''Rodentibacter'' is a genus of

Gram-negative Gram-negative bacteria are bacteria that, unlike gram-positive bacteria, do not retain the crystal violet stain used in the Gram staining method of bacterial differentiation. Their defining characteristic is that their cell envelope consists ...

bacteria in the family

Pasteurellaceae The Pasteurellaceae comprise a large family of Gram-negative bacteria. Most members live as commensals on mucosal surfaces of birds and mammals, especially in the upper respiratory tract. Pasteurellaceae are typically rod-shaped, and are a notabl ...

. Members of this genus are

facultatively anaerobic A facultative anaerobic organism is an organism that makes ATP by aerobic respiration if oxygen is present, but is capable of switching to fermentation if oxygen is absent. Some examples of facultatively anaerobic bacteria are ''Staphylococcus' ...

, non-motile, rod-shaped bacteria primarily associated with

rodents Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia ( ), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are n ...

, including laboratory mice and rats. The genus was first proposed in 2017 after

phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics () is the study of the evolutionary history of life using observable characteristics of organisms (or genes), which is known as phylogenetic inference. It infers the relationship among organisms based on empirical dat ...

studies showed that several former ''Pasteurella'' species and novel isolates formed a distinct

clade In biology, a clade (), also known as a Monophyly, monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that is composed of a common ancestor and all of its descendants. Clades are the fundamental unit of cladistics, a modern approach t ...

Etymology

The name ''Rodentibacter'' is derived from the Latin word ''rodens'' (gnawing, referring to rodents) and the Greek word ''baktērion'' (small rod). It reflects both the host group (rodents) and the bacterial morphology (rod-shaped).

Characteristics

''Rodentibacter'' species typically exhibit the following traits: * Gram-negative * Rod-shaped * Facultatively anaerobic * Non-motile * Oxidase- and catalase-positive They are part of the normal microbiota of rodents, particularly in the respiratory and urogenital tracts, but may also act as opportunistic pathogens.

Species

As of 2025, the genus ''Rodentibacter'' includes the following validly published species: * ''Rodentibacter abscessus'' * ''Rodentibacter caecimuris'' (= ''Rodentibacter heylii'') * ''Rodentibacter haemolyticus'' * ''Rodentibacter heidelbergensis'' * ''Rodentibacter mrazii'' * ''Rodentibacter myodis'' * ''Rodentibacter pneumotropicus'' * ''Rodentibacter rarus'' * ''Rodentibacter ratti'' * ''Rodentibacter trehalosifermentans'' ''Rodentibacter heylii'' is now considered a later heterotypic synonym of ''Rodentibacter caecimuris''.

Significance

Species of ''Rodentibacter'' are important in laboratory animal microbiology and veterinary medicine. Some species are part of the normal

microbiota Microbiota are the range of microorganisms that may be commensal, mutualistic, or pathogenic found in and on all multicellular organisms, including plants. Microbiota include bacteria, archaea, protists, fungi, and viruses, and have been found ...

, while others may be implicated in infections, particularly in immunocompromised or stressed animals.

References

External links