Shewanella litoralis

General Information

Shewanella litoralis is a fascinating marine bacterium that has garnered significant interest in the scientific community due to its unique metabolic capabilities and ecological roles. One of the most intriguing aspects of S. litoralis is its ability to reduce a wide range of electron acceptors, including metals, which makes it a key player in biogeochemical cycles. This metabolic versatility is not only important for understanding marine ecosystems but also holds potential for biotechnological applications, such as bioremediation of contaminated environments. Another remarkable feature of S. litoralis is its production of extracellular electron transfer (EET) mechanisms. These mechanisms allow the bacterium to interact with insoluble substrates, facilitating processes like the reduction of iron and manganese oxides. This ability to transfer electrons extracellularly is a subject of intense research, as it could be harnessed for the development of microbial fuel cells and other bioelectronic devices. Moreover, S. litoralis has been studied for its role in the degradation of complex organic compounds. Its enzymatic repertoire enables it to break down various pollutants, contributing to the natural cleaning processes in marine environments. This characteristic is particularly valuable for environmental microbiologists and engineers looking to exploit natural microbial processes for pollution mitigation. In summary, Shewanella litoralis stands out due to its metabolic diversity, extracellular electron transfer capabilities, and potential for biotechnological applications. These attributes make it a model organism for studying microbial ecology, biogeochemistry, and environmental biotechnology.

Shewanella litoralis is a fascinating marine bacterium that has garnered attention for its unique metabolic capabilities and ecological significance. This organism is known for its ability to reduce a variety of metal ions, particularly iron and manganese, which plays a crucial role in biogeochemical cycling in marine environments. Its capacity to utilize a wide range of electron acceptors, including metals and organic compounds, makes it a model organism for studying anaerobic respiration. One of the most interesting aspects of S. litoralis is its ability to thrive in extreme conditions, such as high salinity and varying temperatures, which highlights its adaptability and potential for biotechnological applications. This resilience opens avenues for research into bioremediation strategies, particularly in the detoxification of heavy metals in polluted marine ecosystems. Additionally, S. litoralis has been studied for its potential in bioenergy production, as it can generate electricity in microbial fuel cells. This characteristic positions it as a valuable organism in the field of renewable energy research. Furthermore, the genomic analysis of S. litoralis has revealed a rich repertoire of genes associated with metal reduction and stress response, providing insights into the evolutionary adaptations of marine bacteria. The study of this organism not only enhances our understanding of microbial ecology but also contributes to the development of innovative solutions for environmental challenges.

Taxonomy

Superkingdom: Bacteria

Phylum: Pseudomonadota

Class: Gammaproteobacteria

Order: Alteromonadales

Family: Shewanellaceae

Genus: Shewanella

Species: Shewanella litoralis

NCBI ID

2282700

Genome Info

FTP Path:
ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genomes/all/GCA/014/648/335/GCA_014648335.1_ASM1464833v1

File for sequence-based predictions:
GCA_014648335.1_ASM1464833v1_genomic.fasta

Descriptions

Clinical Implications and Relevance

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

The organism Shewanella litoralis is a gram-negative bacterium that has been isolated from marine environments and is known for its ability to reduce metals and degrade organic compounds. Its clinical relevance primarily stems from its potential role in infections and its association with human health. While S. litoralis is not commonly recognized as a primary pathogen, it has been implicated in rare cases of wound infections and bacteremia, particularly in immunocompromised individuals or those with underlying health conditions. Pathogenicity may be attributed to its ability to produce virulence factors that facilitate immune evasion and enhance its survival in hostile environments. Furthermore, S. litoralis exhibits antimicrobial resistance, which poses challenges in clinical settings. Resistance mechanisms may include the production of beta-lactamases and efflux pumps, complicating treatment options for infections caused by this organism. Interestingly, some strains of Shewanella species, including S. litoralis, are being studied for their potential applications in biotechnology and medicine, such as in bioremediation and the development of probiotics. Their unique metabolic capabilities may offer therapeutic avenues, although more research is needed to fully understand their implications in human health and disease. Overall, while S. litoralis is not a common pathogen, its presence in clinical specimens and its potential for infections highlight the importance of monitoring this organism in both clinical and environmental contexts.

Habitat and Ecological Niches

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

Shewanella litoralis is a marine bacterium commonly found in coastal environments and sedimentary habitats. This microorganism thrives in intertidal zones and subtidal sediments, where it plays a crucial role in the biogeochemical cycling of organic matter. Its ability to reduce metal ions and utilize a variety of electron acceptors makes it an important player in anaerobic respiration processes, particularly in environments rich in organic material. In these marine ecosystems, S. litoralis often interacts with other microorganisms, forming complex microbial communities that contribute to nutrient cycling and energy flow. It is known for its symbiotic relationships with other bacteria, which can enhance its metabolic capabilities and resilience in fluctuating environmental conditions. Additionally, S. litoralis exhibits remarkable environmental adaptations, allowing it to survive in varying salinities and temperatures typical of coastal habitats. Its presence is often indicative of healthy sedimentary ecosystems, where it aids in the degradation of pollutants and organic waste, thus maintaining the ecological balance. Overall, Shewanella litoralis is a vital component of the marine biome, contributing to both ecological stability and the health of coastal environments.

Industrial Application

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

The microorganism Shewanella litoralis has shown significant potential in various industrial applications due to its unique metabolic capabilities. One of the most notable areas is in biotechnology, where Shewanella litoralis is utilized in bioremediation processes. This organism can reduce metal ions, such as manganese and iron, which makes it valuable for cleaning up contaminated environments, particularly in aquatic systems. In the realm of waste management, Shewanella litoralis plays a crucial role in the degradation of organic pollutants. Its ability to utilize a wide range of electron acceptors allows it to thrive in anaerobic conditions, making it effective in treating wastewater and reducing the environmental impact of industrial effluents. Furthermore, Shewanella litoralis is also being explored for its potential in biofuel production. The organism can participate in fermentation processes that convert organic materials into biofuels, such as ethanol and hydrogen. This capability is particularly important as the world seeks sustainable energy sources. In pharmaceutical development, the enzymatic activities of Shewanella litoralis are of interest for the production of bioactive compounds. The organism's unique metabolic pathways can lead to the discovery of novel enzymes that may have applications in drug synthesis or as therapeutic agents. Overall, Shewanella litoralis demonstrates a versatile range of applications across multiple industries, making it a valuable organism for future research and development.

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: 8

LLM predicted phenotypes: 5

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

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