Actinomyces johnsonii

General Information

Actinomyces johnsonii is a fascinating microorganism belonging to the genus Actinomyces, which is known for its complex and branching filamentous structures. This bacterium is particularly interesting due to its role in the human microbiome, especially within the oral cavity. A. johnsonii is part of the normal flora of the mouth and throat, contributing to the maintenance of oral health by competing with pathogenic microorganisms. One of the key characteristics of A. johnsonii is its ability to produce a variety of enzymes that can break down complex organic materials. This enzymatic activity is not only crucial for its survival but also has potential applications in biotechnology and industrial processes. For instance, the enzymes produced by A. johnsonii could be harnessed for the degradation of environmental pollutants or the processing of agricultural waste. Another noteworthy aspect of A. johnsonii is its involvement in the formation of dental plaque. While it is generally a commensal organism, under certain conditions, it can contribute to the development of dental caries and periodontal disease. This dual role makes it a subject of interest in dental research, as understanding its behavior and interactions with other oral microbes could lead to better preventive and therapeutic strategies for oral health issues. In addition to its oral presence, A. johnsonii has been isolated from various other environments, indicating its adaptability and ecological versatility. This adaptability is a testament to its robust metabolic capabilities and resilience in diverse conditions. Overall, Actinomyces johnsonii is a microorganism of significant interest due to its enzymatic potential, role in oral health, and ecological versatility. Its study not only enhances our understanding of the human microbiome but also opens up possibilities for biotechnological applications.

Actinomyces johnsonii is a fascinating member of the Actinobacteria phylum, known for its role in the human microbiome, particularly within the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract. This organism is notable for its ability to contribute to the maintenance of oral health by participating in the complex microbial community that helps prevent the overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria. Its presence is often associated with a balanced microbiota, which is crucial for preventing dental diseases such as caries and periodontal disease. One of the unique aspects of A. johnsonii is its metabolic versatility, allowing it to utilize a variety of substrates for growth. This adaptability makes it an interesting subject for research into microbial ecology and the interactions within the gut microbiome. Studies have shown that it can metabolize complex carbohydrates, which may have implications for understanding dietary influences on gut health and disease. Furthermore, A. johnsonii has been investigated for its potential probiotic properties. Research suggests that it may play a role in modulating immune responses and maintaining gut barrier integrity, making it a candidate for therapeutic applications in gastrointestinal disorders. Its interactions with other microbial species also provide insights into synergistic relationships that can enhance our understanding of microbial dynamics in health and disease. In summary, Actinomyces johnsonii stands out due to its contributions to oral and gut health, its metabolic capabilities, and its potential as a probiotic, making it a valuable organism for ongoing research in microbiology and health sciences.

Taxonomy

Superkingdom: Bacteria

Phylum: Actinomycetota

Class: Actinomycetes

Order: Actinomycetales

Family: Actinomycetaceae

Genus: Actinomyces

Species: Actinomyces johnsonii

NCBI ID

544581

Genome Info

FTP Path:
ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genomes/all/GCF/006/546/835/GCF_006546835.1_ASM654683v1

File for sequence-based predictions:
GCF_006546835.1_ASM654683v1_genomic.fasta

Descriptions

Clinical Implications and Relevance

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

The bacterium Actinomyces johnsonii is a member of the normal flora of the human oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract. While it is generally considered a commensal organism, it has been associated with various clinical implications, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. Infections caused by A. johnsonii are rare but can occur, leading to conditions such as actinomycosis, which is characterized by chronic granulomatous lesions. These infections often require prolonged antibiotic therapy for resolution. One of the notable aspects of A. johnsonii is its potential role in oral health. It has been studied for its ability to contribute to the balance of the oral microbiome, which may help in preventing periodontal diseases. Furthermore, some strains of A. johnsonii have been investigated for their potential as probiotics, suggesting a beneficial role in gut health and possibly in the modulation of the immune response. In terms of antimicrobial resistance, there is limited data on the resistance patterns of A. johnsonii, but like many members of the Actinobacteria phylum, it may exhibit intrinsic resistance to certain antibiotics. This highlights the importance of appropriate antibiotic selection in treating infections associated with this organism. Overall, while A. johnsonii is primarily a benign inhabitant of the human microbiome, its potential to cause disease under specific circumstances and its role in maintaining oral and gut health underscore its clinical relevance.

Habitat and Ecological Niches

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

Actinomyces johnsonii is a bacterium commonly found in the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract of humans and other mammals. This microorganism thrives in environments that are rich in organic matter, particularly in areas where there is a high concentration of microbial diversity and nutrient availability. Oral Biome: In the oral cavity, A. johnsonii plays a significant role in the microbial community by contributing to the breakdown of complex carbohydrates and proteins. It is often found in association with other bacteria, forming a part of the biofilm on teeth and gums. This symbiotic relationship helps maintain oral health by preventing the overgrowth of pathogenic organisms. Gastrointestinal Tract: Within the gastrointestinal tract, A. johnsonii is involved in the fermentation of dietary fibers, producing short-chain fatty acids that are beneficial for gut health. Its presence is crucial for maintaining a balanced gut microbiome, which aids in digestion and nutrient absorption. The bacterium also interacts with the host's immune system, potentially influencing inflammatory responses and overall gut health. In summary, Actinomyces johnsonii is an important member of the microbial ecosystems in both the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract, contributing to nutrient cycling, maintaining microbial balance, and supporting host health through its various ecological roles.

Industrial Application

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

The microorganism Actinomyces johnsonii has shown potential in various industrial applications, particularly in the fields of biotechnology, waste management, and pharmaceutical development. This organism is known for its ability to participate in fermentation processes, which can be harnessed for the production of bioactive compounds and metabolites. For instance, Actinomyces johnsonii can be utilized in the fermentation of carbohydrates, leading to the production of organic acids that are valuable in food preservation and flavor enhancement. In the realm of waste management, Actinomyces johnsonii has demonstrated capabilities in biodegradation, particularly in the breakdown of complex organic materials. This property can be leveraged in composting and the treatment of organic waste, contributing to more sustainable waste management practices. Moreover, the enzymatic activity of Actinomyces johnsonii is noteworthy, as it can produce various enzymes that are useful in biotechnology applications, such as the degradation of polysaccharides. These enzymes can be applied in the production of biofuels, where the breakdown of plant biomass into fermentable sugars is a critical step in bioethanol production. In pharmaceutical development, the metabolites produced by Actinomyces johnsonii may have therapeutic properties, making it a candidate for further research in drug discovery and development. Overall, the diverse capabilities of Actinomyces johnsonii in these industrial sectors highlight its significance as a valuable microorganism in modern biotechnology.

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

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