Escherichia coli is widely used as an indicator of faecal contamination, as it is assumed that faeces from warm-blooded animals is the primary source of E. coli in the environment. However, various studies have shown that E. coli can survive and multiply in environmental niches, including soil, sand and sediment. E. coli can be assigned to eight main phylogroups but environmental E. coli are associated primarily with phylogrou...

Here, we present the genomic characterization of an Acinetobacter bohemicus strain QAC-21b which was isolated in the presence of a quaternary alky-ammonium compound (QAAC) from manure of a conventional German pig farm. The genetic determinants for QAAC, heavy metal and antibiotic resistances are reported based of the whole genome shotgun sequence and physiological growth tests. A. bohemicus QAC-21b grew in a species typical ma...

Endosporulation is a complex morphophysiological process resulting in a more resistant cellular structure that is produced within the mother cell and is called endospore. Endosporulation evolved in the common ancestor of Firmicutes, but it is lost in descendant lineages classified as asporogenic . While Kurthia spp. is considered to comprise only asporogenic species, we show here that strain 11kri321, which was isolated from a...

The Gram-positive strain R79 T , isolated from the rhizosphere of young M26 apple rootstocks, was investigated by a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Phylogenetic identification based on the full-length 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to the type strains of Rhodococcus wratislaviensis (99.6%) and Rhodococcus opacus (99.2%) followed by Rhodococcus imtechensis (98.9%). All other 16S rRNA ge...

Bovine mastitis causes enormous economic losses in the dairy industry with Streptococcus uberis as one of the most common bacterial pathogens causing clinical and subclinical variations. In most cases mastitis can be cured by intramammary administration of antimicrobial agents. However, the severity of the clinical manifestations can vary greatly from mild to severe symtoms. In this study, a comparative genomic analysis of 24...

The Gram-stain-negative, oxidase negative, catalase positive strain KPC-SM-21 T , isolated from a digestate of a storage tank of a mesophilic German biogas plant, was investigated by a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Phylogenetic identification based on the nearly full-length 16S rRNA gene revealed highest gene sequence similarity to Acinetobacter baumannii ATCC 19606 T (97.0%). Phylogenetic trees calculated based on partial rp...

Streptobacillus felis is a fastidious microorganism and a novel member of the potentially zoonotic bacteria causing rat bite fever. Since its description, this is the second isolation of S. felis in a diseased member of the Felidae . Interestingly, the strain from this study was isolated from a zoo held, rusty-spotted cat ( Prionailurus rubiginosus ), with pneumonia, thereby indicating a possible broader host range in feline s...

Atypical brucellae show deviant phenotypes and/or genotypes. Besides Brucella inopinata , B. microti and B. vulpis , atypical strains have been described infecting humans, rodents, amphibians and fish. They represent potential zoonotic agents. Here, we provide evidence that reptiles as the remaining poikilothermic vertebrate class also represent susceptible hosts for atypical Brucella.

Summary This study determines the natural product biosynthesis and full coding potential within the bacterial genus Aquimarina . Using comprehensive phylogenomics and functional genomics, we reveal that phylogeny instead of isolation source [host‐associated (HA) vs. free‐living (FL) habitats] primarily shape the inferred metabolism of Aquimarina species. These can be coherently organized into three major functional clusters, e...

Summary Nearly 1400 Bacillus strains growing in the plant rhizosphere were sampled from different sites on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. Forty‐five of the isolates, selected due to their biocontrol activity, were genome‐sequenced and their taxonomic identification revealed that they were representatives of the Bacillus subtilis species complex (20) and the Bacillus cereus group (9). Majority of the remaining strains were found...

Summary Plant‐beneficial Pseudomonas spp. competitively colonize the rhizosphere and display plant‐growth promotion and/or disease‐suppression activities. Some strains within the P. fluorescens species complex produce phenazine derivatives, such as phenazine‐1‐carboxylic acid. These antimicrobial compounds are broadly inhibitory to numerous soil‐dwelling plant pathogens and play a role in the ecological competence of phenazine...

Summary Some plant‐beneficial pseudomonads can invade and kill pest insects in addition to their ability to protect plants from phytopathogens. We explored the genetic basis of O‐polysaccharide (O‐PS, O‐antigen) biosynthesis in the representative insecticidal strains Pseudomonas protegens CHA0 and Pseudomonas chlororaphis PCL1391 and investigated its role in insect pathogenicity. Both strains produce two distinct forms of O‐PS...