Thiotrichales

Thiotrichales is an order of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria within the class Gammaproteobacteria. The members of this order are known for their large size and ability to live in sulfur rich environments. Thiotrichales has an important role in the sulfur and nitrogen cycles in marine and freshwater sediments, hydrothermal vents, and areas with an accumulation of organic matter.

Thiotrichales
Thiomargarita namibiensis
Scientific classification
Domain:	Bacteria
Phylum:	Pseudomonadota
Class:	Gammaproteobacteria
Order:	Thiotrichales Garrity et al. 2005
Families
Fastidiosibacteraceae Francisellaceae Piscirickettsiaceae Thiofilaceae Thiolinaceae Thiotrichaceae

Characteristics

1. Sulfur metabolism: Most species oxidize sulfur compounds for energy. Other microbes may use nitrate as an electron acceptor which contributes to the detoxification of sulfide-rich environments.
2. Morphology: In this class they vary greatly in size
3. Symbiosis: Microbes in this class can form symbiotic relationships with other organisms, mostly marine invertebrates like mussels and worms. They help these organisms survive in environments lacking nutrients by performing sulfur oxidation which provides them with needed nutrients.

These bacteria thrive when there is a gradient between oxygenated and anoxic zones, that can occur around hydrothermal vents. This is where thiotrichales usually form microbial mats and biofilms is sulfur is abundant. This species of microbe can also be present in cold seep ecosystems where methane and sulfide seep through the seafloor.

Ecological importance

Thiotrichales bacteria contribute to the cycling of nutrients in an environment, specifically in area that contain high levels of sulfide. This bacterium aids many organisms through sulfur oxidation, due to the sole toxicity of sulfur. Effectively detoxifying sulfide-rich environments in marine and freshwater sediments, hydrothermal vents, and areas with large accumulations of organic matter making the regions more hospitable to other organisms.

References

• “Pseudomonadota Garrity et Al., 2021.” gbif.org. Accessed 21 October 2024
• Garrity, George M., et al. “Thiotrichales Ord. Nov..” SpringerLink, Springer US, 1 Jan. 1970, doi:10.1007/0-387-28022-7_5.
• “This Site Requires Javascript to Be Enabled on Many Pages.” Thiotrichales Details. Accessed 29 September 2024.
• Zaballos, Milagros, et al. “Comparison of Prokaryotic Diversity at Offshore Oceanic Locations Reveals a Different Microbiota in the Mediterranean Sea.” FEMS Microbiology Ecology, vol. 56, no. 3, June 2006, pp. 389–405, doi:10.1111/j.1574-6941.2006.00060.x. Accessed 22 February 2021.