Bacteroidota
Gram-negative bacteria essential to gut health and global ecosystems.
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Bacteroidota (synonym Bacteroidetes) is a phylum of Gram-negative, nonsporeforming, anaerobic or aerobic, rod-shaped bacteria widely distributed in the environment, including soil, sediments, sea water, and the guts and skin of animals. They are highly abundant in the gastrointestinal tract, performing essential metabolic conversions such as degradation of proteins and complex sugar polymers, and are among the most stable components of the gut microflora.
Scientific classification
- DomainBacteria
- KingdomPseudomonadati
- PhylumBacteroidota
Named by Krieg et al. 2021
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Bacteroidota (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Quick Facts
- Type
- Gram-negative
- nonsporeforming
- rod-shaped bacteria
- Habitat
- Soil, sediments, sea water, animal guts, skin
- First isolated species
- Bacteroides fragilis (1898)
- Key genera
- Bacteroides
- Porphyromonas
- Prevotella
- Salinibacter
- Metabolic products
- Succinic acid
- acetic acid
- propionic acid
Facts from the source article.
Background
The phylum Bacteroidota comprises three large classes, with the class Bacteroidia being the most well-studied. Originally described as 'Bacillus fragilis' in 1898, the species later formally named Bacteroides fragilis was among the first Bacteroidota linked to human disease, notably appendicitis. For a long time, most Gram-negative gastrointestinal bacteria were thought to belong to the genus Bacteroides, but recent reclassification placed the majority of gastrointestinal Bacteroidota species into families Bacteroidaceae, Prevotellaceae, Rikenellaceae, and Porphyromonadaceae.
Did You Know?
- Bacteroidota can reach up to 10^11 cells per gram of intestinal material.
- The halophilic genus Salinibacter shares many properties with halophilic Archaea such as Halobacterium.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Bacteroidota live?
Bacteroidota occupies a remarkably broad range of habitats, stretching from deep marine sediments and terrestrial soils to the gut tracts and skin surfaces of animals. Within the gastrointestinal tract it is among the most stable and persistent members of the microflora.
What are Bacteroidota's key allies (genera)?
The most well-known genera within the phylum are Bacteroides, Porphyromonas, Prevotella, and Salinibacter. The very first species described from this group was Bacteroides fragilis, isolated in 1898.
More in Higher-Level Taxonomy & Evolution
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Bacteroidota (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Word definitions: the , each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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