobacterium marinum has several notable industrial applications primarily in the fields of biotechnology, waste management, and pharmaceutical development. This organism is known for its ability to thrive in aquatic environments, which makes it a candidate for various biotechnological processes. In biotechnology, Mycobacterium marinum is utilized in the fermentation processes to produce valuable metabolites. Its unique metabolic pathways allow for the synthesis of complex compounds that can be harnessed for industrial use. In the realm of waste management, Mycobacterium marinum has demonstrated potential in the biodegradation of pollutants, particularly in aquatic systems. Its enzymatic activity can break down harmful substances, contributing to the detoxification of contaminated water bodies. This capability is crucial for developing sustainable waste treatment solutions. Furthermore, in pharmaceutical development, Mycobacterium marinum is studied for its role in the production of antibiotics and other bioactive compounds. The organism's ability to produce unique secondary metabolites can lead to the discovery of new drugs, particularly those targeting resistant bacterial strains. Overall, Mycobacterium marinum showcases significant potential across various industries, particularly through its involvement in fermentation, biodegradation, and enzyme production, making it a valuable organism for future industrial applications.

Phenotypes and Predictions

The table shows the phenotypes and predictions. Cell colors indicate the class of the value. When literature-based data is available, a checkmark (✓) indicates a correct prediction, while an ✗ indicates an incorrect prediction.

Literature-based phenotypes: 9

LLM predicted phenotypes: 3

Phenotype	High-quality annotation	mistralai/mixtral-8x7b-instruct:nitro	anthropic/claude-3.5-sonnet	google/gemini-pro	google/gemma-7b-it	perplexity/llama-3-sonar-small-32k-chat	openchat/openchat-7b	anthropic/claude-3-haiku:beta	meta-llama/llama-3-70b-instruct:nitro	meta-llama/llama-3-70b-instruct:nitro	google/gemini-flash-1.5	google/gemini-flash-1.5	openai/gpt-3.5-turbo-0125	openai/gpt-3.5-turbo-0125	google/palm-2-chat-bison-32k	google/palm-2-chat-bison-32k	meta-llama/llama-3-8b-instruct:nitro	openai/gpt-4	openai/gpt-4	microsoft/wizardlm-2-8x22b	microsoft/wizardlm-2-8x22b	openai/gpt-4o	openai/gpt-4o	google/gemini-pro-1.5	google/gemini-pro-1.5	mistralai/mistral-7b-instruct	mistralai/mistral-7b-instruct	microsoft/phi-3-mini-128k-instruct	microsoft/phi-3-mini-128k-instruct
Motility	FALSE	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓
Gram staining	gram stain positive	gram stain positive ✓	gram stain positive ✓	gram stain positive ✓	gram stain negative ✗	gram stain positive ✓	gram stain positive ✓	gram stain positive ✓	N/A	gram stain positive ✓	N/A	gram stain positive ✓	N/A	gram stain positive ✓	N/A	gram stain positive ✓	N/A	N/A	gram stain positive ✓	N/A	gram stain positive ✓	N/A	gram stain variable ✗	N/A	gram stain positive ✓	N/A	gram stain variable ✗	N/A	gram stain positive ✓
Aerophilicity	aerobic	facultatively anaerobic ✗	aerobic ✓	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	N/A	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Extreme environment tolerance	N/A	true	true	false	true	true	false	true	true	true	true	true	false	false	false	false	true	false	false	false	false	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true
Biofilm formation	N/A	true	true	true	true	true	false	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true
Animal pathogenicity	TRUE	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	false ✗
Biosafety level	biosafety level 2	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 3 ✗	biosafety level 3 ✗	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓
Health association	N/A	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true
Host association	TRUE	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓
Plant pathogenicity	FALSE	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓
Spore formation	FALSE	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓
Hemolysis	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Cell shape	bacillus	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	coccus ✗	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	coccus ✗	coccus ✗

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