Sphingomonas

Taxobox
color = lightgrey
name = "Sphingomonas"
regnum = Bacteria
phylum = Proteobacteria
classis = Alpha Proteobacteria
ordo = Sphingomonadales
familia = Sphingomonadaceae
genus = "Sphingomonas"
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = "Sphingomonas adhaesiva"
"Sphingomonas aerolata"
"Sphingomonas aquatilis"
"Sphingomonas asaccharolytica"
"Sphingomonas aurantiaca"
"Sphingomonas baekryungensis"
"Sphingomonas chungbukensis"
"Sphingomonas cloacae"
"Sphingomonas echinoides"
"Sphingomonas elodea"
"Sphingomonas faeni"
"Sphingomonas koreensis"
"Sphingomonas mali"
"Sphingomonas melonis"
"Sphingomonas oligophenolica"
"Sphingomonas parapaucimobilis"
"Sphingomonas paucimobilis"
"Sphingomonas phyllosphaerae"
"Sphingomonas pituitosa"
"Sphingomonas pruni"
"Sphingomonas roseiflava"
"Sphingomonas sanguinis"
"Sphingomonas suberifaciens"
"Sphingomonas taejonensis"
"Sphingomonas trueperi"
"Sphingomonas ursincola"
"Sphingomonas wittichii"
"Sphingomonas xenophaga"
"Sphingomonas yabuuchiae"

"Sphingomonas" was defined in 1990 as a group of Gram-negative, rod-shaped, chemoheterotrophic, strictly aerobic bacteria. They possess ubiquinone 10 as their major respiratory quinone, contain glycosphingolipids (GSLs) instead of lipopolysaccharide in their cell envelopes, and typically produce yellow-pigmented colonies.

By 2001, the genus included more than 20 species that were quite diverse in terms of their phylogenetic, ecological, and physiological properties. As a result, the "Sphingomonas" were subdivided into four genera: "Sphingomonas", "Sphingobium", "Novosphingobium" and "Sphingopyxis".

These genera are commonly referred to collectively as "sphingomonads" . The sphingomonads are widely distributed in nature, having been isolated from many different land and water habitats, as well as from plant root systems, clinical specimens, and other sources.

Some of the sphingomonads (especially "Sphingomonas paucimobilis") also play a role in human disease, primarily by causing a range of mostly nosocomial, non-life-threatening infections that typically are easily treated by antibiotic therapy. Due to their biodegradative and biosynthetic capabilities, sphingomonads have been utilised for a wide range of biotechnological applications, from bioremediation of environmental contaminants to production of extracellular polymers such as sphingans (eg. gellan, welan, and rhamsan) used extensively in the food and other industriesFact|date=January 2008. One strain, "Sphingomonas" sp. 2MPII, can degrade 2-methylphenanthrene [cite journal
author=G.M. Ni'matuzahroh, M. Gilewicz, M. Guiliano & J.C. Bertrand
month=May
year=1999
title=In-vitro study of interaction between photooxidation and biodegradation of 2-methylphenanthrene by Sphingomonas sp 2MPII
journal=Chemosphere
volume=38
issue=11
pages=2501–2507
issn=0045-6535
doi=10.1016/S0045-6535(98)00456-1
pmid=10204235]

In May 2008, Daniel Burd, a 16 year old Canadian, won the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Ottawa after discovering that Sphingomonas can degrade over 40% of the weight of plastic bags (Polyethylene) in less than three months. [ [http://news.therecord.com/article/354044 TheRecord.com - CanadaWorld - WCI student isolates microbe that lunches on plastic bags ] ]

References

External links

* [http://news.therecord.com/article/354201 Article describing the dicovery of Sphingomonas as a biodegrader of plastic bags] Kawawada, Karen, The Record (May 22 2008).