Streptomyces clavuligerus
Encyclopedia
Streptomyces clavuligerus is a species of Gram-positive bacterium that produces clavulanic acid
.
S. clavuligerus ATCC 27064 (NRRL 3585, DSM 738) was first described by Higgens and Kastner, who isolated it from a South American soil sample. Its name refers to the shape of its spore-bearing
hyphal branches: clavula in Latin means little club and the suffix -igerus means bearing. S. clavuligerus spores are gray to grayish green.
S. clavuligerus produces over 20 secondary metabolites, including many beta-lactam
antibiotics such as clavulanic acid
, cephamycin C, deacetoxycephalosporin C, penicillin N (an intermediate in cephamycin C pathway) and at least four other clavams. Non-β-lactam antibiotics include holomycin and an antibiotic complex, MM 19290, related to tunicamycin; a beta-lactamase-inhibitory protein (BLIP) has also been described.
Another important characteristic of S. clavuligerus is that it is not able to use glucose
as a carbon source, because it lacks a glucose transport system.
It also possesses all the enzymes of the urea cycle
, which is unusual for a prokaryote
, although it is not clear if the urea cycle
is functional.
Clavulanic acid
Clavulanic acid is a competitive β-lactamase inhibitor combined with penicillin group antibiotics to overcome certain types of antibiotic resistance. It is used to overcome resistance in bacteria that secrete β-lactamase, which otherwise inactivates most penicillins...
.
S. clavuligerus ATCC 27064 (NRRL 3585, DSM 738) was first described by Higgens and Kastner, who isolated it from a South American soil sample. Its name refers to the shape of its spore-bearing
Spore
In biology, a spore is a reproductive structure that is adapted for dispersal and surviving for extended periods of time in unfavorable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many bacteria, plants, algae, fungi and some protozoa. According to scientist Dr...
hyphal branches: clavula in Latin means little club and the suffix -igerus means bearing. S. clavuligerus spores are gray to grayish green.
S. clavuligerus produces over 20 secondary metabolites, including many beta-lactam
Beta-lactam
A β-lactam ring, is a four-membered lactam. It is named as such, because the nitrogen atom is attached to the β-carbon relative to the carbonyl...
antibiotics such as clavulanic acid
Clavulanic acid
Clavulanic acid is a competitive β-lactamase inhibitor combined with penicillin group antibiotics to overcome certain types of antibiotic resistance. It is used to overcome resistance in bacteria that secrete β-lactamase, which otherwise inactivates most penicillins...
, cephamycin C, deacetoxycephalosporin C, penicillin N (an intermediate in cephamycin C pathway) and at least four other clavams. Non-β-lactam antibiotics include holomycin and an antibiotic complex, MM 19290, related to tunicamycin; a beta-lactamase-inhibitory protein (BLIP) has also been described.
Another important characteristic of S. clavuligerus is that it is not able to use glucose
Glucose
Glucose is a simple sugar and an important carbohydrate in biology. Cells use it as the primary source of energy and a metabolic intermediate...
as a carbon source, because it lacks a glucose transport system.
It also possesses all the enzymes of the urea cycle
Urea cycle
The urea cycle is a cycle of biochemical reactions occurring in many animals that produces urea from ammonia . This cycle was the first metabolic cycle discovered , five years before the discovery of the TCA cycle...
, which is unusual for a prokaryote
Prokaryote
The prokaryotes are a group of organisms that lack a cell nucleus , or any other membrane-bound organelles. The organisms that have a cell nucleus are called eukaryotes. Most prokaryotes are unicellular, but a few such as myxobacteria have multicellular stages in their life cycles...
, although it is not clear if the urea cycle
Urea cycle
The urea cycle is a cycle of biochemical reactions occurring in many animals that produces urea from ammonia . This cycle was the first metabolic cycle discovered , five years before the discovery of the TCA cycle...
is functional.