Ralstonia pickettii

General Information

Ralstonia pickettii is a fascinating microorganism that has garnered significant attention in various fields of research due to its unique characteristics and adaptability. This bacterium is known for its remarkable ability to survive in diverse and often extreme environments, including soil, water, and even hospital settings. One of the most intriguing aspects of R. pickettii is its resistance to a wide range of antibiotics and disinfectants, making it a subject of interest in studies related to antimicrobial resistance and hospital-acquired infections. In addition to its clinical significance, Ralstonia pickettii has been studied for its potential in bioremediation. The bacterium exhibits the ability to degrade various environmental pollutants, including aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals, which positions it as a valuable agent in efforts to clean up contaminated environments. This capability is attributed to its diverse metabolic pathways and the presence of specific enzymes that can break down complex compounds. Moreover, R. pickettii has been found to form symbiotic relationships with plants, promoting plant growth and health. This interaction is particularly beneficial in agricultural settings, where the bacterium can enhance nutrient uptake and provide protection against certain plant pathogens. The study of these plant-microbe interactions offers insights into sustainable agricultural practices and the development of biofertilizers. Overall, Ralstonia pickettii is a microorganism of great interest due to its versatility, resilience, and potential applications in medicine, environmental science, and agriculture. Its ability to thrive in various environments and its role in biodegradation and plant growth promotion make it a valuable subject for ongoing and future research.

Ralstonia pickettii is a fascinating bacterium that belongs to the family Burkholderiaceae. This organism is particularly notable for its environmental versatility, as it has been isolated from a variety of habitats, including soil, water, and even clinical settings. Its ability to thrive in diverse environments makes it an interesting subject for studies on microbial ecology and environmental microbiology. One of the most intriguing aspects of Ralstonia pickettii is its biodegradation potential. This bacterium has been shown to degrade various pollutants, including aromatic compounds, which positions it as a valuable candidate for bioremediation efforts. Researchers are particularly interested in its metabolic pathways, which could provide insights into how microorganisms can be harnessed to clean up contaminated environments. In clinical contexts, Ralstonia pickettii has been associated with opportunistic infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients. Its resilience to antibiotics and ability to form biofilms in medical devices pose significant challenges in healthcare settings. This characteristic makes it a subject of interest for studies focused on infection control and the development of new antimicrobial strategies. Furthermore, the genome of Ralstonia pickettii has been sequenced, providing a wealth of genetic information that can be utilized in comparative genomics and functional studies. This genomic data can help elucidate the mechanisms behind its metabolic capabilities and pathogenicity, making it a valuable organism for both environmental and medical research. Overall, Ralstonia pickettii stands out due to its dual role as both a potential bioremediation agent and an opportunistic pathogen, making it a unique and valuable organism in the fields of microbiology and biotechnology.

Taxonomy

Superkingdom: Bacteria

Phylum: Pseudomonadota

Class: Betaproteobacteria

Order: Burkholderiales

Family: Burkholderiaceae

Genus: Ralstonia

Species: Ralstonia pickettii

NCBI ID

329

Genome Info

FTP Path:
ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genomes/all/GCA/016/466/415/GCA_016466415.2_ASM1646641v2

File for sequence-based predictions:
GCA_016466415.2_ASM1646641v2_genomic.fasta

Descriptions

Clinical Implications and Relevance

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

The bacterium Ralstonia pickettii is a non-fermentative, gram-negative rod that is primarily known for its role as an opportunistic pathogen, particularly in immunocompromised patients. It is commonly associated with nosocomial infections, especially in patients with underlying health conditions or those undergoing invasive procedures. The organism has been implicated in various types of infections, including bacteremia, pneumonia, and wound infections. Its presence in clinical settings is often linked to contaminated medical equipment and solutions, highlighting its relevance in hospital-acquired infections. One of the significant concerns regarding Ralstonia pickettii is its antimicrobial resistance. The organism exhibits resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics, which complicates treatment options. This resistance is often attributed to its ability to form biofilms and its intrinsic resistance mechanisms, making it a challenging pathogen to manage in clinical environments. In terms of immune evasion, Ralstonia pickettii can evade the host's immune response through various strategies, including the production of virulence factors that inhibit phagocytosis and modulate inflammatory responses. This ability to evade the immune system contributes to its pathogenicity and persistence in the host. While Ralstonia pickettii is primarily recognized for its role in infections, it is also studied for its potential applications in biotechnology, particularly in bioremediation and as a model organism for understanding biofilm formation. However, its clinical implications as an opportunistic pathogen remain a significant concern in healthcare settings.

Habitat and Ecological Niches

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

Ralstonia pickettii is a versatile bacterium commonly found in various habitat types that include both natural and anthropogenic environments. This organism is particularly associated with freshwater ecosystems, where it thrives in nutrient-rich waters, often in the presence of organic matter. It can be isolated from soil and sediments, indicating its adaptability to terrestrial environments as well. In urban settings, Ralstonia pickettii is frequently detected in drinking water systems and hospital environments, where it can form biofilms on surfaces, contributing to its persistence in these habitats. Its ability to survive in chlorinated water systems highlights its resilience and adaptability to varying chemical conditions. Ecologically, Ralstonia pickettii plays a significant role in the biodegradation of pollutants, particularly in environments contaminated with hydrocarbons. This bacterium can utilize a range of organic compounds as carbon sources, thus contributing to the bioremediation processes in polluted sites. Additionally, Ralstonia pickettii has been noted for its potential symbiotic relationships with plants, where it may enhance nutrient availability in the rhizosphere, although this aspect requires further investigation. Its presence in diverse environments underscores its ecological significance and adaptability, making it a noteworthy organism in both natural and engineered ecosystems.

Industrial Application

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

The bacterium Ralstonia pickettii has shown significant potential in various industrial applications due to its unique metabolic capabilities. One of the primary areas of interest is in biotechnology, where Ralstonia pickettii is utilized in the biodegradation of environmental pollutants. This organism can effectively break down complex organic compounds, making it valuable for waste management processes aimed at treating contaminated sites, particularly those involving aromatic hydrocarbons and other toxic substances. In the realm of biofuel production, Ralstonia pickettii has been studied for its ability to ferment certain substrates, contributing to the development of sustainable energy sources. Its metabolic pathways can be harnessed to convert waste materials into biofuels, thus promoting a circular economy. Furthermore, Ralstonia pickettii has applications in pharmaceutical development. The organism is known to produce various enzymes that can be utilized in the synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds. These enzymes can facilitate enzyme production processes that are crucial for the development of new drugs and therapeutic agents. Overall, the versatility of Ralstonia pickettii in fermentation, biodegradation, and enzyme production highlights its importance in advancing industrial biotechnology and 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: 9

LLM predicted phenotypes: 4

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

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