Enterobacter cloacae is a clinically significant Gram-negative, facultatively-anaerobic, bacillus bacterium.
Microbiology
In microbiology laboratories,
E. cloacae is frequently grown at 30 °C on
nutrient agar or at 35 °C in tryptic soy broth.
It is a rod-shaped,
Gram stain bacterium, is facultatively anaerobic, and bears peritrichous
flagella. It is
oxidase-negative and
catalase-positive.
Industrial use
Enterobacter cloacae has been used in a
bioreactor-based method for the
biodegradation of explosives and in the biological control of plant diseases.
strain MBB8 isolated from the Gulf of Mannar, India was reported to degrade poly vinyl alcohol (PVA). This was the first report of a PVA degrader from the Enterobacter genus.
was also reported to produce exopolysaccharide (EPS) as high as 18.3g/L.
GC-MS analysis of
E. cloacae EPS showed the presence of glucose and mannose in the molar ratio of 1: 1.5e
−2.
Enterobacter cloacae subsp. cloacae strain PR-4 was isolated and identified by 16S rDNA gene sequence with phylogenetic tree view from explosive-laden soil by P. Ravikumar (GenBank accession number KP261383).[Ravikumar. P. GenBank New holotype for Enterobacter cloacae subsp. cloacae strain PR-4 isolated and identified by 16S rDNA gene sequence with Phylogenetic tree view, from explosive laden soil. Int J.of Res in Engineering and Science, (6) 5:53-65 2016.]
E. cloacae SG208 identified as a predominant microorganism in mixed culture isolated from petrochemical sludge (IOCL, Guwahati) responsible for degradation of benzene was reported by Padhi and Gokhale (2016).[Padhi, S.K., Gokhale, S., 2016. Benzene biodegradation by indigenous mixed microbial culture: Kinetic modeling and process optimization. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation. ]
Safety
Enterobacter cloacae is considered a
biosafety level 1 organism in the United States and level 2 in Canada.
Genomics
A draft
genome sequence of
Enterobacter cloacae subsp.
cloacae was announced in 2012. The bacteria used in the study were isolated from
giant panda feces.
Clinical significance
Enterobacter cloacae is a member of the normal
gut flora of many humans and is not usually a primary pathogen.
Some strains have been associated with urinary tract and respiratory tract infections in immunocompromised individuals. It is a high risk AmpC producer and treatment with
cefepime is recommended by the IDSA if causing disease rather than simply colonising.
Treatment using cefepime and
gentamicin has been reported.
A 2012 study in which Enterobacter cloacae was transplanted into previously germ-free mice resulted in increased obesity when compared with germ-free mice fed an identical diet, suggesting a link between obesity and the presence of Enterobacter gut flora.
See also
External links
