Nocardia brasiliensis

General Information

Nocardia brasiliensis is a fascinating microorganism known for its role in human infections, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. This bacterium is a member of the genus Nocardia, which is notable for its complex life cycle and ability to degrade a wide range of organic compounds. One of the most interesting aspects of Nocardia brasiliensis is its pathogenicity; it is a primary cause of nocardiosis, a serious infection that can affect the lungs, skin, and brain. Nocardia brasiliensis is unique due to its ability to cause mycetoma, a chronic granulomatous disease characterized by swelling, abscess formation, and draining sinuses. This condition is particularly prevalent in agricultural workers who are frequently exposed to soil and plant material, where the bacterium is commonly found. From a research perspective, Nocardia brasiliensis is valuable because it serves as a model organism for studying actinomycete biology and pathogenesis. Its genome has been sequenced, providing insights into the genetic basis of its virulence and resistance mechanisms. Additionally, the bacterium's ability to degrade complex organic molecules makes it a subject of interest in bioremediation studies. In summary, Nocardia brasiliensis is a noteworthy bacterium due to its clinical significance, unique pathogenic mechanisms, and potential applications in environmental biotechnology. Its study not only advances our understanding of infectious diseases but also opens up possibilities for innovative biotechnological applications.

Nocardia brasiliensis is a notable species within the genus Nocardia, recognized for its unique characteristics and significant implications in both clinical and environmental contexts. This actinobacterial species is particularly interesting due to its ability to thrive in diverse environments, including soil and decaying organic matter, which highlights its role in the ecosystem as a decomposer. Its resilience and adaptability to various environmental conditions make it a valuable organism for studying microbial ecology and biogeochemical cycles. One of the most compelling aspects of Nocardia brasiliensis is its pathogenic potential. It is known to cause nocardiosis, a rare but serious infection that primarily affects immunocompromised individuals. The ability of this organism to evade the host immune response and establish infection is a critical area of research, providing insights into microbial pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions. Furthermore, Nocardia brasiliensis has garnered attention for its production of bioactive compounds, which may have pharmaceutical applications. The exploration of its secondary metabolites could lead to the discovery of novel antibiotics or other therapeutic agents, making it a target for drug discovery efforts. In summary, Nocardia brasiliensis stands out not only for its ecological significance but also for its clinical relevance and potential contributions to biotechnology and medicine. Its dual role as both a decomposer in the environment and a pathogen in humans underscores the complexity and importance of this microorganism in various fields of research.

Taxonomy

Superkingdom: Bacteria

Phylum: Actinomycetota

Class: Actinomycetes

Order: Mycobacteriales

Family: Nocardiaceae

Genus: Nocardia

Species: Nocardia brasiliensis

NCBI ID

37326

Genome Info

FTP Path:
ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genomes/all/GCF/002/209/125/GCF_002209125.2_ASM220912v2

File for sequence-based predictions:
GCF_002209125.2_ASM220912v2_genomic.fasta

Descriptions

Clinical Implications and Relevance

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

The organism Nocardia brasiliensis is a significant pathogen known for its role in human health, particularly in causing pulmonary infections and cutaneous nocardiosis. It is primarily associated with immunocompromised individuals, but can also affect healthy hosts. The clinical implications of Nocardia brasiliensis include its ability to cause chronic granulomatous disease, which can lead to severe lung infections and disseminated disease. The organism is known for its opportunistic pathogenicity, often leading to infections in patients with underlying conditions such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, or those on immunosuppressive therapy. One of the notable features of Nocardia brasiliensis is its antimicrobial resistance. It exhibits resistance to several common antibiotics, including beta-lactams, which complicates treatment options. The standard treatment often involves the use of sulfonamides or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, but resistance patterns can vary, necessitating susceptibility testing. In terms of immune evasion, Nocardia brasiliensis has developed strategies to survive within macrophages, which are key components of the host's immune response. This ability to evade destruction allows it to persist and cause chronic infections. Additionally, Nocardia brasiliensis has been implicated in various outbreaks, particularly in regions with specific environmental conditions that favor its growth. Its presence in soil and decaying organic matter poses a risk for exposure, especially in immunocompromised populations. Overall, understanding the clinical implications of Nocardia brasiliensis is crucial for effective diagnosis and management of infections associated with this organism.

Habitat and Ecological Niches

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

Nocardia brasiliensis is a soil-dwelling bacterium that thrives in a variety of terrestrial ecosystems, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. This microorganism is commonly found in decaying organic matter, where it plays a crucial role in the decomposition process, contributing to nutrient cycling and soil health. Its ability to degrade complex organic compounds allows it to thrive in environments rich in organic material, such as forests and grasslands. In addition to its role in decomposition, Nocardia brasiliensis is known for its symbiotic relationships with plants. It can enhance soil fertility and promote plant growth by fixing nitrogen and improving nutrient availability. This interaction is particularly beneficial in nutrient-poor soils, where the presence of Nocardia brasiliensis can significantly enhance plant health and productivity. Furthermore, this microorganism is adapted to survive in arid environments, showcasing its resilience. It can withstand periods of drought and high temperatures, making it a key player in desert ecosystems where moisture is limited. Its ability to form spores allows it to endure harsh conditions until favorable growth conditions return. Overall, Nocardia brasiliensis is an important component of its ecosystems, contributing to soil health, nutrient cycling, and plant growth, while also demonstrating remarkable adaptability to various environmental conditions.

Industrial Application

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

The microorganism Nocardia brasiliensis has shown significant potential in various industrial applications. One of the most notable areas is in biotechnology, where it is utilized for its ability to degrade complex organic compounds. This capability is particularly valuable in waste management, where Nocardia brasiliensis can be employed in the treatment of wastewater, effectively breaking down pollutants and contributing to the purification process. In the realm of biofuel production, Nocardia brasiliensis has been studied for its role in the degradation of hydrocarbons, which can be harnessed to improve the efficiency of biofuel generation from organic waste. The organism's enzymatic activity allows it to metabolize various substrates, making it a candidate for enhancing the fermentation processes used in biofuel production. Furthermore, Nocardia brasiliensis has implications in pharmaceutical development. Its unique metabolic pathways can be explored for the production of bioactive compounds, which may lead to the discovery of new drugs or therapeutic agents. The organism's ability to produce specific enzymes can also be leveraged in the development of biocatalysts for various chemical reactions. Overall, the diverse capabilities of Nocardia brasiliensis in biodegradation, enzyme production, and waste treatment highlight its importance in advancing sustainable industrial practices and developing innovative solutions across multiple sectors.

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

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