Escherichia
Genus of bacteria
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Escherichia (/ˌɛʃəˈrɪkiə/ ESH-ə-RIK-ee-ə) is a genus of Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria from the family Enterobacteriaceae.[3] In those species which are inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tracts of warm-blooded animals, Escherichia species provide a portion of the microbially derived vitamin K for their host. A number of the species of Escherichia are pathogenic.[4] The genus is named after Theodor Escherich, the discoverer of Escherichia coli. Escherichia are facultative aerobes, with both aerobic and anaerobic growth, and an optimum temperature of 37 °C.[3] Escherichia are usually motile by flagella, produce gas from fermentable carbohydrates, and do not decarboxylate lysine or hydrolyze arginine.[5] Species include E. albertii, E. fergusonii, E. hermannii, E. ruysiae, E. marmotae and most notably, the model organism and clinically relevant E. coli. Formerly, Shimwellia blattae[6] and Pseudescherichia vulneris were also classified in this genus.
| Escherichia | |
|---|---|
| |
| SEM micrograph of cluster of Escherichia coli bacteria. Each individual bacterium is oblong. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Bacteria |
| Kingdom: | Pseudomonadati |
| Phylum: | Pseudomonadota |
| Class: | Gammaproteobacteria |
| Order: | Enterobacterales |
| Family: | Enterobacteriaceae |
| Genus: | Escherichia Castellani and Chalmers 1919 (Approved Lists 1980)[1] |
| Type species | |
| Escherichia coli (Migula 1895) Castellani and Chalmers 1919 (Approved Lists 1980) | |
| Other species | |
| |
Pathogenesis
While many Escherichia are commensal members of the gut microbiota, certain strains of some species, most notably the pathogenic serotypes of E. coli, are human pathogens,[7] and are the most common cause of urinary tract infections,[8] significant sources of gastrointestinal disease, ranging from simple diarrhea to dysentery-like conditions,[3] as well as a wide range of other pathogenic states[9] classifiable in general as colonic escherichiosis. While E. coli is responsible for the vast majority of Escherichia-related pathogenesis, other members of the genus have also been implicated in human disease.[10][11] Escherichia are associated with the imbalance of microbiota of the lower reproductive tract of women. These species are associated with inflammation.[12]
