Alcaligenes faecalis

General Information

Alcaligenes faecalis is a fascinating microorganism that belongs to the genus Alcaligenes. This bacterium is particularly interesting due to its versatile metabolic capabilities and its ability to thrive in diverse environments. One of the most notable features of A. faecalis is its ability to produce alkaline reactions in various media, which is a distinctive trait that can be used for its identification in laboratory settings. Alcaligenes faecalis is also known for its bioremediation potential. It has been studied for its ability to degrade a variety of pollutants, including aromatic compounds and heavy metals, making it a valuable organism for environmental cleanup efforts. This capability is attributed to its diverse enzymatic machinery that can break down complex organic molecules. In the medical field, A. faecalis has been isolated from clinical specimens, although it is generally considered to be of low pathogenicity. However, it can be an opportunistic pathogen, particularly in immunocompromised individuals, where it may cause infections such as bacteremia and urinary tract infections. From a research perspective, Alcaligenes faecalis is also of interest due to its resistance to certain antibiotics. This resistance can provide insights into the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance and help in the development of new antimicrobial strategies. Overall, Alcaligenes faecalis is a microorganism with a wide range of applications and characteristics that make it a subject of ongoing scientific interest.

Alcaligenes faecalis is a fascinating bacterium that belongs to the family Alcaligenaceae. This organism is notable for its ability to thrive in a variety of environments, including soil, water, and even in the intestines of humans and animals. One of the most interesting aspects of A. faecalis is its metabolic versatility; it can utilize a wide range of organic compounds as carbon sources, which makes it a valuable organism for bioremediation efforts. This capability allows it to break down pollutants and contribute to environmental cleanup processes. Another unique characteristic of A. faecalis is its production of enzymes that can degrade complex organic materials, including certain types of plastics. This feature has garnered attention in research focused on waste management and sustainable practices. The potential for A. faecalis to be used in biotechnological applications, such as the development of biodegradable materials, is an area of active investigation. Furthermore, A. faecalis has been studied for its role in the human microbiome. While it is generally considered non-pathogenic, there have been rare cases where it has been implicated in opportunistic infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. This duality of being both a beneficial and potentially harmful organism makes it a subject of interest in medical microbiology. In summary, Alcaligenes faecalis stands out due to its metabolic flexibility, environmental significance, and role in human health, making it a valuable organism for both ecological and medical research.

Taxonomy

Superkingdom: Bacteria

Phylum: Pseudomonadota

Class: Betaproteobacteria

Order: Burkholderiales

Family: Alcaligenaceae

Genus: Alcaligenes

Species: Alcaligenes faecalis

NCBI ID

511

Genome Info

FTP Path:
ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genomes/all/GCA/000/967/305/GCA_000967305.2_ASM96730v2

File for sequence-based predictions:
GCA_000967305.2_ASM96730v2_genomic.fasta

Descriptions

Clinical Implications and Relevance

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

The bacterium Alcaligenes faecalis is a Gram-negative, non-fermentative rod that is part of the normal flora of the human gastrointestinal tract. While it is generally considered a commensal organism, it has been associated with various clinical implications, particularly in immunocompromised patients. Infections caused by A. faecalis can include bacteremia, pneumonia, and wound infections, especially in individuals with underlying health conditions or those undergoing invasive procedures. One of the significant concerns regarding A. faecalis is its potential for antimicrobial resistance. This organism has shown resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics, including beta-lactams and aminoglycosides, which complicates treatment options for infections. The mechanisms of resistance may involve the production of beta-lactamases and efflux pumps, which can expel antibiotics from the bacterial cell, thereby reducing their efficacy. In terms of immune evasion, A. faecalis can modulate the host's immune response, potentially leading to persistent infections. It has been noted for its ability to survive in hostile environments, which may contribute to its pathogenicity in certain clinical settings. Despite its potential pathogenicity, A. faecalis has also been explored for medical applications, particularly in the context of probiotics. Some studies suggest that certain strains may have beneficial effects on gut health, although more research is needed to fully understand these implications. Overall, while Alcaligenes faecalis is not a common pathogen, its role in nosocomial infections and its resistance profiles make it a relevant organism in clinical microbiology, particularly in the context of patient care in healthcare settings.

Habitat and Ecological Niches

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

Alcaligenes faecalis is a versatile bacterium commonly found in various habitat types and environments, particularly in soil and water ecosystems. This microorganism thrives in aerobic conditions and is often associated with organic matter decomposition, playing a crucial role in nutrient cycling within these biomes. Its ability to degrade a wide range of organic compounds makes it an important player in the biodegradation processes, contributing to the health of the ecosystem by breaking down pollutants and organic waste. In addition to its presence in natural environments, Alcaligenes faecalis is frequently isolated from human-made environments, such as wastewater treatment plants and industrial settings, where it aids in the breakdown of complex organic materials. This adaptability highlights its role in bioremediation, where it can help mitigate environmental contamination. Furthermore, Alcaligenes faecalis exhibits notable interactions with its surroundings, including potential symbiotic relationships with plants. It can enhance plant growth by promoting nutrient availability and may also contribute to the suppression of certain plant pathogens, showcasing its importance in agricultural ecosystems. Overall, Alcaligenes faecalis is a key organism in various biomes, contributing to ecological balance, nutrient cycling, and environmental health through its diverse metabolic capabilities and interactions.

Industrial Application

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

The microorganism Alcaligenes faecalis has demonstrated significant potential in various industrial applications. One of the primary areas is in biotechnology, where it is utilized for its ability to perform fermentation processes. This organism can convert organic substrates into valuable products, including organic acids and alcohols, which are essential in the production of biodegradable plastics and other biochemicals. In the realm of waste management, Alcaligenes faecalis is known for its capability to degrade pollutants, particularly in the treatment of wastewater. It can effectively break down complex organic compounds, making it a valuable asset in biodegradation processes aimed at reducing environmental contaminants. Furthermore, this microorganism plays a role in biofuel production. Its metabolic pathways can be harnessed to produce bioethanol and other biofuels through fermentation, contributing to sustainable energy solutions. In pharmaceutical development, Alcaligenes faecalis has been explored for its potential in the production of enzymes and other bioactive compounds. These enzymes can be used in various applications, including drug formulation and as catalysts in chemical reactions. Overall, Alcaligenes faecalis showcases versatility across multiple industries, particularly in waste treatment, biodegradation, and enzyme production, making it a valuable microorganism in the pursuit of sustainable industrial practices.

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-flash-1.5	google/gemma-7b-it	microsoft/phi-3-mini-128k-instruct	mistralai/mixtral-8x7b-instruct:nitro	anthropic/claude-3.5-sonnet	meta-llama/llama-3-8b-instruct:nitro	google/palm-2-chat-bison-32k	meta-llama/llama-3-70b-instruct:nitro	perplexity/llama-3-sonar-small-32k-chat	mistralai/mistral-7b-instruct	openai/gpt-3.5-turbo-0125	openai/gpt-3.5-turbo-0125	google/gemini-pro-1.5	google/gemini-pro-1.5	openai/gpt-4o	openai/gpt-4o	openai/gpt-4	openai/gpt-4	anthropic/claude-3-haiku:beta	anthropic/claude-3-haiku:beta	openchat/openchat-7b	openchat/openchat-7b	microsoft/wizardlm-2-8x22b	microsoft/wizardlm-2-8x22b	google/gemini-pro	google/gemini-pro
Motility	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
Gram staining	gram stain positive	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	N/A	N/A	facultatively anaerobic ✗	facultatively anaerobic ✗	N/A	N/A	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	false ✓	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓
Biofilm formation	N/A	true	true	false	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	TRUE	false ✗	true ✓	false ✗	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓
Biosafety level	biosafety level 2	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗	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 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 1 ✗	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓
Health association	N/A	true	true	false	true	true	true	false	true	true	true	false	false	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	false	false	true	true	true	true
Host association	TRUE	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	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 ✓
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	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 ✓

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