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Tuesday, August 24, 2021

08-24-2021-0735 - Paenibacillus macerans

 Paenibacillus macerans is a diazotroph bacterium found in soil and plants capable of nitrogen fixation and fermentation. This bacteria was originally discovered in 1905 by an Austrian biologist named Schardinger and thought to be a bacillus.[1]

Paenibacillus macerans is a part of the family Paenibacillaceae which are facultative anaerobes. It is gram-variable, being gram-positive or gram-negative rods.[2] Does not have a capsule and has peritrichous flagella for movement. It does form ellipsoidal, terminal, or subterminal spores which may last in the soil for many years.[3]

P. macerans can be grown in the lab on a nutrient agar with a slightly acidic pH around 5. Optimal growth temperature is 30 °C. No growth in 5% NaCl.[3]

P. macerans has been shown to have some of the broadest metabolic capabilities of any of the genus Paenibacillus. It is able to ferment hexosesdeoxyhexosespentosescellulosehemicellulose and glycerol under anaerobicconditions.[4] The high fermentation rates of glycerol makes this an important organism in the study of fuel and chemical production. P. Macerans also produces a significant amount of histamines which may cause allergies in some individuals if ingested.[5] This bacterium is a facultative anaerobe capable of nitrogen fixation so in the absence of oxygen it is able to convert nitrogen gas to ammonia which is more easily used by plants.[6]

P. macerans is usually found in soil and plant materials but has also been identified in blood cultures of infants with infection.[7] The bacterium is not normally pathogenic in humans but could cause allergies as a result of its histamine producing properties.[4]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paenibacillus_macerans


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