The organism that I chose is of the Genus Altermonas. This genus was created by in 1972 by Baumann. It is a gram-negative, heterotrophic, aerobic bacteria. It is closely related to the Pseudomonas genus differing only by GC content of DNA. It is a rod looking bacteria that has a single polar flagellum. A. haloplanktis is one of the four original species classified under this genus. The sources of isolation for A. haloplanktis are coastal and open ocean seawater, seawater and lesions of fish, oysters and deepsea mud. It can be found in such locations as East and west coasts of North America, Indian ocean and Japan. Certain strains of A. haloplanktis were found to be pathogenic for certain kinds of oysters. A. haloplanktis will grow at temperatures as low as 4C. It will mainly grow at room temperature and will not grow at or above 45C. It is preferentially psychrophilic. Some strains of this bacteria require growth factors such as amino acids. It is often grown on BMA supplemented with D-glucose rather than on a complex medium. It needs a seawater base for optimum growth. It also has strict sodium requirements. Experiments have been done using A. haloplanktis to determine the dependance of sodium on marine bacteria. Sodium is necessary for the integrity and maintenance of the cell wall. There is a strain of A. haloplanktis that produces a siderophore, bisucaberin, an iron-chelating agent that causes cytostasis of tumor cells in mammals. It is also susceptible to certain types bacteriophages.
More on the Altermonas species. Typically all species are heterophilic, chemoorganotrophic, psychrotrophic, and low or moderately halophilic. From marine animals to deepsea mud, they have been found in many seas. Specifically the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Arctic and Antarctic Ocean. There is some evidence that some strains of this bacteria have been found in seafood. Perhaps they are there to aid in their decomposition. Some strains produce antibiotic effects. Identification of these species are based on a luminescence, specific pigmentation of colonies, and antibiotic activity. Some of their media include, artificial seawater (ASW), Basal Medium (BM), Complex media, Luminous Medium (LM), Methanol Salt Medium (MSM), and Growth Medium, all containing seawater.
The isolation of the bacteria is collected under careful scrutiny. Seawater samples are contained in sterile glass flasks with rubber tops. They are then filtered to be placed in their specific culture media. Other than the antibiotic strains, most have a long life in their specific media. Most Altermonas are polarly flagellated but flagellation can very with age. There are forms of filamentous non-flagellated anitbiotic producing forms. Because of these differences in flagella through time it is necessary to stain cultures in liquid media and exponential growth. Altermonas species have the ability to ferment D-glucose. There are species of Altermonas which produce nondiffusible water insoluble pigments. These range in color from violet, to orange, to yellow, to brown. Sodium and a seawater base is required for growth of all species of Altermonas. The concentration of sodium is around 125-600 mM.
There has yet to be a commercial use for the Altermonas species. Although there may be some use for the antibiotic species or maybe even the bisucaberin could one day be used industrially.
*Disclaimer - This report was written by a student participaring in a microbiology course at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. The accuracy of the contents of this report is not guaranteed and it is recommended that you seek additional sources of information to verify the contents.
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