Putrefying/decay bacteria are

bacteria Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were among ...

involved in

putrefaction Putrefaction is the fifth stage of death, following pallor mortis, algor mortis, rigor mortis, and livor mortis. This process references the breaking down of a body of an animal, such as a human, post-mortem. In broad terms, it can be viewed ...

of living matter. Along with other

decomposer Decomposers are organisms that break down dead or decaying organisms; they carry out decomposition, a process possible by only certain kingdoms, such as fungi. Like herbivores and predators, decomposers are heterotrophic, meaning that they use o ...

s, they play a critical role in recycling nitrogen from dead organisms. Putrefying bacteria also play a role in putrefaction and fermentation of proteins in the human

gastrointestinal tract The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The GI tract contains all the major organ (biology), organs of the digestive syste ...

Putrefying bacteria is a broad term used to define several species of bacteria involved in decomposition and fermentation. Putrefying bacteria play a key role in decomposing and fermenting substances within the body as well as the body itself after death. Putrefaction is defined as the final step of decomposition after death. Because these bacteria play a role in decomposition after death, putrefying bacteria also play a key role in the nitrogen cycle. They deconstruct and convert substances from dead organisms so nitrifying bacteria can then convert these products into a usable form of nitrogen.

Putrefying Bacteria in the Nitrogen Cycle

The nitrogen cycle is a vital part of life, and is essential to carry out biosynthesis of nitrogen containing compounds. Nitrogen is inaccessible to most organisms unless it is fixed, and this process can only be carried out by certain classes of prokaryotes.Wagner SC (2011). "Biological Nitrogen Fixation". Nature Education Knowledge. 3 (10): 15. Archived from the original on 13 September 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2021 Putrefying bacteria use

amino acid Amino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. Although hundreds of amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the alpha-amino acids, which comprise proteins. Only 22 alpha am ...

s or

urea Urea, also known as carbamide, is an organic compound with chemical formula . This amide has two amino groups (–) joined by a carbonyl functional group (–C(=O)–). It is thus the simplest amide of carbamic acid. Urea serves an important r ...

as an energy source to decompose dead organisms. In the process, they produce

ammonium The ammonium cation is a positively-charged polyatomic ion with the chemical formula or . It is formed by the protonation of ammonia (). Ammonium is also a general name for positively charged or protonated substituted amines and quaternary a ...

ions. Nitrifying bacteria then convert this ammonium into

nitrate Nitrate is a polyatomic ion A polyatomic ion, also known as a molecular ion, is a covalent bonded set of two or more atoms, or of a metal complex, that can be considered to behave as a single unit and that has a net charge that is not zer ...

by oxidation, which can then be used by plants to create more proteins thus completing the nitrogen cycle. This process is called nitrification. Energy from this oxidation reaction can also be used to synthesize organic compounds in a process called chemosynthesis.

Putrefaction

Putrefaction Putrefaction is the fifth stage of death, following pallor mortis, algor mortis, rigor mortis, and livor mortis. This process references the breaking down of a body of an animal, such as a human, post-mortem. In broad terms, it can be viewed ...

is considered the final step following death, and is carried out mainly by

anaerobic organism An anaerobic organism or anaerobe is any organism that does not require molecular oxygen for growth. It may react negatively or even die if free oxygen is present. In contrast, an aerobic organism (aerobe) is an organism that requires an oxygenate ...

s from the bowel. Putrefying bacteria produce a plethora of

enzymes Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrate (chemistry), substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecule ...

which aid in disintegration of the body. Because of the lack of immune function within the body, these bacteria spread through blood vessels and utilize the carbohydrates and proteins in the blood as an energy source.Rao, Dinesh (2013). "Putrefaction". ''Dr. Dinesh Rao's Forensic Pathology''. forensicpathologyonline.com. Retrieved 14 October 2021. The main bacterial species carrying out putrefaction is ''Cl. welchii''.Vij (January 1, 2008). Textbook of Forensic Medicine And Toxicology: Principles And Practice. Elsevier India. pp. 142–4. ISBN 978-81-312-1129-8. This bacterium contributes to gas formation, breakdown of remaining blood clots, disintegration of tissue, and marked hemolysis. This breakdown begins immediately after death, but is not noticeable to the naked eye until several hours after death. Within the following days, the body will begin to break down. The three characteristics of putrefaction are discoloration, disfiguration, and dissolution. There are many factors that could affect the rate of putrefaction in animals such as age, body composition, temperature, and if the body is located in a wet or dry area. Temperature must be between 0 °C and 48 °C for putrefaction to occur. The established bacterial community also play a role in rate of putrefaction. Newborn children that have not been fed will decompose slower than a toddler's body because of the lack of an established gut microbiota. Older individuals tend to decompose slower than younger individuals. Individuals with inflammatory disease, eating disorders, sepsis, and other conditions that affect gut microbiota will all decompose at different rates.

Putrefying Bacteria in Gut

The gut

microbiome A microbiome () is the community of microorganisms that can usually be found living together in any given habitat. It was defined more precisely in 1988 by Whipps ''et al.'' as "a characteristic microbial community occupying a reasonably well ...

plays a huge role in human health, and having a healthy bacterial community is essential to living a healthy life. Bacteria aid in digestion of nutrients that a human's gastrointestinal tract could not process on its own. Putrefying bacteria in the gut play a key role in fermenting or decomposing proteins not broken down by the body.Kaur, Harrisham, et al. “In Silico Analysis of Putrefaction Pathways in Bacteria and Its Implication in Colorectal Cancer.” Frontiers, Frontiers, 1 Jan. 1AD, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2017.02166. The process of fermentation and putrefaction mainly occurs in the distal colon. These bacteria contribute to the number of metabolites in the large intestine. The gut microbial community is extremely diverse, and putrefying bacteria include a diverse range of bacterial species.Diether NE, Willing BP. Microbial Fermentation of Dietary Protein: An Important Factor in Diet–Microbe–Host Interaction. Microorganisms. 2019; 7(1):19. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms7010019 Some of these bacteria include ''Bacillus, Clostridium, Enterobacter, Escherichia, Fusobacterium, Salmonella'', etc. These bacterial communities are established by diet, and the microbial modes of transmission. Today's research has not yet fully explored the implications of putrefying bacteria in the human gut microbiome, however current data suggests these bacteria could be helpful or harmful to our systems depending on the circumstances. Some of the products of putrefying pathways such as Indole has been shown to help protect against intestinal worms. Some putrefying bacteria such as '' Fusobacteriota'' (formerly ''Fusobacteria'') contribute to harmful cancer and disease, such as

colorectal carcinoma Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowel ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Putrefying Bacteria Alchemical processes Bacteria

Putrefying Bacteria in the Nitrogen Cycle

Putrefaction

Putrefying Bacteria in Gut

See also

References