Psychrobacter faecalis

General Information

Psychrobacter faecalis is a fascinating microorganism that belongs to the genus Psychrobacter. This genus is known for its ability to thrive in extremely cold environments, making P. faecalis particularly interesting for studies on psychrophilic (cold-loving) organisms. One of the most notable characteristics of P. faecalis is its ability to survive and grow at low temperatures, which is a trait that has significant implications for understanding microbial life in polar regions and other cold habitats. P. faecalis was originally isolated from the feces of Antarctic seals, highlighting its adaptation to the extreme conditions of the Antarctic ecosystem. This organism's ability to function in such harsh environments makes it a valuable model for studying the mechanisms of cold adaptation at the molecular level. Researchers are particularly interested in the enzymes produced by P. faecalis, as these enzymes are often cold-active and can function efficiently at low temperatures. Such enzymes have potential applications in biotechnology, including in processes that require low-temperature operations to save energy or to preserve the integrity of temperature-sensitive materials. Another intriguing aspect of P. faecalis is its potential role in the biogeochemical cycles of cold environments. By studying this organism, scientists can gain insights into the microbial ecology of polar regions and the contributions of psychrophilic bacteria to nutrient cycling and organic matter decomposition in these ecosystems. In summary, Psychrobacter faecalis is a psychrophilic bacterium with unique adaptations to cold environments, making it a valuable subject for research in microbial ecology, enzyme biotechnology, and the study of life in extreme conditions. Its ability to thrive in the frigid Antarctic environment underscores the remarkable diversity and resilience of microbial life.

Psychrobacter faecalis is a fascinating psychrophilic bacterium that thrives in cold environments, making it particularly interesting for studies related to extremophiles and climate adaptation. This organism is often isolated from marine environments, including deep-sea sediments and polar regions, showcasing its ability to survive and flourish in conditions that would be inhospitable to many other microorganisms. Its metabolic versatility allows it to utilize a wide range of substrates, which is valuable for biotechnological applications, particularly in bioremediation and the production of cold-active enzymes. One of the unique aspects of P. faecalis is its ability to produce exopolysaccharides, which can play a significant role in biofilm formation and protection against environmental stressors. This characteristic makes it a subject of interest for researchers studying microbial ecology and the interactions between microorganisms and their environments. Additionally, the study of P. faecalis can provide insights into the evolutionary adaptations of life in extreme conditions, contributing to our understanding of microbial diversity and resilience. Furthermore, the organism's potential applications in food preservation and safety, due to its ability to inhibit the growth of certain pathogens at low temperatures, highlight its importance in the food industry. Overall, Psychrobacter faecalis serves as a model organism for exploring the limits of life and the potential for biotechnological innovations derived from extremophilic microorganisms.

Taxonomy

Superkingdom: Bacteria

Phylum: Pseudomonadota

Class: Gammaproteobacteria

Order: Moraxellales

Family: Moraxellaceae

Genus: Psychrobacter

Species: Psychrobacter faecalis

NCBI ID

180588

Genome Info

FTP Path:
ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genomes/all/GCA/032/073/705/GCA_032073705.1_ASM3207370v1

File for sequence-based predictions:
GCA_032073705.1_ASM3207370v1_genomic.fasta

Descriptions

Clinical Implications and Relevance

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

The microorganism Psychrobacter faecalis is a gram-negative, non-spore-forming bacterium that is primarily known for its role in food spoilage and its presence in various environmental niches, including marine and cold environments. However, it has also been associated with human infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients. Clinical implications of Psychrobacter faecalis include its potential to cause bacteremia, endocarditis, and wound infections, especially in individuals with underlying health conditions. The organism's ability to thrive at low temperatures suggests a unique adaptation that may contribute to its pathogenicity in certain contexts. In terms of antimicrobial resistance, Psychrobacter faecalis has shown resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics, which complicates treatment options for infections. This resistance is particularly concerning in hospital settings where the bacterium can be isolated from clinical specimens. The mechanisms of immune evasion employed by Psychrobacter faecalis are not fully understood, but its ability to persist in hostile environments may indicate a capacity to evade host defenses. While Psychrobacter faecalis is not commonly recognized as a primary pathogen, its involvement in nosocomial infections and its resistance profiles highlight the need for continued surveillance and research. Understanding its role in human health and disease is crucial, especially as it may serve as an opportunistic pathogen in vulnerable populations.

Habitat and Ecological Niches

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

Psychrobacter faecalis is a psychrophilic bacterium commonly found in cold environments such as polar regions, deep-sea habitats, and refrigerated food products. This microorganism thrives in extreme cold conditions, often at temperatures below 5°C, making it well-adapted to life in glacial ice, permafrost, and marine environments where temperatures are consistently low. In its natural habitats, Psychrobacter faecalis plays a crucial role in nutrient cycling, particularly in the degradation of organic matter. It contributes to the breakdown of complex organic compounds, facilitating the recycling of nutrients in these cold ecosystems. This bacterium is also known for its ability to produce enzymes that function effectively at low temperatures, which can be beneficial in biotechnological applications. Furthermore, Psychrobacter faecalis exhibits notable interactions with its surroundings, including potential symbiotic relationships with other microorganisms. It can be found in association with various marine organisms, where it may assist in the degradation of organic materials, thus enhancing the overall health of the ecosystem. Its presence in refrigerated food products also highlights its role in food spoilage, where it can impact food safety and quality. Overall, Psychrobacter faecalis is an important member of the microbial community in cold biomes, contributing to ecological balance and nutrient dynamics in these unique environments.

Industrial Application

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

The microorganism Psychrobacter faecalis has shown significant potential in various industrial applications due to its unique characteristics and metabolic capabilities. One of the primary areas of interest is in biotechnology, where Psychrobacter faecalis is utilized in fermentation processes to produce valuable metabolites at low temperatures, making it suitable for cold-adapted bioprocesses. This is particularly advantageous in food preservation and the production of fermented foods, where its ability to thrive in cold environments can enhance flavor profiles and extend shelf life. In the realm of waste management, Psychrobacter faecalis has been studied for its role in biodegradation of pollutants, particularly in cold marine environments. Its enzymatic activity allows it to break down complex organic compounds, contributing to the detoxification of contaminated sites and the recycling of nutrients in ecosystems. Furthermore, this microorganism has potential applications in biofuel production. Its metabolic pathways can be harnessed to convert organic waste into biofuels through anaerobic digestion, providing a sustainable energy source while simultaneously addressing waste disposal issues. In pharmaceutical development, Psychrobacter faecalis is being explored for its ability to produce novel enzymes that can be used in drug synthesis and biocatalysis. These enzymes may facilitate the development of new therapeutic compounds, showcasing the organism's versatility in the pharmaceutical industry. Overall, Psychrobacter faecalis exemplifies the potential of psychrophilic microorganisms in various industrial sectors, particularly in processes that require low-temperature conditions, making it a valuable asset in modern biotechnology and environmental management.

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: 4

Phenotype	High-quality annotation	google/gemini-flash-1.5	meta-llama/llama-3-8b-instruct:nitro	google/gemini-pro	google/gemma-7b-it	meta-llama/llama-3-70b-instruct:nitro	google/palm-2-chat-bison-32k	mistralai/mixtral-8x7b-instruct:nitro	perplexity/llama-3-sonar-small-32k-chat	openchat/openchat-7b	openai/gpt-3.5-turbo-0125	openai/gpt-3.5-turbo-0125	google/gemini-pro-1.5	google/gemini-pro-1.5	anthropic/claude-3-haiku:beta	anthropic/claude-3-haiku:beta	mistralai/mistral-7b-instruct	mistralai/mistral-7b-instruct	openai/gpt-4	openai/gpt-4	microsoft/wizardlm-2-8x22b	microsoft/wizardlm-2-8x22b	openai/gpt-4o	openai/gpt-4o	anthropic/claude-3.5-sonnet	anthropic/claude-3.5-sonnet	microsoft/phi-3-mini-128k-instruct	microsoft/phi-3-mini-128k-instruct
Motility	FALSE	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	false ✓	true ✗	false ✓	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓
Gram staining	gram stain negative	gram stain negative ✓	gram stain negative ✓	gram stain negative ✓	gram stain negative ✓	gram stain negative ✓	gram stain negative ✓	gram stain negative ✓	gram stain negative ✓	gram stain negative ✓	N/A	gram stain negative ✓	N/A	gram stain negative ✓	N/A	gram stain negative ✓	N/A	gram stain negative ✓	N/A	gram stain negative ✓	N/A	gram stain negative ✓	N/A	gram stain negative ✓	N/A	gram stain negative ✓	N/A	gram stain negative ✓
Aerophilicity	aerobic	N/A	aerotolerant ✗	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	facultatively anaerobic ✗	facultatively anaerobic ✗	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	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
Extreme environment tolerance	N/A	true	true	false	true	true	true	true	true	false	false	false	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	false	false
Biofilm formation	N/A	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	false	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	false	false	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true
Animal pathogenicity	TRUE	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗
Biosafety level	biosafety level 2	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗
Health association	N/A	true	false	true	true	true	false	true	true	false	false	false	true	true	true	true	true	true	false	false	true	true	true	true	true	true	false	false
Host association	N/A	false	false	false	false	true	false	true	true	false	false	false	true	true	true	true	true	true	false	false	true	true	false	false	true	true	false	false
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 ✓
Spore formation	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 ✓
Hemolysis	gamma	gamma ✓	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	alpha ✗	alpha ✗	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 ✓	coccus ✗	bacillus ✓	coccus ✗	bacillus ✓	coccus ✗	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	coccus ✗	coccus ✗	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	coccus ✗	coccus ✗	coccus ✗	coccus ✗	coccus ✗	coccus ✗	coccus ✗	coccus ✗	coccus ✗	coccus ✗

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