Beutenbergiaceae

Beutenbergiaceae is a family of bacteria that belongs to the order Actinomycetales. This family is named after the German microbiologist, Hans Knöll, who made significant contributions to the field of microbiology.

Taxonomy

The family Beutenbergiaceae consists of a single genus, Beutenbergia. This genus was first described in 2000 and currently includes two recognized species: Beutenbergia cavernae and Beutenbergia denitrificans.

Characteristics

Members of the Beutenbergiaceae family are Gram-positive, non-motile, and aerobic. They are characterized by their rod-coccus shape and their ability to form endospores.

Habitat and Ecology

Beutenbergiaceae bacteria are commonly found in soil and water environments. Beutenbergia cavernae was first isolated from a cave in Germany, while Beutenbergia denitrificans was discovered in a denitrifying reactor treating landfill leachate.

Medical Relevance

While Beutenbergiaceae bacteria are not typically associated with human disease, they play a significant role in the nitrogen cycle, which is crucial for life on Earth. They are capable of denitrification, a process that converts nitrate to nitrogen gas, helping to maintain the balance of nitrogen in the environment.

See Also

• Actinobacteria
• Microbiology
• Nitrogen cycle

External Links

• Beutenbergiaceae at NCBI Taxonomy Browser
• Beutenbergiaceae at List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature (LPSN)

Further Reading

• Garrity, George M.; Brenner, Don J.; Krieg, Noel R.; Staley, James T. (eds.) (2005). Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology, Volume Two: The Proteobacteria, Part C: The Alpha-, Beta-, Delta-, and Epsilonproteobacteria. New York, New York: Springer. ISBN 978-0-387-24145-6.