Flavobacteriaceae

Flavobacteriaceae is a large family of bacteria that belongs to the phylum Bacteroidetes. This family is composed of Gram-negative bacteria, which are known for their rod-shaped structure and their ability to survive in a wide range of environments, including soil, fresh and salt water, and even in the human body.

Taxonomy

The family Flavobacteriaceae was first proposed by Bernard Davis in 1939. It currently includes over 100 genera and more than 500 species. The name "Flavobacteriaceae" comes from the Latin flavus, meaning "yellow", and bacterium, meaning "bacterium". This is because many species in this family produce yellow or gold-colored colonies when grown on agar plates.

Characteristics

Members of the Flavobacteriaceae family are Gram-negative bacteria, meaning they do not retain the crystal violet stain used in the Gram stain procedure. They are typically rod-shaped and have a flexible cell wall. Some species are capable of gliding motility, a type of movement that does not involve flagella.

Flavobacteriaceae are aerobic bacteria, meaning they require oxygen to grow. They are also chemoheterotrophic, obtaining their energy from the oxidation of organic compounds.

Ecology

Flavobacteriaceae are found in a wide range of environments. They are particularly abundant in aquatic environments, both fresh and salt water, where they play a key role in the degradation of organic matter. Some species are also found in soil, while others live in the human body, particularly in the oral cavity and the gut.

Medical relevance

Some species of Flavobacteriaceae are known to cause disease in humans and animals. For example, Flavobacterium meningosepticum can cause meningitis and sepsis, particularly in newborns and immunocompromised individuals. Capnocytophaga canimorsus, another member of this family, can cause severe infections in humans after a dog bite.

See also

• Bacteroidetes
• Gram-negative bacteria
• Flavobacterium