Lonepinella koalarum

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Lonepinella koalarum
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Bacteria
Kingdom: Pseudomonadati
Phylum: Pseudomonadota
Class: Gammaproteobacteria
Order: Pasteurellales
Family: Pasteurellaceae
Genus: Lonepinella
Species:
L. koalarum
Binomial name
Lonepinella koalarum
Osawa et al., 1996

Lonepinella koalarum is a species of Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic bacteria within the family Pasteurellaceae. It is the only species described in the genus Lonepinella and was first isolated from the feces of healthy koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) at Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Queensland, Australia. [1]

Contents

Morphology and physiology

Lonepinella koalarum is a rod-shaped bacterium that grows optimally at approximately 37 °C on Columbia blood agar. It is catalase-negative, with variable oxidase activity reported. [1]

Ecological role

Lonepinella koalarum functions as a symbiont in koalas, primarily involved in degrading tannin-protein complexes in Eucalyptus leaves, which are a central dietary component for koalas. [2] Its presence supports healthy gut microbiota, particularly during antibiotic treatments. [2]

Clinical significance

Though predominantly commensal in koalas, L. koalarum has been identified in wound infections in humans resulting from koala bites. [3] Standard microbiological tests often fail to detect this bacterium, requiring molecular methods such as 16S rRNA gene sequencing for accurate identification. Treatment usually involves surgical management coupled with antibiotic therapy. [3]

References

  1. 1 2 Osawa, R. et al. (1995). Lonepinella koalarum gen. nov., sp. nov., a new tannin-protein complex degrading bacterium. Systematic and Applied Microbiology, 18(3), 368–373.
  2. 1 2 Dahlhausen, K.E. et al. (2020). Isolation and sequence-based characterization of a koala symbiont: Lonepinella koalarum. PeerJ, 8, e10177.
  3. 1 2 Sinclair, H.A. et al. (2019). Identification of Lonepinella sp. in koala bite wound infections, Queensland, Australia. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 25(1), 153–156.
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