Vibrion

Last updated

Vibrion may also refer to: the singular form of vibrio , a genus of anaerobic bacteria with a comma-like shape. Vibrion is an antiquated term for microorganisms, especially pathogenic ones; see Germ theory of disease. The term was specifically used in reference to motile microorganisms, and the name of the genus Vibrio derives from this term. The term is closely tied to the history of the study of cholera. It was used in biological literature between the late 19th century and the 1920s.

Contents

Early Identification and Characterization of Vibrio bacteria

Bacteria with the same characteristics as those of the genus Vibrio were discovered independently multiple times, but only later findings were able to connect these bacteria with cholera, tetanus, and other diseases.

FMIB 50036 Vibrion Babuette (Muller), magnified FMIB 50036 Vibrion Babuette (Muller), magnified.jpeg
FMIB 50036 Vibrion Babuette (Muller), magnified

Leeuwenhoek may have observed Vibrio bacteria after his discovery of “animalcules” described in his letters to the Royal Society. [1] He described microorganisms with the same appearances and behaviors as bacteria belonging to the genus Vibrio. [1] [2] Bacteria of this genus were later anonymously described as “Capillary Eels” in the 1703 issue of Philosophical Transactions by a “Sir C. H.” because of their thin, wormlike appearance. [2] Additionally, the naturalist O. F. Müller documented eight species of the genus Vibrio in his work on infusoria. [3]

History of the Term

In 1854, the Italian anatomist Filippo Pacini coined the term "vibrions" in a paper he published during the third Cholera pandemic arguing that they were the main agents causing cholera. [4] He drew his conclusion from his observations of the thin, wormlike bacteria present in the blood and stool of cholera patients, especially characteristic of late-stage infections. [5] The Vibrio cholerae identified by Pacini were rediscovered by Robert Koch in 1884, who was unaware of Pacini's work; he called them “Comma Bacillus” and received worldwide fame as a result of his discovery. [6]

The term “vibrion” was subsequently used by Louis Pasteur in 1861 in naming a bacterium he discovered, Vibryon butyrique, which was capable of surviving in an environment without oxygen. [7] This bacterium was then identified as the same bacterium which had been discovered by two other scientists and renamed Clostridium butyricum . [8] [7]

By the 20th century "vibrion" came to be used as a general term for motile microorganisms with an elongated, wormlike shape associated with pathogenic illnesses such as cholera and tetanus. It was also incorporated in the names created for several bacteria by microbiologists at the time, such as in the name "Vibrion septique" from a 1922 paper in The Journal of Medical Research. [9] In an issue of the journal Modern Medicine from 1893, the term "cholera vibrion" is used to refer to Vibrio cholerae . [10] In the same journal from 1893, the term "vibrion" is said to be dated, which highlights the brevity of the time period in which the word was used. [10]

The term "vibrion" was out of use by the late 1920s and does not appear on its own in subsequent biological literature. This is largely due to the more extensive development of bacterial taxonomy towards the turn of the 19th century, which gave bacteriologists a more specific way to classify microorganisms. The term "vibrion" was adapted into the name of the Vibrio prokaryotic genus.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cholera</span> Bacterial infection of the small intestine

Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and muscle cramps may also occur. Diarrhea can be so severe that it leads within hours to severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. This may result in sunken eyes, cold skin, decreased skin elasticity, and wrinkling of the hands and feet. Dehydration can cause the skin to turn bluish. Symptoms start two hours to five days after exposure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Koch</span> 19/20th-century German physician and bacteriologist

Heinrich Hermann Robert Koch was a German physician and microbiologist. As the discoverer of the specific causative agents of deadly infectious diseases including tuberculosis, cholera, and anthrax, he is regarded as one of the main founders of modern bacteriology. As such he is popularly nicknamed the father of microbiology, and as the father of medical bacteriology. His discovery of the anthrax bacterium in 1876 is considered as the birth of modern bacteriology. His discoveries directly provided proofs for the germ theory of diseases, and the scientific basis of public health.

<i>Vibrio cholerae</i> Species of bacterium

Vibrio cholerae is a species of Gram-negative, facultative anaerobe and comma-shaped bacteria. The bacteria naturally live in brackish or saltwater where they attach themselves easily to the chitin-containing shells of crabs, shrimps, and other shellfish. Some strains of V. cholerae are pathogenic to humans and cause a deadly disease cholera, which can be derived from the consumption of undercooked or raw marine life species.

El Tor is a particular strain of the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of cholera. Also known as V. cholerae biotype eltor, it has been the dominant strain in the seventh global cholera pandemic. It is distinguished from the classic strain at a genetic level, although both are in the serogroup O1 and both contain Inaba, Ogawa and Hikojima serotypes. It is also distinguished from classic biotypes by the production of hemolysins.

<i>Vibrio</i> Genus of bacteria

Vibrio is a genus of Gram-negative bacteria, possessing a curved-rod (comma) shape, several species of which can cause foodborne infection, usually associated with eating undercooked seafood. Being highly salt tolerant and unable to survive in fresh water, Vibrio spp. are commonly found in various salt water environments. Vibrio spp. are facultative anaerobes that test positive for oxidase and do not form spores. All members of the genus are motile. They are able to have polar or lateral flagellum with or without sheaths. Vibrio species typically possess two chromosomes, which is unusual for bacteria. Each chromosome has a distinct and independent origin of replication, and are conserved together over time in the genus. Recent phylogenies have been constructed based on a suite of genes.

The year 1854 in science and technology involved some significant events, listed below.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Filippo Pacini</span>

Filippo Pacini was an Italian anatomist, posthumously famous for isolating the cholera bacterium Vibrio cholerae in 1854, well before Robert Koch's more widely accepted discoveries 30 years later.

<i>Vibrio parahaemolyticus</i> Species of bacterium

Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus) is a curved, rod-shaped, Gram-negative bacterium found in the sea and in estuaries which, when ingested, may cause gastrointestinal illness in humans. V. parahaemolyticus is oxidase positive, facultatively aerobic, and does not form spores. Like other members of the genus Vibrio, this species is motile, with a single, polar flagellum.

Exogenous bacteria are microorganisms introduced to closed biological systems from the external world. They exist in aquatic and terrestrial environments, as well as the atmosphere. Microorganisms in the external environment have existed on Earth for 3.5 billion years. Exogenous bacteria can be either benign or pathogenic. Pathogenic exogenous bacteria can enter a closed biological system and cause disease such as Cholera, which is induced by a waterborne microbe that infects the human intestine. Exogenous bacteria can be introduced into a closed ecosystem as well, and have mutualistic benefits for both the microbe and the host. A prominent example of this concept is bacterial flora, which consists of exogenous bacteria ingested and endogenously colonized during the early stages of life. Bacteria that are part of normal internal ecosystems, also known as bacterial flora, are called Endogenous Bacteria. A significant amount of prominent diseases are induced by exogenous bacteria such as gonorrhea, meningitis, tetanus, and syphilis. Pathogenic exogenous bacteria can enter a host via cutaneous transmission, inhalation, and consumption.

<i>Aeromonas hydrophila</i> Species of heterotrophic, Gram-negative, bacterium

Aeromonas hydrophila is a heterotrophic, Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium mainly found in areas with a warm climate. This bacterium can be found in fresh or brackish water. It can survive in aerobic and anaerobic environments, and can digest materials such as gelatin and hemoglobin. A. hydrophila was isolated from humans and animals in the 1950s. It is the best known of the species of Aeromonas. It is resistant to most common antibiotics and cold temperatures and is oxidase- and indole-positive. Aeromonas hydrophila also has a symbiotic relationship as gut flora inside of certain leeches, such as Hirudo medicinalis.

The discovery of disease-causing pathogens is an important activity in the field of medical science. Many viruses, bacteria, protozoa, fungi, helminthes and prions are identified as a confirmed or potential pathogen. In the United States, a Centers for Disease Control program, begun in 1995, identified over a hundred patients with life-threatening illnesses that were considered to be of an infectious cause, but that could not be linked to a known pathogen. The association of pathogens with disease can be a complex and controversial process, in some cases requiring decades or even centuries to achieve.

Vibriocins are a group of bacteriocins produced by, and active against, gram-negative bacteria in the genus Vibrio. They were first discovered in 1962, considerably after the original bacteriocins, the colicins, which were discovered in 1925.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monera</span> Biological kingdom that contains unicellular organisms with a prokaryotic cell organization

Monera (/məˈnɪərə/) is a biological kingdom that is made up of prokaryotes. As such, it is composed of single-celled organisms that lack a nucleus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sambhu Nath De</span>

Sambhunath De ; was an Indian medical scientist and researcher, who discovered the cholera toxin, the animal model of cholera, and successfully demonstrated the method of transmission of cholera pathogen Vibrio cholerae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diseases and epidemics of the 19th century</span> Diseases and epidemics of the 19th century reached epidemic proportions in the case of cholera

Diseases and epidemics of the 19th century included long-standing epidemic threats such as smallpox, typhus, yellow fever, and scarlet fever. In addition, cholera emerged as an epidemic threat and spread worldwide in six pandemics in the nineteenth century. The third plague pandemic emerged in China in the mid-nineteenth century and spread worldwide in the 1890s.

<i>Vampirovibrio chlorellavorus</i> Gram-negative bacteria, algae predator

Vampirovibrio chlorellavorus is a 0.6 µm pleomorphic cocci with a gram negative cell wall, and is one of the few known predatory bacteria. Unlike many bacteria, Vampirovibrio chlorellavorus is an obligate parasite, attaching to the cell wall of green algae of the genus Chlorella. Vampirovibrio originates from the Serbian vampir. meaning vampire and vibrio referring to the bacterial genus of curved rod bacterium. Chlorellavorus is named for the algal host of the bacterium (Chlorella) and the Latin voro meaning "to devour" (Chlorella-devouring).

John Mekalanos is a microbiologist who is primarily known for leading one of the first teams that reported the discovery of the type VI secretion system as well as his work on the pathogenicity of the bacterial species Vibrio cholerae, its toxin, and its secretion systems. Since 1998, he has been a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melanie Blokesch</span> German microbiologist

Melanie Blokesch is a German microbiologist. Her research focuses on Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium causing cholera. She is a professor of life sciences at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), where she heads the Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology.

Secondary chromosomes are a class of bacterial replicons. These replicons are called "chromids" because they have characteristic features of both chromosomes and plasmids. Early on, it was thought that all core genes could be found on the main chromosome of the bacteria. However, in 1989 a replicon was discovered containing core genes outside of the main chromosome. These core genes make the chromid indispensable to the organism. Chromids are large replicons, although not as large as the main chromosome. However, chromids are almost always larger than a plasmid. Chromids also share many genomic signatures of the chromosome, including their G + C content and their codon usage bias. On the other hand, chromids do not share the replication systems of chromosomes. Instead, they use the replication system of plasmids. Chromids are present in 10% of bacteria.

References

  1. 1 2 Kent, W. Saville (William Saville). A Manual of the Infusoria: Including a Description of All Known Flagellate, Ciliate, and Tentaculiferous Protozoa, British and Foreign, and an Account of the Organization and the Affinities of the Sponges. London: D. Bogue, 1880.
  2. 1 2 C. H. (1 January 1702). "An Extract of Some Letters Sent to Sir C. H. Relating to Some Microspocal Observations". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. 23 (284): 1367–1369. doi: 10.1098/rstl.1702.0047 .
  3. ↑ Pot, B., Gillis, M., and De Ley, J., The genus Aquaspirillum. In: Balows, A., Trüper, H.G., Dworkin, M., et al. (Eds.). The prokaryotes, 2nd ed, vol. 3. Springer-Verlag. New York. 1991
  4. ↑ "Osservazioni microscopiche e deduzioni patologiche sul cholera asiatico. Memoria del dott. Filippo Pacini ... : letta alla Societa medico-fisica di Firenze nella seduta del 10 Dicembre 1854, Firenze, Tip. Federigo Bencini, 1854. - (Estr. da: Gazzetta medica italiana, Toscana, (1854), p. 397 e 405)". badigit.comune.bologna.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2017-05-05.
  5. ↑ Enersen, Ole Daniel. "Filippo Pacini". Whonamedit.
  6. ↑ Frerichs, Ralph R. "Who first discovered cholera?". www.ph.ucla.edu. Retrieved 2017-05-05.
  7. 1 2 Advances in Applied Microbiology. Academic Press. 2011-09-22. ISBN   978-0-08-057033-4.
  8. ↑ Bahl, Hubert; Dürre, Peter (2001-10-15). Clostridia: Biotechnology & Medical Applications. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN   978-3-527-30175-1.
  9. ↑ Khan, Morton C (April–May 1922). "A cultural study of the anaerobic spore-bearing bacteria with strains isolated by the Barber single cell technic". The Journal of Medical Research. Boston: American Association of Pathologists and Bacteriologists. 43 (2, 187): 155–206.
  10. 1 2 Paquin, Paul (1893-01-01). Modern Medicine and Bacteriological World. Modern Medicine Publishing Company.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.