The versatility and adaptation of bacteria from the genus Stenotrophomonas

• Published in: Nature reviews. Microbiology Vol. 7; no. 7; pp. 514 - 525
• Main Authors: Ryan, Robert P, Monchy, Sebastien, Cardinale, Massimiliano, Taghavi, Safiyh, Crossman, Lisa, Avison, Matthew B, Berg, Gabriele, van der Lelie, Daniel, Dow, J. Maxwell
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.07.2009; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: BACTERIA; Biomedical and Life Sciences; BIOREMEDIATION; BREAKDOWN; Drug resistance in microorganisms; ECONOMICS; ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; Genetic aspects; Genome, Bacterial - genetics; Genomes; Gram-negative bacteria; Humans; Infectious Diseases; Life Sciences; Medical Microbiology; Microbiology; Models, Biological; Niches; Nosocomial infections; Parasitology; Pathogens; Phylogeny; Physiological aspects; Phytoremediation; PLANT GROWTH; POLLUTANTS; PRODUCTION; review-article; Stenotrophomonas; Stenotrophomonas - classification; Stenotrophomonas - genetics; Stenotrophomonas - metabolism; Stenotrophomonas - pathogenicity; Stenotrophomonas maltophilia; Stenotrophomonas maltophilia - drug effects; Stenotrophomonas maltophilia - genetics; Stenotrophomonas maltophilia - metabolism; Stenotrophomonas maltophilia - pathogenicity; STRAINS; Virology; United States; United Kingdom; Ireland; United Kingdom > UK
• ISSN: 1740-1526; 1740-1534
• DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro2163

Key Points Stenotrophomonas spp. are found throughout the environment, particularly in close association with plants. Currently, the genus comprises eight validly described species: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia , Stenotrophomonas nitritireducens , Stenotrophomonas rhizophila , Stenotrophomonas acidaminiphila , Stenotrophomonas chelatiphaga , Stenotrophomonas koreensis , Stenotrophomonas terrae and Stenotrophomonas humi . Stenotrophomonas spp. have an important ecological role in the nitrogen and sulphur cycles and several Stenotrophomonas spp. can engage in beneficial interactions with plants, promoting growth and protecting plants from attack. These bacteria can degrade many xenobiotic compounds and so have the potential to be agents for bioremediation. S. maltophilia is the only species of Stenotrophomonas that is known to cause human disease and is a cause of bacteraemia, septicaemia and severe lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis. S. maltophilia has also been shown to possess a cell–cell signalling system that is mediated by a diffusible signal factor and is involved in modulating the production of extracellular protease, biofilm behaviour and virulence. Determination of the genome sequences of clinical and endophytic S. maltophilia strains has formed the basis for functional genomic analyses to test the contribution of specific functions to the tenacity of these bacteria in colonization, their broad resistance to antibiotics and their ability to enter into close associations with plants and humans. Bacteria from the genus Stenotrophomonas are found in a wide range of different environments. Here, Ryan et al . compare the recently sequenced genomes of two different Stenotrophomonas species to highlight the possible genetic basis of adaptation to these different niches. The genus Stenotrophomonas comprises at least eight species. These bacteria are found throughout the environment, particularly in close association with plants. Strains of the most predominant species, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia , have an extraordinary range of activities that include beneficial effects for plant growth and health, the breakdown of natural and man-made pollutants that are central to bioremediation and phytoremediation strategies and the production of biomolecules of economic value, as well as detrimental effects, such as multidrug resistance, in human pathogenic strains. Here, we discuss the versatility of the bacteria in the genus Stenotrophomonas and the insight that comparative genomic analysis of clinical and endophytic isolates of S. maltophilia has brought to our understanding of the adaptation of this genus to various niches.