MICROCOCCUS DENITRIFICANS Meaning and
Definition
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Micrococcus denitrificans is a species of Gram-positive, non-motile, aerobic bacteria that belongs to the genus Micrococcus. It is characterized by its capability to perform denitrification, a process in which nitrate is reduced to nitrogen gas, without any obvious external electron acceptor.
The cells of Micrococcus denitrificans are spherical in shape, occurring singly, in pairs, or in tetrads. They are typically arranged in irregular clusters and have a diameter of approximately 1-2 micrometers. The bacterial colonies appear yellowish to pale-orange on solid media due to the production of carotenoid pigments.
This bacterium is commonly found in various environmental sources such as soil, freshwater, and seawater. It can also reside as a commensal on human skin without causing any harm. Micrococcus denitrificans has been extensively studied due to its ability to denitrify, which plays a significant role in nitrogen recycling and removal from ecosystems.
In terms of metabolism, Micrococcus denitrificans is a facultative anaerobe, capable of both aerobic and anaerobic growth. It utilizes a wide range of carbon sources and can survive in diverse habitats. The denitrification process it performs involves different enzymatic reactions, converting nitrate (NO3-) to nitrogen gas (N2) via nitrite (NO2-), nitric oxide (NO), and nitrous oxide (N2O).
Micrococcus denitrificans has also attracted interest in bioremediation applications, as it can remove nitrates and nitrites from contaminated environments. Furthermore, its carotenoid pigments have shown antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, making this bacterium potentially useful in the development of pharmaceutical and cosmetic products
Common Misspellings for MICROCOCCUS DENITRIFICANS
- nicrococcus denitrificans
- kicrococcus denitrificans
- jicrococcus denitrificans
- mucrococcus denitrificans
- mjcrococcus denitrificans
- mkcrococcus denitrificans
- mocrococcus denitrificans
- m9crococcus denitrificans
- m8crococcus denitrificans
- mixrococcus denitrificans
- mivrococcus denitrificans
- mifrococcus denitrificans
- midrococcus denitrificans
- miceococcus denitrificans
- micdococcus denitrificans
- micfococcus denitrificans
- mictococcus denitrificans
- mic5ococcus denitrificans
- mic4ococcus denitrificans
- micricoccus denitrificans
Etymology of MICROCOCCUS DENITRIFICANS
The word "Micrococcus denitrificans" is a scientific name that consists of two parts: "Micrococcus" and "denitrificans".
The term "Micrococcus" comes from the Greek words "mikros" meaning "small" and "kokkos" meaning "berry" or "coccus". It refers to the small, spherical shape of the bacterial cells in the genus Micrococcus.
The term "denitrificans" is derived from Latin. It is a present participle form of the verb "denitrificare", which means "to remove nitrogen" or "to render nitrogen inert". It is composed of "de-" meaning "to remove" and "nitrogen".
Therefore, "Micrococcus denitrificans" can be translated roughly as "small spherical bacteria that remove/render nitrogen inert".
