Thiomargarita namibiensis

Thiomargarita namibiensis
Stained micrograph of Thiomargarita namibiensis
Scientific classification
Domain: Bacteria
Kingdom: Pseudomonadati
Phylum: Pseudomonadota
Class: Gammaproteobacteria
Order: Thiotrichales
Family: Thiotrichaceae
Genus: Thiomargarita
Species:
T. namibiensis
Binomial name
Thiomargarita namibiensis
Schulz et al., 1999

Thiomargarita namibiensis is a gram-negative, facultative anaerobic, coccoid bacterium found in South Africa's ocean sediments of the continental shelf of Namibia.[1] The genus name Thiomargarita means "sulfur pearl." This refers to the cells' appearance as they contain microscopic elemental sulfur granules just below the cell wall that refract light creating a pearly iridescent luster.[2] The cells are each covered in a mucus sheath aligned in a chain, resembling loose strings of pearls.[3] The species name namibiensis means "of Namibia".[1]

It is the second largest bacterium ever discovered, at 0.1–0.3 mm (100–300 μm) in diameter on average, but can attain up to 0.75 mm (750 μm),[4][5] making it large enough to be visible to the naked eye. Thiomargarita namibiensis is nonpathogenic.

Thiomargarita namibiensis is categorized as a mesophile[6] because it prefers moderate temperatures, which typically range between 20-45 degrees Celsius. The organism shows neutrophilic characteristics by favoring environments with neutral pH levels like 6.5-7.5.[7]

  1. ^ a b "Giant Sulfur Bacteria Discovered off African Coast" (Press release). Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. 16 April 1999.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Schulz, H. N.; Brinkhoff, T.; Ferdelman, T. G.; Mariné, M. Hernández; Teske, A.; Jørgensen, B. B. (16 April 1999). "Dense Populations of a Giant Sulfur Bacterium in Namibian Shelf Sediments". Science. 284 (5413): 493–495. Bibcode:1999Sci...284..493S. doi:10.1126/science.284.5413.493. PMID 10205058.
  4. ^ "The largest Bacterium: Scientist discovers new bacterial life form off the African coast" (Press release). Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology. 8 April 1999. Archived from the original on 20 January 2010.
  5. ^ "Genus Thiomargarita". List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature.
  6. ^ Schulz, Heide N. (2006). "The Genus Thiomargarita". The Prokaryotes. pp. 1156–1163. doi:10.1007/0-387-30746-X_47. ISBN 978-0-387-25496-8.
  7. ^ Schulz, Heide N.; Jørgensen, Bo Barker (October 2001). "Big Bacteria". Annual Review of Microbiology. 55 (1): 105–137. doi:10.1146/annurev.micro.55.1.105. PMID 11544351.
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