Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 15, 2026
08:09
Microfocus X-ray CT (microCT) Imaging of Actinia equina (Cnidaria), Harmothoe sp. (Annelida), and Xenoturbella japonica (Xenacoelomorpha)
Published on: August 6, 2019
Muricauda taeanensis sp. nov., isolated from a marine tidal flat
Jeong Myeong Kim1, Hyun Mi Jin1, Che Ok Jeon1
1Department of Life Science & Research Center for Biomolecules and Biosystems, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 156-756, Republic of Korea.
Summary
A novel bacterium, Muricauda taeanensis sp. nov., was discovered in a Korean tidal flat. This Gram-negative, aerobic bacterium expands the known diversity within the Muricauda genus.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Bacteriology
- Marine Biology
Background:
- Halophilic bacteria play crucial roles in marine ecosystems.
- The genus Muricauda comprises marine bacteria with diverse ecological functions.
- Exploring microbial diversity in tidal flats is essential for understanding marine environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate and characterize a novel bacterial strain from a Korean tidal flat.
- To determine the taxonomic and phylogenetic placement of the novel isolate.
- To propose a new species within the genus Muricauda.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and cultivation of bacteria from tidal flat sediments.
- Gram staining, motility tests, and growth condition optimization (temperature, pH, salinity).
- 16S rRNA gene sequencing, DNA-DNA hybridization, and analysis of cellular fatty acids and polar lipids.
Main Results:
- A novel Gram-negative, heterotrophic, facultative anaerobic bacterium, strain 105(T), was isolated.
- Strain 105(T) exhibited gliding motility and optimal growth at 30-37 °C, pH 7.0-7.5, and 2-4% NaCl.
- Phylogenetic analysis placed strain 105(T) within the genus Muricauda, with low DNA-DNA relatedness to existing species, supporting its designation as a new species.
Conclusions:
- Strain 105(T) represents a novel species, Muricauda taeanensis sp. nov.
- The phenotypic and genotypic characteristics distinguish it from other Muricauda species.
- This discovery contributes to the understanding of bacterial diversity in marine intertidal zones.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Deep Sea Microbial Ecology
The deep ocean and its underlying sediments represent vast, largely unexplored microbial habitats that extend far beyond the sunlit photic zone. The photic (euphotic) zone typically spans the upper ~100–200 meters of pelagic waters in the open ocean, but its depth varies geographically and seasonally, where sufficient light supports photosynthetic life. Below this lies the deep sea, spanning roughly 1000–6000 meters (bathypelagic to abyssal zones), with deeper hadal trenches extending beyond...
01:30Marine Microbial Ecology
Marine microbial ecosystems are shaped by distinct physicochemical limits, including high salinity, low nutrient availability, and fluctuating oxygen levels. These conditions favor smaller microbial cell sizes, which maximize their surface-to-volume ratio for efficient nutrient uptake.Microbial activity and community composition are closely linked to biogeochemical cycles, particularly in dynamic environments like estuaries, where halotolerant microbes thrive in response to variable salinity...
01:25Microbial Mats
Microbial communities forming biofilms and mats represent complex, spatially structured ecosystems where metabolic processes are stratified according to light, oxygen, and nutrient gradients. Biofilms are initial colonization stages, only a few millimeters thick, while mature microbial mats can reach centimeter-scale thickness and display intricate vertical organization. Their structural and functional heterogeneity allows microorganisms to occupy distinct ecological niches within a few...
01:24Freshwater Microbial Ecology
Freshwater systems such as streams, rivers, and lakes exhibit distinct physical and biological characteristics that influence their microbial communities. These environments are broadly categorized into lotic systems—those with flowing waters like streams and most rivers—and lentic systems, which include still or slow-moving waters such as lakes, ponds, and marshes.In lentic systems, phytoplankton drive primary production, generating autochthonous organic carbon. In contrast, lotic systems...
01:21Hyperthermophilic Bacteria
Domain Bacteria includes some unique hyperthermophilic species. They exhibit remarkable adaptations that enable survival in extreme environments.Thermotoga species are rod-shaped, gram-negative, non-sporulating hyperthermophiles that form a sheath-like envelope called a toga. They ferment sugars or starch, producing lactate, acetate, CO₂, and H₂, and can also grow via anaerobic respiration using H₂ and ferric iron. Found in hot springs and hydrothermal vents, over 20% of their genes show strong...
01:26Bacterial Phylum Verrucomicrobiota
The phylum Verrucomicrobiota comprises at least four characterized orders, with most species classified within the order Verrucomicrobiotales. Members of this phylum are either aerobic or facultatively aerobic, with the ability to ferment sugars. A notable exception is the genus Methylacidiphilum, which consists of aerobic methanotrophs. Additionally, some Verrucomicrobiota establish symbiotic relationships with protists. These bacteria are widely distributed across various environments,...