Clostridium ramosum
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Clostridium'' is a
genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of anaerobic,
Gram-positive bacteria In bacteriology, gram-positive bacteria are bacteria that give a positive result in the Gram stain test, which is traditionally used to quickly classify bacteria into two broad categories according to their type of cell wall. Gram-positive bact ...
. Species of ''Clostridium'' inhabit soils and the intestinal tract of animals, including humans. This genus includes several significant human
pathogen In biology, a pathogen ( el, πάθος, "suffering", "passion" and , "producer of") in the oldest and broadest sense, is any organism or agent that can produce disease. A pathogen may also be referred to as an infectious agent, or simply a germ ...
s, including the causative agents of botulism and
tetanus Tetanus, also known as lockjaw, is a bacterial infection caused by ''Clostridium tetani'', and is characterized by muscle spasms. In the most common type, the spasms begin in the jaw and then progress to the rest of the body. Each spasm usually ...
. It also formerly included an important cause of diarrhea, '' Clostridioides difficile'', which was reclassified into the ''
Clostridioides ''Clostridioides'' is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria, which includes ''Clostridioides difficile'', a human pathogen causing an infectious diarrhea. __TOC__ Taxonomy The genus ''Clostridioides'' was created to describe a few species formerly in ...
'' genus in 2016.


History

In the late 1700s, Germany experienced a number of outbreaks of an illness that seemed connected to eating certain sausages. In 1817, the German neurologist Justinus Kerner detected rod-shaped cells in his investigations into this so-called sausage poisoning. In 1897, the Belgian biology professor
Emile van Ermengem Emil or Emile may refer to: Literature *''Emile, or On Education'' (1762), a treatise on education by Jean-Jacques Rousseau * ''Émile'' (novel) (1827), an autobiographical novel based on Émile de Girardin's early life *''Emil and the Detective ...
published his finding of an endospore-forming organism he isolated from spoiled ham. Biologists classified van Ermengem's discovery along with other known gram-positive spore formers in the genus '' Bacillus''. This classification presented problems, however, because the isolate grew only in anaerobic conditions, but ''Bacillus'' grew well in oxygen. Circa 1880, in the course of studying
fermentation Fermentation is a metabolic process that produces chemical changes in organic substrates through the action of enzymes. In biochemistry, it is narrowly defined as the extraction of energy from carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen. In food ...
and
butyric acid Butyric acid (; from grc, βούτῡρον, meaning "butter"), also known under the systematic name butanoic acid, is a straight-chain alkyl carboxylic acid with the chemical formula CH3CH2CH2CO2H. It is an oily, colorless liquid with an unple ...
synthesis, a scientist surnamed Prazmowski first assigned a binomial name to ''Clostridium butyricum''. The mechanisms of
anaerobic respiration Anaerobic respiration is respiration using electron acceptors other than molecular oxygen (O2). Although oxygen is not the final electron acceptor, the process still uses a respiratory electron transport chain. In aerobic organisms undergoing re ...
were still not yet well elucidated at that time, so taxonomy of anaerobes was still nascent. In 1924, Ida A. Bengtson separated van Ermengem's microorganisms from the ''Bacillus'' group and assigned them to the genus ''Clostridium''. By Bengtson's classification scheme, ''Clostridium'' contained all of the anaerobic endospore-forming rod-shaped bacteria, except the genus ''
Desulfotomaculum ''Desulfotomaculum'' is a genus of Gram-positive, obligately anaerobic soil bacteria. A type of sulfate-reducing bacteria, ''Desulfotomaculum'' can cause food spoilage in poorly processed canned foods. Their presence can be identified by the re ...
''.


Taxonomy

As of October 2022, there are 164 validly published species in ''Clostridium''.Page ''Genus: Clostridium'' on The genus, as traditionally defined, contains many organisms not closely related to its
type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specimen ...
. The issue was originally illustrated in full detail by a
rRNA Ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) is a type of non-coding RNA which is the primary component of ribosomes, essential to all cells. rRNA is a ribozyme which carries out protein synthesis in ribosomes. Ribosomal RNA is transcribed from ribosoma ...
phylogeny from Collins 1994, which split the traditional genus (now corresponding to a large slice of Clostridia) into twenty clusters, with cluster ''I'' containing the type species and its close relatives. Over the years, this has resulted in many new genera being split out, with the ultimate goal of constraining ''Clostridium'' to cluster ''I''. "Clostridium" cluster ''XIVa'' and "Clostridium" cluster ''IV'' efficiently ferment plant polysaccharide composing dietary fiber, making them important and abundant taxa in the
rumen The rumen, also known as a paunch, is the largest stomach compartment in ruminants and the larger part of the reticulorumen, which is the first chamber in the alimentary canal of ruminant animals. The rumen's microbial favoring environment allow ...
and the human large intestine. As mentioned before, these clusters are not part of current ''Clostridium'', and use of these terms should be avoided due to ambiguous or inconsistent usage.


Biochemistry

Species of ''Clostridium'' are obligate anaerobe and capable of producing
endospore An endospore is a dormant, tough, and non-reproductive structure produced by some bacteria in the phylum Bacillota. The name "endospore" is suggestive of a spore or seed-like form (''endo'' means 'within'), but it is not a true spore (i.e., no ...
s. They generally stain gram-positive, but as well as '' Bacillus'', are often described as Gram-variable, because they show an increasing number of gram-negative cells as the culture ages. The normal, reproducing cells of ''Clostridium'', called the vegetative form, are
rod-shaped A bacillus (), also called a bacilliform bacterium or often just a rod (when the context makes the sense clear), is a rod-shaped bacterium or archaeon. Bacilli are found in many different taxonomic groups of bacteria. However, the name ''Bacillu ...
, which gives them their name, from the Greek κλωστήρ or spindle. ''Clostridium'' Endospores have a distinct bowling pin or bottle shape, distinguishing them from other bacterial endospores, which are usually ovoid in shape. The Schaeffer-Fulton stain (0.5% malachite green in water) can be used to distinguish endospores of ''Bacillus'' and ''Clostridium'' from other microorganisms. ''Clostridium'' can be differentiated from the also Endspore forming genus ''Bacillus'' by its obligate anaerobic growth, the shape of endospores and the lack of
catalase Catalase is a common enzyme found in nearly all living organisms exposed to oxygen (such as bacteria, plants, and animals) which catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen. It is a very important enzyme in protecting t ...
. Species of ''
Desulfotomaculum ''Desulfotomaculum'' is a genus of Gram-positive, obligately anaerobic soil bacteria. A type of sulfate-reducing bacteria, ''Desulfotomaculum'' can cause food spoilage in poorly processed canned foods. Their presence can be identified by the re ...
'' form similar endospores and can be distinguished by their requirement for sulfur.
Glycolysis Glycolysis is the metabolic pathway that converts glucose () into pyruvate (). The free energy released in this process is used to form the high-energy molecules adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH ...
and
fermentation Fermentation is a metabolic process that produces chemical changes in organic substrates through the action of enzymes. In biochemistry, it is narrowly defined as the extraction of energy from carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen. In food ...
of
pyruvic acid Pyruvic acid (CH3COCOOH) is the simplest of the alpha-keto acids, with a carboxylic acid and a ketone functional group. Pyruvate, the conjugate base, CH3COCOO−, is an intermediate in several metabolic pathways throughout the cell. Pyruvic aci ...
by Clostridia yield the end products
butyric acid Butyric acid (; from grc, βούτῡρον, meaning "butter"), also known under the systematic name butanoic acid, is a straight-chain alkyl carboxylic acid with the chemical formula CH3CH2CH2CO2H. It is an oily, colorless liquid with an unple ...
, butanol,
acetone Acetone (2-propanone or dimethyl ketone), is an organic compound with the formula . It is the simplest and smallest ketone (). It is a colorless, highly volatile and flammable liquid with a characteristic pungent odour. Acetone is miscib ...
,
isopropanol Isopropyl alcohol (IUPAC name propan-2-ol and also called isopropanol or 2-propanol) is a colorless, flammable organic compound with a pungent alcoholic odor. As an isopropyl group linked to a hydroxyl group (chemical formula ) it is the simple ...
, and
carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide (chemical formula ) is a chemical compound made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in the gas state at room temperature. In the air, carbon dioxide is transpar ...
. There is a commercially available
polymerase chain reaction The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a method widely used to rapidly make millions to billions of copies (complete or partial) of a specific DNA sample, allowing scientists to take a very small sample of DNA and amplify it (or a part of it) t ...
(PCR) test kit (Bactotype) for the detection of ''C. perfringens'' and other pathogenic bacteria.


Biology and pathogenesis

''Clostridium'' species are readily found inhabiting soils and intestinal tracts. ''Clostridium'' species are also a normal
inhabitant Domicile is relevant to an individual's "personal law," which includes the law that governs a person's status and their property. It is independent of a person's nationality. Although a domicile may change from time to time, a person has only one ...
of the healthy lower reproductive tract of females. The main species responsible for
disease A disease is a particular abnormal condition that negatively affects the structure or function of all or part of an organism, and that is not immediately due to any external injury. Diseases are often known to be medical conditions that a ...
in humans are: * '' Clostridium botulinum'' can produce
botulinum toxin Botulinum toxin, or botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), is a neurotoxic protein produced by the bacterium ''Clostridium botulinum'' and related species. It prevents the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from axon endings at the neuromusc ...
in food or wounds and can cause botulism. This same toxin is known as Botox and is used in
cosmetic surgery Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty involving the restoration, reconstruction or alteration of the human body. It can be divided into two main categories: reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery includes craniofa ...
to paralyze facial muscles to reduce the signs of aging; it also has numerous other
therapeutic A therapy or medical treatment (often abbreviated tx, Tx, or Tx) is the attempted remediation of a health problem, usually following a medical diagnosis. As a rule, each therapy has indications and contraindications. There are many different ...
uses. * '' Clostridium perfringens'' causes a wide range of symptoms, from
food poisoning Foodborne illness (also foodborne disease and food poisoning) is any illness resulting from the spoilage of contaminated food by pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or parasites that contaminate food, as well as prions (the agents of mad cow disease) ...
to cellulitis,
fasciitis Fasciitis is an inflammation of the fascia, which is the connective tissue surrounding muscles, blood vessels and nerves. In particular, it often involves one of the following diseases: * Necrotizing fasciitis * Plantar fasciitis * Ischemic fasc ...
, necrotic enteritis and gas gangrene. * ''
Clostridium tetani ''Clostridium tetani'' is a common soil bacterium and the causative agent of tetanus. Vegetative cells of ''Clostridium tetani'' are usually rod-shaped and up to 2.5 μm long, but they become enlarged and tennis racket- or drumstick-shaped when ...
'' causes
tetanus Tetanus, also known as lockjaw, is a bacterial infection caused by ''Clostridium tetani'', and is characterized by muscle spasms. In the most common type, the spasms begin in the jaw and then progress to the rest of the body. Each spasm usually ...
. Several more pathogens were previously described in ''Clostridium'', but have been moved to other genera with additional research. * ''
Clostridium difficile ''Clostridioides difficile'' (syn. ''Clostridium difficile'') is a bacterium that is well known for causing serious diarrheal infections, and may also cause colon cancer. Also known as ''C. difficile'', or ''C. diff'' (), is Gram-positive spec ...
'', now placed in ''Clostridioides''. * ''
Clostridium histolyticum ''Hathewaya histolytica'' (formerly ''Clostridium histolyticum'') is a species of bacteria found in feces and the soil. It is a motile, gram-positive, aerotolerant anaerobe. ''H. histolytica'' is pathogenic in many species, including guinea pigs ...
'', now placed in ''Hathewaya''. * '' Clostridium sordellii'', now placed in ''Paeniclostridium'', can cause a fatal infection in exceptionally rare cases after medical abortions.


Treatment

In general, the treatment of clostridial infection is high-dose
penicillin G Benzylpenicillin, also known as penicillin G (PenG) or BENPEN, and in military slang "Peanut Butter Shot" is an antibiotic used to treat a number of bacterial infections. This includes pneumonia, strep throat, syphilis, necrotizing enterocolitis ...
, to which the organism has remained susceptible. '' Clostridium welchii'' and ''
Clostridium tetani ''Clostridium tetani'' is a common soil bacterium and the causative agent of tetanus. Vegetative cells of ''Clostridium tetani'' are usually rod-shaped and up to 2.5 μm long, but they become enlarged and tennis racket- or drumstick-shaped when ...
'' respond to
sulfonamide In organic chemistry, the sulfonamide functional group (also spelled sulphonamide) is an organosulfur group with the structure . It consists of a sulfonyl group () connected to an amine group (). Relatively speaking this group is unreactive. ...
s. Clostridia are also susceptible to
tetracycline Tetracycline, sold under various brand names, is an oral antibiotic in the tetracyclines family of medications, used to treat a number of infections, including Acne vulgaris, acne, cholera, brucellosis, plague (disease), plague, malaria, and sy ...
s,
carbapenem Carbapenems are a class of very effective antibiotic agents most commonly used for the treatment of severe bacterial infections. This class of antibiotics is usually reserved for known or suspected multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections. ...
s (
imipenem Imipenem (trade name Primaxin among others) is an intravenous β-lactam antibiotic discovered by Merck scientists Burton Christensen, William Leanza, and Kenneth Wildonger in the mid-1970s. Carbapenems are highly resistant to the β-lactamase enzy ...
),
metronidazole Metronidazole, sold under the brand name Flagyl among others, is an antibiotic and antiprotozoal medication. It is used either alone or with other antibiotics to treat pelvic inflammatory disease, endocarditis, and bacterial vaginosis. It is ef ...
,
vancomycin Vancomycin is a glycopeptide antibiotic medication used to treat a number of bacterial infections. It is recommended intravenously as a treatment for complicated skin infections, bloodstream infections, endocarditis, bone and joint infections, ...
, and
chloramphenicol Chloramphenicol is an antibiotic useful for the treatment of a number of bacterial infections. This includes use as an eye ointment to treat conjunctivitis. By mouth or by injection into a vein, it is used to treat meningitis, plague, cholera, a ...
. The vegetative cells of clostridia are heat-labile and are killed by short heating at temperatures above 72–75 °C. The thermal destruction of ''Clostridium'' spores requires higher temperatures (above 121.1 °C, for example in an autoclave) and longer cooking times (20 min, with a few exceptional cases of > 50 min recorded in the literature). ''Clostridia'' and ''Bacilli'' are quite radiation-resistant, requiring doses of about 30 kGy, which is a serious obstacle to the development of shelf-stable
irradiated food Food irradiation is the process of exposing food and food packaging to ionizing radiation, such as from gamma rays, x-rays, or electron beams. Food irradiation improves food safety and extends product shelf life (preservation) by effectively ...
s for general use in the retail market. The addition of lysozyme,
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 ...
,
nitrite The nitrite polyatomic ion, ion has the chemical formula . Nitrite (mostly sodium nitrite) is widely used throughout chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The nitrite anion is a pervasive intermediate in the nitrogen cycle in nature. The name ...
and
propionic acid Propionic acid (, from the Greek words πρῶτος : ''prōtos'', meaning "first", and πίων : ''píōn'', meaning "fat"; also known as propanoic acid) is a naturally occurring carboxylic acid with chemical formula CH3CH2CO2H. It is a liq ...
salts inhibits clostridia in various foods.
Fructooligosaccharide Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) also sometimes called oligofructose or oligofructan, are oligosaccharide fructans, used as an alternative sweetener. FOS exhibits sweetness levels between 30 and 50 percent of sugar in commercially prepared syrups. It o ...
s (
fructan A fructan is a polymer of fructose molecules. Fructans with a short chain length are known as fructooligosaccharides. Fructans can be found in over 12% of the angiosperms including both monocots and dicots such as agave, artichokes, asparagus, leek ...
s) such as inulin, occurring in relatively large amounts in a number of foods such as chicory,
garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plant in the genus ''Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, Allium fistulosum, Welsh onion and Allium chinense, Chinese onion. It is native to South A ...
,
onion An onion (''Allium cepa'' L., from Latin ''cepa'' meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus ''Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion ...
,
leek The leek is a vegetable, a cultivar of ''Allium ampeloprasum'', the broadleaf wild leek ( syn. ''Allium porrum''). The edible part of the plant is a bundle of leaf sheaths that is sometimes erroneously called a stem or stalk. The genus ''Alli ...
,
artichoke The globe artichoke (''Cynara cardunculus'' var. ''scolymus'' ),Rottenberg, A., and D. Zohary, 1996: "The wild ancestry of the cultivated artichoke." Genet. Res. Crop Evol. 43, 53–58. also known by the names French artichoke and green articho ...
, and asparagus, have a prebiotic or bifidogenic effect, selectively promoting the growth and metabolism of beneficial bacteria in the colon, such as
bifidobacteria ''Bifidobacterium'' is a genus of gram-positive, nonmotile, often branched anaerobic bacteria. They are ubiquitous inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tract though strains have been isolated from the vagina and mouth ('' B. dentium'') of mamma ...
and
lactobacilli The ''Lactobacillaceae'' are a family of lactic acid bacteria. It is the only family in the lactic acid bacteria which includes homofermentative and heterofermentative organisms; in the ''Lactobacillaceae,'' the pathway used for hexose fermentati ...
, while inhibiting harmful ones, such as clostridia,
fusobacteria Fusobacteriota are obligately anaerobic non-sporeforming Gram-negative bacilli. Since the first reports in the late nineteenth century, various names have been applied to these organisms, sometimes with the same name being applied to different s ...
, and
bacteroides ''Bacteroides'' is a genus of Gram-negative, obligate anaerobic bacteria. ''Bacteroides'' species are non endospore-forming bacilli, and may be either motile or nonmotile, depending on the species. The DNA base composition is 40–48% GC. Unusu ...
.


Use

* ''
Clostridium thermocellum ''Acetivibrio thermocellus'' is an anaerobic, thermophilic bacterium. ''A. thermocellusm'' has garnered research interest due to its cellulolytic and ethanologenic abilities, being capable of directly converting a cellulosic substrate into etha ...
'' can use lignocellulosic waste and generate ethanol, thus making it a possible candidate for use in production of
ethanol fuel Ethanol fuel is ethyl alcohol, the same type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, used as fuel. It is most often used as a motor fuel, mainly as a biofuel additive for gasoline. The first production car running entirely on ethanol was the ...
. It also has no oxygen requirement and is thermophilic, which reduces cooling cost. * '' Clostridium acetobutylicum'' was first used by
Chaim Weizmann Chaim Azriel Weizmann ( he, חיים עזריאל ויצמן ', russian: Хаим Евзорович Вейцман, ''Khaim Evzorovich Veytsman''; 27 November 1874 – 9 November 1952) was a Russian-born biochemist, Zionist leader and Israel ...
to produce
acetone Acetone (2-propanone or dimethyl ketone), is an organic compound with the formula . It is the simplest and smallest ketone (). It is a colorless, highly volatile and flammable liquid with a characteristic pungent odour. Acetone is miscib ...
and
biobutanol 220px, Butanol, a C-4 hydrocarbon is a promising bio-derived fuel, which shares many properties with gasoline. Butanol may be used as a fuel in an internal combustion engine. It is more similar to gasoline than it is to ethanol. A C4-hydrocarbon ...
from
starch Starch or amylum is a polymeric carbohydrate consisting of numerous glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by most green plants for energy storage. Worldwide, it is the most common carbohydrate in human diets ...
in 1916 for the production of cordite (smokeless gunpowder). * '' Clostridium botulinum'' produces a potentially lethal neurotoxin used in a diluted form in the drug Botox, which is carefully injected to nerves in the face, which prevents the movement of the expressive muscles of the forehead, to delay the wrinkling effect of aging. It is also used to treat
spasmodic torticollis Spasmodic torticollis is an extremely painful chronic neurological movement disorder causing the neck to involuntarily turn to the left, right, upwards, and/or downwards. The condition is also referred to as "cervical dystonia". Both agonist and ...
and provides relief for around 12 to 16 weeks. * ''
Clostridium butyricum ''Clostridium butyricum'' is a strictly anaerobic organism, anaerobic endospore-forming Gram-positive butyric acid–producing bacillus subsisting by means of fermentation (biochemistry), fermentation using an intracellularly accumulated amylope ...
'' MIYAIRI 588 strain is marketed in Japan, Korea, and China for ''
Clostridium difficile ''Clostridioides difficile'' (syn. ''Clostridium difficile'') is a bacterium that is well known for causing serious diarrheal infections, and may also cause colon cancer. Also known as ''C. difficile'', or ''C. diff'' (), is Gram-positive spec ...
'' prophylaxis due to its reported ability to interfere with the growth of the latter. * ''
Clostridium histolyticum ''Hathewaya histolytica'' (formerly ''Clostridium histolyticum'') is a species of bacteria found in feces and the soil. It is a motile, gram-positive, aerotolerant anaerobe. ''H. histolytica'' is pathogenic in many species, including guinea pigs ...
'' has been used as a source of the enzyme collagenase, which degrades animal tissue. Clostridium species excrete collagenase to eat through tissue and, thus, help the pathogen spread throughout the body. The medical profession uses collagenase for the same reason in the
débridement Debridement is the medical removal of dead, damaged, or infected tissue (biology), tissue to improve the healing potential of the remaining healthy tissue. Removal may be surgery, surgical, mechanical, chemical, Autolysis (biology), autolytic ...
of infected wounds. Hyaluronidase, deoxyribonuclease,
lecithinase Lecithinase is a type of phospholipase that acts upon lecithin. It can be produced by ''Clostridium perfringens'', ''Staphylococcus aureus'', ''Pseudomonas aeruginosa'' or ''Listeria monocytogenes''. ''C. perfringens'' alpha toxin (lecithinase) c ...
,
leukocidin A leukocidin is a type of cytotoxin created by some types of bacteria (''Staphylococcus''). It is a type of pore-forming toxin. The model for pore formation is step-wise. First, the cytotoxin’s “S” subunit recognizes specific protein-containi ...
,
protease A protease (also called a peptidase, proteinase, or proteolytic enzyme) is an enzyme that catalyzes (increases reaction rate or "speeds up") proteolysis, breaking down proteins into smaller polypeptides or single amino acids, and spurring the ...
,
lipase Lipase ( ) is a family of enzymes that catalyzes the hydrolysis of fats. Some lipases display broad substrate scope including esters of cholesterol, phospholipids, and of lipid-soluble vitamins and sphingomyelinases; however, these are usually tr ...
, and
hemolysin Hemolysins or haemolysins are lipids and proteins that cause lysis of red blood cells by disrupting the cell membrane. Although the lytic activity of some microbe-derived hemolysins on red blood cells may be of great importance for nutrient acqu ...
are also produced by some clostridia that cause gas gangrene. * ''
Clostridium ljungdahlii ''Clostridium ljungdahlii'' is an anaerobic, rod-shaped, motile, endospore-forming, gram-positive bacterium. It is named after the biochemist Lars G. Ljungdahl. When originally harvested from the waste matter of animals, it tended to produce acet ...
'', recently discovered in commercial chicken wastes, can produce ethanol from single-carbon sources including synthesis gas, a mixture of
carbon monoxide Carbon monoxide (chemical formula CO) is a colorless, poisonous, odorless, tasteless, flammable gas that is slightly less dense than air. Carbon monoxide consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom connected by a triple bond. It is the simple ...
and
hydrogen Hydrogen is the chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1. Hydrogen is the lightest element. At standard conditions hydrogen is a gas of diatomic molecules having the formula . It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, an ...
, that can be generated from the partial
combustion Combustion, or burning, is a high-temperature exothermic redox chemical reaction between a fuel (the reductant) and an oxidant, usually atmospheric oxygen, that produces oxidized, often gaseous products, in a mixture termed as smoke. Combusti ...
of either
fossil fuel A fossil fuel is a hydrocarbon-containing material formed naturally in the Earth's crust from the remains of dead plants and animals that is extracted and burned as a fuel. The main fossil fuels are coal, oil, and natural gas. Fossil fuels m ...
s or
biomass Biomass is plant-based material used as a fuel for heat or electricity production. It can be in the form of wood, wood residues, energy crops, agricultural residues, and waste from industry, farms, and households. Some people use the terms bi ...
. * ''
Clostridium butyricum ''Clostridium butyricum'' is a strictly anaerobic organism, anaerobic endospore-forming Gram-positive butyric acid–producing bacillus subsisting by means of fermentation (biochemistry), fermentation using an intracellularly accumulated amylope ...
'' converts
glycerol Glycerol (), also called glycerine in British English and glycerin in American English, is a simple triol compound. It is a colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is sweet-tasting and non-toxic. The glycerol backbone is found in lipids known ...
to 1,3-propanediol. * Genes from ''
Clostridium thermocellum ''Acetivibrio thermocellus'' is an anaerobic, thermophilic bacterium. ''A. thermocellusm'' has garnered research interest due to its cellulolytic and ethanologenic abilities, being capable of directly converting a cellulosic substrate into etha ...
'' have been inserted into
transgenic A transgene is a gene that has been transferred naturally, or by any of a number of genetic engineering techniques, from one organism to another. The introduction of a transgene, in a process known as transgenesis, has the potential to change the ...
mice to allow the production of
endoglucanase Cellulase (EC 3.2.1.4; systematic name 4-β-D-glucan 4-glucanohydrolase) is any of several enzymes produced chiefly by fungi, bacteria, and protozoans that catalyze cellulolysis, the decomposition of cellulose and of some related polysaccharide ...
. The experiment was intended to learn more about how the digestive capacity of monogastric animals could be improved. * Nonpathogenic strains of ''Clostridium'' may help in the treatment of diseases such as
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
. Research shows that ''Clostridium'' can selectively target cancer cells. Some strains can enter and replicate within solid
tumor A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...
s. ''Clostridium'' could, therefore, be used to deliver therapeutic proteins to tumours. This use of ''Clostridium'' has been demonstrated in a variety of preclinical models. * Mixtures of ''Clostridium'' species, such as ''
Clostridium beijerinckii ''Clostridium beijerinckii'' is a gram positive, rod shaped, motile bacterium of the genus ''Clostridium''. It has been isolated from feces and soil. Produces oval to subterminal spores. it is named after Martinus Beijerinck who is a Dutch bacte ...
'', ''
Clostridium butyricum ''Clostridium butyricum'' is a strictly anaerobic organism, anaerobic endospore-forming Gram-positive butyric acid–producing bacillus subsisting by means of fermentation (biochemistry), fermentation using an intracellularly accumulated amylope ...
'', and species from other genera have been shown to produce biohydrogen from
yeast Yeasts are eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms classified as members of the fungus kingdom. The first yeast originated hundreds of millions of years ago, and at least 1,500 species are currently recognized. They are estimated to constitut ...
waste.


References


External links


''Clostridium''
genomes and related information a
PATRIC
a Bioinformatics Resource Center funded b
NIAID



UK ''Clostridium difficile'' Support Group

Pathema-''Clostridium'' Resource
* Water analysis: ''Clostridium'

{{Authority control Gram-positive bacteria Gut flora bacteria Pathogenic bacteria Bacteria genera