''Enterobacter cloacae'' is a clinically significant

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 ...

, facultatively-anaerobic, rod-shaped bacterium.

Microbiology

In microbiology laboratories, ''E. cloacae'' is frequently grown at 30 °C on nutrient agar or at 35 °C in tryptic soy broth. It is a rod-shaped,

bacterium, is facultatively anaerobic, and bears peritrichous flagella. It is oxidase-negative and catalase-positive.

Industrial use

''Enterobacter cloacae'' has been used in a bioreactor-based method for the biodegradation of explosives and in the biological control of plant diseases. ''Enterobacter cloacae'' strain MBB8 isolated from the Gulf of Mannar, India was reported to degrade poly vinyl alcohol (PVA). This was the first report of a PVA degrader from the Enterobacter genus. ''E. cloacae'' was also reported to produce exopolysaccharide (EPS) as high as 18.3g/L. GC-MS analysis of ''E. cloacae'' EPS showed the presence of glucose and mannose in the molar ratio of 1: 1.5e⁻². ''Enterobacter cloacae'' subsp. ''cloacae'' strain PR-4 was isolated and identified by 16S rDNA gene sequence with phylogenetic tree view from explosive-laden soil by P. Ravikumar (GenBank accession number KP261383). E. cloacae SG208 identified as a predominant microorganism in mixed culture isolated from petrochemical sludge (IOCL, Guwahati) responsible for degradation of benzene was reported by Padhi and Gokhale (2016).

Safety

''Enterobacter cloacae'' is considered a biosafety level 1 organism in the United States and level 2 in Canada.

Genomics

A draft genome sequence of ''Enterobacter cloacae'' subsp. ''cloacae'' was announced in 2012. The bacteria used in the study were isolated from giant panda feces.

Clinical significance

''Enterobacter cloacae'' is a member of the normal gut flora of many humans and is not usually a primary pathogen. Some strains have been associated with urinary tract and respiratory tract infections in immunocompromised individuals. It is a high risk AmpC producer and treatment with cefepime is recommended by the IDSA if causing disease rather than simply colonising. Treatment using cefepime and gentamicin has been reported. A 2012 study in which ''Enterobacter cloacae'' was transplanted into previously germ-free mice resulted in increased obesity when compared with germ-free mice fed an identical diet, suggesting a link between obesity and the presence of ''Enterobacter'' gut flora.

References

External links

Type strain of ''Enterobacter cloacae'' at Bac''Dive'' - the Bacterial Diversity Metadatabase
{{Authority control Enterobacteriaceae Gram-negative bacteria Bacteria described in 1890 Biodegradation Pathogenic bacteria