Rhodococcus rhodnii

General Information

Rhodococcus rhodnii is a fascinating microorganism primarily known for its symbiotic relationship with the triatomine bug, Rhodnius prolixus, a vector for Chagas disease. This bacterium resides in the gut of the insect and plays a crucial role in its development and survival. One of the most interesting aspects of R. rhodnii is its ability to degrade a wide range of organic compounds, including pollutants and toxic substances, making it a valuable candidate for bioremediation efforts. Additionally, R. rhodnii is notable for its production of bioactive compounds, which have potential applications in pharmaceuticals and agriculture. The bacterium's genome reveals a wealth of genes involved in the synthesis of secondary metabolites, which could be harnessed for the development of new antibiotics or other therapeutic agents. From a research perspective, R. rhodnii offers insights into host-microbe interactions, particularly how symbiotic relationships can influence the biology and ecology of insect vectors. Understanding these interactions can provide new strategies for controlling the spread of vector-borne diseases. Overall, Rhodococcus rhodnii stands out due to its biotechnological potential and its role in the complex life cycle of an important disease vector, making it a subject of significant interest in both environmental and medical microbiology.*

Rhodococcus rhodnii is a fascinating bacterium that belongs to the genus Rhodococcus, which is known for its remarkable metabolic versatility. This organism is particularly interesting due to its ability to degrade a wide range of organic compounds, including complex hydrocarbons and pollutants, making it a valuable candidate for bioremediation applications. Its capacity to metabolize toxic substances such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) highlights its potential in environmental cleanup efforts, especially in contaminated soils and water bodies. Another unique aspect of Rhodococcus rhodnii is its role as a symbiont in the gut of certain insects, particularly in the digestive processes of the cockroach Blattella germanica. This symbiotic relationship suggests that R. rhodnii may contribute to the insect's ability to digest complex plant materials, showcasing its ecological significance. From a research perspective, R. rhodnii has garnered attention for its genetic and biochemical pathways that facilitate the breakdown of xenobiotic compounds. Studies on this bacterium can provide insights into microbial metabolism and the development of biotechnological applications aimed at environmental sustainability. Furthermore, its genetic tractability allows for the exploration of metabolic engineering, which could enhance its capabilities in bioremediation processes. Overall, Rhodococcus rhodnii stands out not only for its environmental applications but also for its intriguing interactions within ecosystems, making it a subject of interest for microbiologists and environmental scientists alike.

Taxonomy

Superkingdom: Bacteria

Phylum: Actinomycetota

Class: Actinomycetes

Order: Mycobacteriales

Family: Nocardiaceae

Genus: Rhodococcus

Species: Rhodococcus rhodnii

NCBI ID

38312

Genome Info

FTP Path:
ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genomes/all/GCF/008/011/915/GCF_008011915.1_ASM801191v1

File for sequence-based predictions:
GCF_008011915.1_ASM801191v1_genomic.fasta

Descriptions

Clinical Implications and Relevance

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

The bacterium Rhodococcus rhodnii is a member of the genus Rhodococcus, which is known for its environmental versatility and ability to degrade various organic compounds. While R. rhodnii is primarily recognized for its role in soil and environmental microbiology, it has been associated with certain clinical implications in humans. Clinical relevance of R. rhodnii includes its potential as an opportunistic pathogen, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. It has been linked to infections such as pneumonia and skin infections, although these cases are relatively rare. The organism's ability to survive in harsh conditions and its metabolic diversity may contribute to its pathogenicity. Furthermore, R. rhodnii exhibits antimicrobial resistance, which poses challenges in treatment. Resistance mechanisms may include the production of beta-lactamases and efflux pumps, complicating the management of infections caused by this organism. In terms of immune evasion, R. rhodnii can manipulate host immune responses, although specific mechanisms are not well-documented. Its presence in clinical settings underscores the importance of monitoring for this organism, especially in patients with compromised immune systems. While R. rhodnii is not commonly associated with outbreaks, its detection in clinical specimens highlights the need for awareness among healthcare providers regarding its potential pathogenicity. Overall, the clinical implications of Rhodococcus rhodnii warrant further investigation to fully understand its role in human health and disease.

Habitat and Ecological Niches

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

Rhodococcus rhodnii is a versatile bacterium commonly found in a variety of habitats and environments, particularly in soil and water ecosystems. This microorganism thrives in terrestrial biomes, where it plays a significant role in the degradation of organic matter, contributing to nutrient cycling and soil health. Its ability to metabolize a wide range of organic compounds makes it an important player in the biodegradation processes within these environments. In addition to its presence in soil, Rhodococcus rhodnii is often associated with plant rhizospheres, where it can engage in beneficial interactions with plant roots. This symbiotic relationship enhances nutrient uptake for the plants while providing the bacterium with a stable environment and organic substrates for growth. Such interactions underscore its role in promoting plant health and soil fertility. Furthermore, Rhodococcus rhodnii has been documented in aquatic environments, where it contributes to the breakdown of pollutants, including hydrocarbons. This capability highlights its potential in bioremediation efforts, making it a valuable organism for restoring contaminated ecosystems. Overall, Rhodococcus rhodnii exemplifies the adaptability of microorganisms to various biomes, showcasing its ecological significance through its roles in nutrient cycling, symbiosis, and environmental remediation.

Industrial Application

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

The microorganism Rhodococcus rhodnii has shown significant potential in various industrial applications due to its versatile metabolic capabilities. One of the most notable areas is in biotechnology, where Rhodococcus rhodnii is utilized for its ability to degrade a wide range of organic compounds, making it valuable in biodegradation processes. This characteristic is particularly useful in the treatment of contaminated environments, such as oil spills, where the organism can break down hydrocarbons effectively. In the realm of waste management, Rhodococcus rhodnii has been employed in bioremediation efforts, where it helps to detoxify hazardous waste by converting harmful substances into less toxic forms. Its enzymatic activity allows it to metabolize complex pollutants, thus playing a crucial role in environmental cleanup initiatives. Moreover, Rhodococcus rhodnii is also explored for its potential in biofuel production. The organism can participate in fermentation processes that convert biomass into biofuels, contributing to sustainable energy solutions. Its ability to utilize various substrates enhances the efficiency of biofuel production, making it a candidate for further research in this field. In pharmaceutical development, Rhodococcus rhodnii has been investigated for its capacity to produce valuable secondary metabolites, which can serve as precursors for drug synthesis. The organism's unique metabolic pathways may lead to the discovery of novel compounds with therapeutic properties. Overall, Rhodococcus rhodnii stands out as a versatile microorganism with promising applications across multiple industries, particularly in biotechnology, waste management, biofuel production, and pharmaceutical development, showcasing its importance in both environmental and industrial contexts.

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	anthropic/claude-3.5-sonnet	meta-llama/llama-3-8b-instruct:nitro	google/palm-2-chat-bison-32k	mistralai/mistral-7b-instruct	anthropic/claude-3-haiku:beta	perplexity/llama-3-sonar-small-32k-chat	google/gemma-7b-it	openchat/openchat-7b	openai/gpt-3.5-turbo-0125	openai/gpt-3.5-turbo-0125	google/gemini-pro-1.5	google/gemini-pro-1.5	google/gemini-flash-1.5	google/gemini-flash-1.5	meta-llama/llama-3-70b-instruct:nitro	meta-llama/llama-3-70b-instruct:nitro	microsoft/wizardlm-2-8x22b	microsoft/wizardlm-2-8x22b	openai/gpt-4o	openai/gpt-4o	openai/gpt-4	openai/gpt-4	microsoft/phi-3-mini-128k-instruct	microsoft/phi-3-mini-128k-instruct	mistralai/mixtral-8x7b-instruct:nitro	mistralai/mixtral-8x7b-instruct:nitro	google/gemini-pro	google/gemini-pro
Motility	N/A	false	false	true	false	false	true	true	false	false	false	false	false	false	false	true	true	false	false	false	false	false	false	false	false	false	false	true	true
Gram staining	gram stain positive	gram stain positive ✓	gram stain positive ✓	gram stain positive ✓	gram stain variable ✗	gram stain positive ✓	gram stain positive ✓	gram stain positive ✓	gram stain positive ✓	N/A	gram stain positive ✓	N/A	gram stain positive ✓	N/A	gram stain positive ✓	N/A	gram stain positive ✓	N/A	gram stain positive ✓	N/A	gram stain positive ✓	N/A	gram stain positive ✓	N/A	gram stain positive ✓	N/A	gram stain positive ✓	N/A	gram stain positive ✓
Aerophilicity	aerobic	aerobic ✓	aerotolerant ✗	aerobic ✓	aerotolerant ✗	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	N/A	N/A	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	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	false ✓	true ✗	false ✓	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓
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	true
Animal pathogenicity	FALSE	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	true ✗
Biosafety level	biosafety level 1	biosafety level 1 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✗	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 2 ✗	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 ✗
Health association	N/A	true	true	true	false	true	true	true	true	false	false	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	false	false	true	true	true	true
Host association	FALSE	false ✓	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	false ✓	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	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 ✓	false ✓	false ✓
Spore formation	FALSE	false ✓	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓
Hemolysis	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	gamma	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
Cell shape	bacillus	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	coccus ✗	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	coccus ✗	coccus ✗	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	coccus ✗	coccus ✗	coccus ✗	coccus ✗	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓

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