Shewanella putrefaciens

General Information

Shewanella putrefaciens is a fascinating microorganism known for its versatile metabolic capabilities and its role in biogeochemical cycles. One of the most intriguing aspects of S. putrefaciens is its ability to reduce a wide range of electron acceptors, including metals, which makes it a key player in the bioremediation of contaminated environments. This bacterium can reduce iron, manganese, and even uranium, transforming these metals into less soluble forms and thereby mitigating their environmental impact. Another unique feature of S. putrefaciens is its production of extracellular electron shuttles. These molecules facilitate electron transfer to insoluble metal oxides, enhancing the bacterium's ability to thrive in diverse and challenging environments. This capability is not only of ecological interest but also holds potential for applications in microbial fuel cells and other bioelectrochemical systems. In addition to its environmental significance, S. putrefaciens is known for producing volatile sulfur compounds such as hydrogen sulfide, which contribute to its characteristic odor and have implications for food spoilage. This property has made it a subject of study in the context of food safety and preservation. Overall, Shewanella putrefaciens stands out due to its metabolic diversity, environmental adaptability, and potential applications in biotechnology and environmental science. Its ability to interact with and transform various chemical compounds makes it a valuable organism for both fundamental research and practical applications.

Shewanella putrefaciens is a fascinating marine bacterium known for its remarkable metabolic versatility and ability to thrive in anaerobic environments. This organism is particularly interesting due to its capacity to reduce a variety of metals, including iron and manganese, which plays a significant role in biogeochemical cycling in aquatic ecosystems. Its unique electron transport chain allows it to utilize a wide range of electron acceptors, making it a key player in the degradation of organic matter in sediments. One of the most notable features of S. putrefaciens is its ability to produce hydrogen sulfide, contributing to the characteristic smell of decaying organic material. This metabolic pathway not only aids in nutrient cycling but also has implications for understanding sulfur cycles in marine environments. The organism's ability to survive in extreme conditions, such as high salinity and low oxygen levels, makes it a model organism for studying extremophiles. From a research perspective, S. putrefaciens is valuable for its potential applications in bioremediation, particularly in the detoxification of heavy metals and organic pollutants. Its unique enzymatic pathways and metabolic processes are of great interest for biotechnological applications, including bioenergy production and the development of biosensors. Furthermore, the study of S. putrefaciens can provide insights into microbial interactions in complex ecosystems, enhancing our understanding of microbial ecology and evolution.

Taxonomy

Superkingdom: Bacteria

Phylum: Pseudomonadota

Class: Gammaproteobacteria

Order: Alteromonadales

Family: Shewanellaceae

Genus: Shewanella

Species: Shewanella putrefaciens

NCBI ID

Genome Info

FTP Path:
ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genomes/all/GCF/025/402/875/GCF_025402875.1_ASM2540287v1

File for sequence-based predictions:
GCF_025402875.1_ASM2540287v1_genomic.fasta

Descriptions

Clinical Implications and Relevance

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

The organism Shewanella putrefaciens is a gram-negative bacterium primarily known for its role in the decomposition of organic matter in marine environments. However, it has significant clinical implications, particularly in relation to infections in humans. This organism is associated with wound infections, especially in individuals with compromised immune systems or those with underlying conditions such as diabetes. It can also be implicated in soft tissue infections and has been isolated from cases of bacteremia, particularly in patients with liver disease or those undergoing invasive procedures. One of the notable features of Shewanella putrefaciens is its ability to produce hydrogen sulfide, which can contribute to the characteristic foul odor associated with certain infections. The organism exhibits pathogenicity through its ability to evade the immune response, utilizing various mechanisms such as biofilm formation and the production of virulence factors that enhance its survival in hostile environments. In terms of antimicrobial resistance, Shewanella putrefaciens has shown resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics, complicating treatment options for infected patients. This resistance is often attributed to the presence of plasmids and other genetic elements that facilitate the acquisition of resistance genes. Despite its pathogenic potential, Shewanella putrefaciens has also been studied for its beneficial applications, particularly in bioremediation and as a potential source of enzymes for industrial processes. However, its clinical relevance remains a concern, especially in the context of increasing antibiotic resistance and the need for effective therapeutic strategies against infections caused by this organism.

Habitat and Ecological Niches

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

Shewanella putrefaciens is a versatile bacterium commonly found in marine environments, particularly in anoxic or hypoxic conditions. This microorganism thrives in sediments and decomposing organic matter, where it plays a crucial role in the breakdown of complex organic compounds. Its ability to reduce metal ions and utilize a variety of electron acceptors makes it an important player in biogeochemical cycles, particularly in the cycling of sulfur and iron. In coastal ecosystems, S. putrefaciens is often associated with mangrove swamps and estuaries, where it contributes to nutrient cycling and organic matter decomposition. The bacterium is known for its symbiotic relationships with other microorganisms, facilitating the degradation of organic materials and enhancing nutrient availability in the environment. Additionally, S. putrefaciens has been documented in freshwater environments, particularly in polluted waters where it can thrive on organic pollutants. Its metabolic versatility allows it to adapt to varying environmental conditions, making it a key organism in bioremediation efforts aimed at cleaning up contaminated sites. Overall, Shewanella putrefaciens is a significant contributor to the health and functioning of its associated biomes, demonstrating the intricate connections within microbial communities and their environments.

Industrial Application

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

The microorganism Shewanella putrefaciens has demonstrated significant potential in various industrial applications. One of the most notable areas is in biotechnology, where S. putrefaciens is utilized for its unique ability to perform fermentation processes, particularly in the production of biofuels. This organism can metabolize a range of substrates, including organic waste, to produce ethanol and other valuable biofuels, making it a candidate for sustainable energy solutions. In the realm of waste management, S. putrefaciens plays a crucial role in biodegradation processes. It is capable of breaking down complex organic compounds, including those found in industrial waste, thus contributing to the detoxification and reduction of hazardous materials in the environment. This capability is particularly useful in the treatment of wastewater, where the organism can help in the removal of pollutants and improve overall water quality. Furthermore, S. putrefaciens is recognized for its pharmaceutical development potential. The organism produces various enzymes that can be harnessed for the synthesis of bioactive compounds, which are essential in drug formulation and development. Its enzymatic activity is particularly valuable in the production of antibiotics and other therapeutic agents. Overall, Shewanella putrefaciens is a versatile microorganism with applications spanning biotechnology, waste management, and pharmaceutical development, showcasing its importance in advancing industrial processes and promoting environmental sustainability.

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

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