Kocuria rosea
Species of bacterium
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kocuria rosea is a gram-positive bacteria that is catalase-positive and oxidase-positive. It has a coccus shape that occurs in the tetrad arrangement and is a strict aerobe that grows best from 25 to 37 °C.[2] K. rosea has also been found to cause urinary tract infections in people with weakened immune systems.[3]
| Kocuria rosea | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Bacteria |
| Kingdom: | Bacillati |
| Phylum: | Actinomycetota |
| Class: | Actinomycetes |
| Order: | Micrococcales |
| Family: | Micrococcaceae |
| Genus: | Kocuria |
| Species: | K. rosea |
| Binomial name | |
| Kocuria rosea | |
| Type strain | |
| ATCC 186 CCM 679 CCUG 4312 CIP 71.15 DSM 20447 IEGM 394 IFO 3768 JCM 11614 LMG 14224 NBRC 3768 NCTC 7523 NRRL B-2977 VKM B-1823 | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
The normal habitat for this Kocuria species is skin, soil, and water.[4] It derives its name from the carotenoid pigment that it secretes.[5] Isolated colonies on a TSA plate are circular, 1.0–1.5 mm in size, slightly convex, smooth, and pink in color.[6]
Metabolism
K. rosea has been found to be able to biodegrade malachite green, azo dyes, triphenylmethane, as well as some other industrial dyes.[7] Due to its ability to biodegrade these dyes, it has become of interest as a potential means to biodegrade dyes that would otherwise take a long time to naturally break down. It also has been found to have the ability to perform keratin hydrolysis through the production of keratinases.[8]
- Kocuria rosea* strain DBUPL4, isolated from soil in the Guassa Community Conservation Area (GCCA) in Ethiopia, demonstrated extracellular amylase production. On starch agar it produced a clear hydrolysis halo of approximately 15 mm following iodine flooding, indicating active starch degradation. [9]
Multiple strains of K. rosea have been reported to grow poorly or be inhibited on Simmons’ citrate agar, likely due to an interaction with the bromothymol blue pH indicator. [10]
Stress tolerance
Growth studies on Kocuria rosea strain DBUPL4 showed optimal proliferation between 25–30 °C, with peak growth at 30 °C and markedly reduced growth above 40 °C. Other studies report a broader temperature growth window ranging from 25–37 °C depending on strain variation.[11][12]
An environmental isolate, K. rosea strain MG2, was recovered from a naturally radioactive alkaline hot spring and exhibited tolerance to multiple physical and chemical stresses. This strain grew optimally at approximately pH 9.2, survived up to 15% NaCl, resisted UV-C irradiation at intensities normally lethal to most non-extremophilic bacteria, tolerated oxidative stress, and maintained viability after 28-day desiccation. These properties indicate that some K. rosea strains may possess polyextremotolerance, a trait common among many Actinobacteria.[13]
Certain strains of K. rosea (including strains 394 and 397) have been reported to carry an RM gene strongly homologous to rifampicin-resistance determinants, suggesting potential rifampicin resistance.[14]
