The biology and the importance of Photobacterium species

• Published in: Applied microbiology and biotechnology Vol. 101; no. 11; pp. 4371 - 4385
• Main Authors: Moi, Ibrahim Musa, Roslan, Noordiyanah Nadhirah, Leow, Adam Thean Chor, Ali, Mohd Shukuri Mohamad, Rahman, Raja Noor Zaliha Raja Abd, Rahimpour, Azam, Sabri, Suriana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-06-2017; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aquatic ecosystems; Aquatic habitats; Bacteria; Bacterial Proteins - genetics; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biosensing Techniques; Biosensors; Biotechnology; DNA, Bacterial; Ecosystem; Environmental monitoring; Fatty acids; Fishes; Genome, Bacterial; Life Sciences; Luminescence; Marine biology; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Microbiology; Mini-Review; Photobacterium - genetics; Photobacterium - growth & development; Photobacterium - physiology; Phylogeny; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Symbiosis; Unsaturated fatty acids; Applications; Genome; Marine bacteria; Photobacterium
• ISSN: 0175-7598; 1432-0614
• DOI: 10.1007/s00253-017-8300-y

Photobacterium
species are Gram-negative coccobacilli which are distributed in marine habitats worldwide. Some species are unique because of their capability to produce luminescence. Taxonomically, about 23 species and 2 subspecies are validated to date. Genomes from a few
Photobacterium
spp. have been sequenced and studied. They are considered a special group of bacteria because some species are capable of producing essential polyunsaturated fatty acids, antibacterial compounds, lipases, esterases and asparaginases. They are also used as biosensors in food and environmental monitoring and detectors of drown victim, as well as an important symbiont.