Vitreoscilla Explained

Vitreoscilla is a genus of Gram-negative aerobic bacterium.^[1] The bacterial haemoglobin (VHb) was first discovered from Vitreoscilla, and VHb is found to have a wide range of biological and biotechnological applications including promotion of cell growth, protein synthesis, metabolite productivity, respiration, cellular detoxification, fermentation, and biodegradation.^[2]

Etymology

The generic name is derived from the Latin adjective vitreus, which means clear or transparent; and the noun oscillum, meaning a swing. Thus Vitreoscilla is used to describe the bacterium as the transparent swing or oscillator, the way it exhibits locomotion.

Species

There are three valid species under the genus, namely^[3]

• Vitreoscilla beggiatoides Pringsheim 1949 (type species)
• Vitreoscilla filiformis (ex Pringsheim 1951) Strohl et al. 1986
• Vitreoscilla stercoraria Pringsheim 1951

Structure

Members of Vitreoscilla are obligate aerobic bacteria, which are morphologically colourless filaments that contain cells with diameters of 1-3 μm and 1-12 μm long. Each filament may contain from 1 to 40 cells. Locomotion is by gliding, and no special locomotor organelles are present. The cell walls are composed of the amino acids alanine, glutamate, and diaminopimelic acid, with approximate molar ratios of 2:1:1.^{[4] [5]}

Importance

Vitreoscilla bacteria have a unique property in that they produces a type of haemoglobin, VHb. This molecule unlike classic haemoglobin is composed only of a single globin molecule.^[6] VHb is known to have a wide variety of functions including improving cell growth, protein synthesis, enhanced metabolism, nitric oxide detoxification, increase respiration and production of ethanol.^[2] Some of these properties have been exploited as potential benefits in biotechnology and industry.^{[7] [8]}

See also

• VHb (hemoglobin)

External links

• Taxonomic Database
• Taxonomy at EurocarbDB
• Encyclopedia of Life
• Taxonomy at The Taxonomicon
• NCBI Taxonomic Browser
• Protin Data Bank
• Taxonomic information
• Information at Protein Quest

Notes and References

1. Book: ((Skerman VBD)), McGowan V, ((Sneath PHA)). Approved Lists of Bacterial Names (Amended) . 1989 . ASM Press . Washington, DC . 20806452 . 978-1-55581-014-6 .
2. Stark BC, Dikshit KL, Pagilla KR . Recent advances in understanding the structure, function, and biotechnological usefulness of the hemoglobin from the bacterium Vitreoscilla . Biotechnol Lett . 33 . 9 . 1705–1714 . 2011 . 21603987. 10.1007/s10529-011-0621-9 .
3. Web site: Euzéby JP. List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature - Genus Vitreoscilla . . 2013-05-31.
4. Costerton JW, Murray RG, Robinow CF . Observations on the motility and the structure of Vitreoscilla . Can J Microbiol . 7 . 329–339 . 1961 . 13695850. 10.1139/m61-040.
5. Web site: Fackrell H . Vitreoscilla . 1998. uwindsor.ca. University of Windsor. 2013-06-19.
6. Stark BC, Dikshit KL, Pagilla KR . The Biochemistry of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin . Computational and Structural Biotechnology Journal . 3 . 4 . e201210002 . 2012 . 10.5936/csbj.201210002 . 3962134 .
7. Yu H, Shen Z . Progress in research of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin and Vitreoscilla hemoglobin gene . Wei Sheng Wu Xue Bao . 39 . 5 . 478–482 . 1999 . 12555532 .
8. Isarankura-Na-Ayudhya C, Panpumthong P, Tangkosakul T, Boonpangrak S, Prachayasittikul V . Shedding light on the role of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin on cellular catabolic regulation by proteomic analysis . Int J Biol Sci . 4 . 2 . 71–82 . 2008 . 18345284 . 2267286. 10.7150/ijbs.4.71.