Elizabethkingia meningoseptica

General Information

Elizabethkingia meningoseptica is a bacterium that has garnered significant interest due to its clinical relevance and unique genetic characteristics. This microorganism is known for causing severe infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals and neonates, leading to conditions such as meningitis and sepsis. One of the most striking features of E. meningoseptica is its intrinsic resistance to multiple antibiotics, including those commonly used to treat Gram-negative bacterial infections. This resistance is partly due to the presence of various beta-lactamases and other resistance genes, making infections difficult to treat and control. From a research perspective, E. meningoseptica is fascinating due to its genomic plasticity and the presence of numerous mobile genetic elements. These elements contribute to its adaptability and ability to acquire resistance genes from other bacteria. Additionally, the bacterium produces a range of virulence factors, including enzymes and toxins that facilitate its survival and pathogenicity in the host. Another unique aspect of E. meningoseptica is its environmental resilience. It can be found in diverse habitats, including soil, water, and hospital environments, which underscores its ability to thrive under various conditions. This environmental versatility, combined with its clinical impact, makes E. meningoseptica a critical subject of study for understanding bacterial pathogenesis, antibiotic resistance mechanisms, and the development of new therapeutic strategies. In summary, Elizabethkingia meningoseptica stands out due to its clinical significance, antibiotic resistance, and genomic adaptability, making it a valuable organism for ongoing research in microbiology and infectious diseases.

Elizabethkingia meningoseptica is a notable bacterium primarily recognized for its role as an opportunistic pathogen, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. This organism is part of the family Flavobacteriaceae and is often found in various environmental sources, including water and soil, which contributes to its potential for causing infections in clinical settings. One of the most interesting aspects of E. meningoseptica is its association with severe infections, particularly in neonates and patients with underlying health conditions. The bacterium is known for its ability to cause meningitis, particularly in premature infants, which highlights its clinical significance. Its resistance to multiple antibiotics poses a significant challenge in treatment, making it a subject of interest in antimicrobial resistance research. This resistance is attributed to various mechanisms, including the production of beta-lactamases, which can hydrolyze a wide range of beta-lactam antibiotics. Furthermore, E. meningoseptica has been studied for its unique metabolic capabilities, including the ability to utilize a variety of carbon sources, which may contribute to its survival in diverse environments. Research into its genomic characteristics has revealed insights into its evolutionary adaptations and potential virulence factors, making it a valuable organism for understanding bacterial pathogenesis and resistance mechanisms. Overall, Elizabethkingia meningoseptica serves as a critical model for studying opportunistic infections and the complexities of antibiotic resistance in clinical microbiology.

Taxonomy

Superkingdom: Bacteria

Phylum: Bacteroidota

Class: Flavobacteriia

Order: Flavobacteriales

Family: Weeksellaceae

Genus: Elizabethkingia

Species: Elizabethkingia meningoseptica

NCBI ID

238

Genome Info

FTP Path:
ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genomes/all/GCF/002/022/145/GCF_002022145.1_ASM202214v1

File for sequence-based predictions:
GCF_002022145.1_ASM202214v1_genomic.fasta

Descriptions

Clinical Implications and Relevance

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

The organism Elizabethkingia meningoseptica is a gram-negative bacterium that has gained attention due to its association with serious infections in humans, particularly in immunocompromised patients. It is known to cause meningitis, sepsis, and pneumonia, especially in neonates and individuals with underlying health conditions. The bacterium is often found in hospital environments, which raises concerns about its role in nosocomial infections. One of the significant challenges posed by E. meningoseptica is its antimicrobial resistance. This organism exhibits resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics, including beta-lactams, which complicates treatment options. The presence of resistance mechanisms such as efflux pumps and beta-lactamase production has been documented, making it crucial for healthcare providers to consider susceptibility testing when managing infections caused by this pathogen. In terms of immune evasion, E. meningoseptica can survive in the presence of host immune responses, which may contribute to its pathogenicity. The bacterium's ability to form biofilms on medical devices further complicates treatment and eradication efforts, leading to persistent infections. While E. meningoseptica is primarily recognized for its pathogenic potential, there is ongoing research into its role in the human microbiome and potential applications in biotechnology. However, its clinical implications remain predominantly associated with severe infections and the challenges posed by its resistance patterns.

Habitat and Ecological Niches

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

Elizabethkingia meningoseptica is primarily associated with hospital environments and aquatic ecosystems. This bacterium is often found in water sources, including tap water and hospital water systems, where it can thrive due to its ability to resist various environmental stresses. It is particularly notable for its presence in biofilms, which can form on medical devices and surfaces, contributing to its role as an opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised patients. In natural aquatic habitats, E. meningoseptica has been isolated from freshwater and marine environments, indicating its adaptability to different water chemistries. This organism plays a significant role in the microbial community, where it can participate in nutrient cycling and may interact with other microorganisms through competition or predation. Notably, E. meningoseptica has been implicated in nosocomial infections, particularly in patients with underlying health conditions. Its ability to form biofilms on medical devices not only enhances its survival but also complicates treatment options, making it a significant concern in healthcare settings. The bacterium's resistance to multiple antibiotics further underscores its ecological adaptability and the challenges it poses in both natural and human-made environments.

Industrial Application

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

The bacterium Elizabethkingia meningoseptica has garnered attention for its potential industrial applications across various sectors, particularly in biotechnology and pharmaceutical development. This organism is known for its ability to produce a range of enzymes that can be harnessed in biocatalysis processes, making it valuable in the synthesis of complex organic compounds. In the realm of waste management, Elizabethkingia meningoseptica has demonstrated capabilities in biodegradation, particularly in the breakdown of pollutants and organic waste materials. Its enzymatic activity can facilitate the degradation of harmful substances, contributing to more effective waste treatment solutions. Moreover, this microorganism has been studied for its role in biofuel production, where it can be involved in fermentation processes to convert biomass into bioethanol or other biofuels. The metabolic pathways utilized by Elizabethkingia meningoseptica can be optimized for higher yields of biofuels, making it a candidate for sustainable energy solutions. In pharmaceutical development, the unique metabolic properties of Elizabethkingia meningoseptica have been explored for the production of novel antibiotics and other bioactive compounds. Its ability to thrive in various environments and resist certain antibiotics makes it a subject of interest for developing new therapeutic agents. Overall, Elizabethkingia meningoseptica presents a multifaceted potential in biotechnology, waste management, biofuel production, and pharmaceutical development, showcasing its versatility and importance in 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: 4

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

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