''Pseudomonas reptilivora'' is a

fluorescent Fluorescence is one of two kinds of photoluminescence, the emission of light by a substance that has absorbed light or other electromagnetic radiation. When exposed to ultraviolet radiation, many substances will glow (fluoresce) with color ...

, yellow-green,

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 ...

, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming, multiple polar

flagella A flagellum (; : flagella) (Latin for 'whip' or 'scourge') is a hair-like appendage that protrudes from certain plant and animal sperm cells, from fungal spores ( zoospores), and from a wide range of microorganisms to provide motility. Many pr ...

ted,

motile Motility is the ability of an organism to move independently using metabolic energy. This biological concept encompasses movement at various levels, from whole organisms to cells and subcellular components. Motility is observed in animals, mi ...

bacterium Bacteria (; : bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were among the ...

that is pathogenic to

reptile Reptiles, as commonly defined, are a group of tetrapods with an ectothermic metabolism and Amniotic egg, amniotic development. Living traditional reptiles comprise four Order (biology), orders: Testudines, Crocodilia, Squamata, and Rhynchocepha ...

s. It was originally isolated in

Gila monster The Gila monster (''Heloderma suspectum'', ) is a species of venomous lizard native to the Southwestern United States and the northwestern Mexico, Mexican state of Sonora. It is a heavy, slow-moving reptile, up to long, and it is the only ve ...

s (''Heloderma suspectum''),

horned lizard ''Phrynosoma'', whose members are known as the horned lizards, horny toads, or horntoads, is a genus of North American lizards and the type genus of the Family (biology), family Phrynosomatidae. Their common names refer directly to their horns or ...

s (''Phrynosoma solare''), and chuckawallas (''Sauromalus ater''). The type strain is ATCC 14836. Gluconic Acid Production by ''Pseudomonas reptilivora'' ''P. reptilivora'' has demonstrated a remarkable ability to convert glucose into gluconic acid, a valuable organic acid widely used in the food, pharmaceutical, and eco-friendly cleaning industries. This bioconversion occurs through an oxidative process catalyzed by membrane-bound dehydrogenases, particularly pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ)-dependent glucose dehydrogenase. Metabolic Pathway Gluconic acid is synthesized via direct oxidation of glucose in the periplasmic space, bypassing central metabolic pathways which is further oxidized to 2-ketogluconic acid by gluconic acid dehydrogenase, however, another enzyme (2-ketogluconate dehydrogenase) transforms 2-ketogluconic acid into 5-ketogluconic acid at an optimal pH 5.5 and 6.0. The enzymatic reaction follows: Glucose + O₂ → Gluconic acid + H₂O₂ Gluconic acid → 2-ketogluconic acid → 5-ketogluconic acid Biotechnological Relevance Gluconic acid produced by ''P. reptilivora'' offers several advantages: * High specificity: The conversion produces minimal byproducts, simplifying downstream purification. *Mild process conditions: No extreme temperatures or harsh chemicals are needed. *Low-cost substrates: It can be produced from glucose, glycerol, or agro-industrial carbohydrate-rich wastes. *Experimental Evidence: In controlled fermentations with glucose concentrations of 1–5% (w/v). ''P. reptilivora'' B-6bs has shown: High conversion yields of glucose to gluconic acid within 48 hours. Co-production of 5-keto-D-gluconate, a secondary product formed by further oxidation. Sensitivity to oxygen transfer rates, with higher productivity observed at 3.3 vvm compared to 2.5 vvm. Production has been confirmed through UV-Vis spectrophotometry and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) techniques. Known strains of ''Pseudomonas reptilivora'' *''P. reptilivora'' *''P. reptilivora'' M8 produces antibiotics. *''P. reptilivora B-6'' produces 2-ketogluconic acid. *''P. reptilivora B-6bs'' produces 5-ketogluconic acid, proline, glutamic acid and gluconic acid

References

Pseudomonadales Bacteria described in 1940 {{Pseudomonadales-stub