Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans

General Information

Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans is a fascinating microorganism primarily due to its remarkable ability to degrade complex organic compounds. This bacterium has garnered significant attention in environmental biotechnology for its potential in bioremediation. One of the most notable features of R. oxybenzonivorans is its capacity to break down oxybenzone, a common UV filter found in sunscreens that has been implicated in coral reef bleaching and other environmental issues. The metabolic pathways employed by this bacterium to degrade such recalcitrant compounds are of great interest to researchers aiming to mitigate pollution. Additionally, R. oxybenzonivorans exhibits a high degree of metabolic versatility, allowing it to utilize a wide range of substrates. This adaptability makes it a valuable candidate for various biotechnological applications, including the degradation of other environmental pollutants and the transformation of industrial waste products into less harmful substances. The genetic and enzymatic mechanisms underlying the degradation capabilities of R. oxybenzonivorans are subjects of ongoing research. Understanding these mechanisms could lead to the development of engineered strains with enhanced bioremediation properties or the discovery of novel enzymes with industrial applications. In summary, Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans stands out due to its environmental significance and biotechnological potential, making it a key organism of interest in the fields of environmental science and industrial microbiology.

Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans is a fascinating bacterium known for its remarkable ability to degrade aromatic compounds, particularly those found in various environmental pollutants. This organism is part of the genus Rhodococcus, which is renowned for its metabolic versatility and capacity to utilize a wide range of organic substrates. What makes R. oxybenzonivorans particularly interesting is its specialized enzymatic pathways that allow it to break down complex aromatic hydrocarbons, including benzoate and other related compounds. This capability positions R. oxybenzonivorans as a potential candidate for bioremediation efforts, especially in environments contaminated with aromatic pollutants. The bacterium's ability to thrive in diverse ecological niches, including soil and water, further enhances its value in environmental microbiology. Research into the genetic and biochemical mechanisms underlying its degradation pathways could lead to innovative strategies for cleaning up polluted sites. Additionally, R. oxybenzonivorans has been studied for its potential applications in the production of valuable biochemicals through bioconversion processes. Its metabolic pathways can be harnessed to produce compounds that are of interest in pharmaceuticals and industrial applications. The exploration of its genome and metabolic capabilities may reveal novel enzymes and pathways that could be exploited for biotechnological advancements. Overall, Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans stands out as a unique organism with significant implications for environmental science and biotechnology.

Taxonomy

Superkingdom: Bacteria

Phylum: Actinomycetota

Class: Actinomycetes

Order: Mycobacteriales

Family: Nocardiaceae

Genus: Rhodococcus

Species: Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans

NCBI ID

1990687

Genome Info

FTP Path:
ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genomes/all/GCF/003/130/705/GCF_003130705.1_ASM313070v1

File for sequence-based predictions:
GCF_003130705.1_ASM313070v1_genomic.fasta

Descriptions

Clinical Implications and Relevance

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

The microorganism Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans is a member of the genus Rhodococcus, which is known for its ability to degrade a variety of organic compounds, including aromatic hydrocarbons. This organism has garnered attention due to its potential role in bioremediation, particularly in environments contaminated with pollutants. However, its clinical implications are becoming increasingly relevant as it has been associated with infections in immunocompromised patients. Clinical cases have reported Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans as an opportunistic pathogen, leading to pulmonary infections, skin lesions, and bacteremia. The pathogenicity of Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans is attributed to its ability to evade the immune response through various mechanisms, including the production of a thick cell wall that can resist phagocytosis. Furthermore, this organism exhibits antimicrobial resistance, complicating treatment options. It has shown resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics, which poses a significant challenge in clinical settings. While Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans is primarily recognized for its environmental applications, its emerging role as a pathogen highlights the need for increased awareness and research into its clinical significance. Understanding its mechanisms of pathogenicity and resistance is crucial for developing effective therapeutic strategies and managing infections associated with this organism.

Habitat and Ecological Niches

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

Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans is a versatile bacterium primarily associated with contaminated environments and soil ecosystems. This microorganism is particularly notable for its ability to degrade a variety of aromatic compounds, including those found in pollutants such as benzene and toluene. As a result, it plays a crucial role in bioremediation, helping to restore environments that have been adversely affected by industrial activities. In its natural habitat, Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans thrives in aerobic conditions, often found in soil that has been enriched with organic pollutants. Its metabolic capabilities allow it to utilize these compounds as carbon and energy sources, making it an important player in the carbon cycle within these ecosystems. The presence of this bacterium can significantly enhance the degradation rates of toxic substances, thereby improving soil health and reducing environmental toxicity. Additionally, Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans exhibits symbiotic relationships with various soil microorganisms, contributing to a diverse microbial community that supports nutrient cycling and soil fertility. Its adaptability to different environmental conditions, including varying pH levels and temperatures, further underscores its ecological significance. Overall, this microorganism is a key component of polluted soil biomes, where it not only aids in detoxification but also supports the overall health of the ecosystem.

Industrial Application

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

The microorganism Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans has shown significant potential in various industrial applications, particularly in the fields of biotechnology, waste management, and bioremediation. This organism is known for its ability to degrade a wide range of aromatic compounds, making it particularly valuable in the treatment of contaminated environments. In biotechnology, Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans is utilized in biodegradation processes, where it effectively breaks down pollutants such as phenols and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). This capability is crucial for the remediation of industrial waste sites, where these toxic compounds are prevalent. The organism's enzymatic pathways allow it to metabolize these complex compounds, converting them into less harmful substances. In the realm of biofuel production, Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans can be involved in the fermentation of organic materials, contributing to the generation of biofuels from waste products. Its metabolic versatility enables it to utilize various substrates, which can enhance the efficiency of biofuel production processes. Furthermore, the organism has potential applications in pharmaceutical development, particularly in the production of valuable biochemicals through enzyme production. The enzymes produced by Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans can be harnessed for the synthesis of complex organic molecules, which are often required in drug formulation. Overall, Rhodococcus oxybenzonivorans stands out as a promising candidate for various industrial applications, particularly in waste treatment, bioremediation, and the production of biofuels and pharmaceuticals, showcasing its versatility and importance in sustainable industrial practices.

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: 10

LLM predicted phenotypes: 3

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

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