WEEK 11: AEROBIC GRAM-POSITIVE BACILLI Flashcards
(221 cards)
Non-spore formers can be divided into two, smaller groups
as:
non-branching catalase-positive bacilli and non
branching catalase-negative bacilli
frequently isolated from urogenital specimens from women
and are incubated aerobically but they are aerotolerant
anaerobes
Lactobacillus
Frequently isolated in clinical laboratory but are typically
considered contaminants or commensals:
Bacillus and
Corynebacterium
A large diverse group of bacteria that includes animal and
human pathogens as well as saprophytes and plant
pathogens
CORYNEBACTERIUM
closely related to
mycobacteria and nocardiae On the basis of 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA)
sequencing,
corynebacteria
CORYNEBACTERIUM CAN BE DIVIDED INTO
- Can be divided into nonlipophilic and lipophilic species
- Lipophilic corynebacterial:
o Considered fastidious and grow slowly on
standard culture media
o incubated for at least 48 hours
o Growth is enhanced if lipids are included in the
culture medium
Slightly curved, gram-positive rods with
nonparallel sides and slightly wider ends, producing the
described “club shape”
CORYNEBACTERIUM
The term diphtheroid, meaning “diphtheria-like,” is
sometimes used in reference to this Gram staining
morphology
CORYNEBACTERIUM
The classification of corynebacteria is not well
characterized. It is not possible to identify 30% to 50% of
coryneform-like isolates to the species level without
16S
rRNA gene sequencing.
Most significant pathogen of the group CORYNEBACTERIUM
C. diphtheriae
CORYNEBACTERIUM DIPTHERIAE
IS CLASSIFIED INTO
Classified into biotypes (mitis, intermedius, and gravis)
according to colony morphology, as well as into lysotypes
based upon corynebacteriophage sensitivity
WHAT IS NEEDED FOR OPTIMAL GROWTH OF C. DITHERIAE??
- Most strains require nicotinic and pantothenic acids for growth; some also require thiamine, biotin, or pimelic acid
- For optimal production of diphtheria toxin, the medium should be supplemented with amino acids and must be deferrated
Virulence factor of c diptheriae
- diptheria toxin
- fragment a and b
he major virulence factor and a protein
of 62,000 daltons (Da)
Diphtheria toxin
__________and _______ which belong to the
“C. diphtheriae group,” can also produce the toxin when
they become infected with the tox-carrying β-phage____
C. ulcerans and C. pseudotuberculosis
when is diptheria toxin toxic?
Toxin is exceedingly potent and is lethal for humans in
amounts of 130 ng/kg body weight
is responsible for the cytotoxicity
fragment a
binds to receptors on human cells
and mediates the entry of fragment A into the
cytoplasm
Fragment B
diptheria toxin is caused by and secreted by
- The toxicity is caused by the ability of diphtheria toxin to
block protein synthesis in eukaryotic cells. - The toxin is secreted by the bacterial cell and is nontoxic
until exposed to trypsin.
cleaves the diptheria toxin into the two fragments,
which are held together by a disulfide bridge
Trypsinization
splits nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide to form nicotinamide and adenosine diphosphoribose
(ADPR).
Fragment A
binds to and inactivates elongation factor 2 (EF-2),
an enzyme required for elongation of polypeptide chains on
ribosomes.
ADPR
Production of the diptheria toxin in vitro depends on numerous
environmental conditions:
o Alkaline pH (7.8 to 8.0)
o Oxygen
o Iron concentration in the environment (most
important)