Biomaterial Database

Heterotrophic bacteria present in hindguts of wood-eating termites [Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar)]. 1978

J E Schultz, and J A Breznak

Strict anaerobic culture techniques were used to quantitate heterotrophic bacteria present in hindguts of Reticulitermes flavipes. The grand mean number of viable cells per hindgut was 0.4 X 10(5) (first-instar larvae), 1.3 X 10(5) (third-instar larvae), 3.5 X 10(5) (workers), and 1.5 X 10(5) (soldiers). Of a total of 344 isolates, 66.3% were streptococci that were always obtained regardless of the origin of termites, their developmental stage or caste, or their length of captivity. Most of the remaining isolates were strains of Bacteroides and Enterobacteriaceae. A small percentage were strains of Lactobacillus, Fusobacterium, and unidentified anaerobic gram-positive rods. Recovery of bacteria from worker hindguts was 13.0% of the direct microscopic count. Isolations performed aerobically failed to reveal strict aerobes. Attempts to isolate cellulolytic bacteria were uniformly unsuccessful. Of 145 streptococcal strains isolated from freshly collected termites, almost all were Streptococcus lactis and S. cremoris. Enterobacteriaceae isolates from the same termite specimens were indole-positive Citrobacter, citrate-negative Citrobacter, and Enterobacter cloacae. The possibility of in situ interspecies lactate transfer, between lactate producers (e.g., streptococci) and lactate fermenters (Bacteroides), is discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007313	Insecta	Members of the phylum ARTHROPODA composed or organisms characterized by division into three parts: head, thorax, and abdomen. They are the dominant group of animals on earth with several hundred thousand different kinds. Three orders, HEMIPTERA; DIPTERA; and SIPHONAPTERA; are of medical interest in that they cause disease in humans and animals. (From Borror et al., An Introduction to the Study of Insects, 4th ed, p1).	Insects,Insect
D007422	Intestines	The section of the alimentary canal from the STOMACH to the ANAL CANAL. It includes the LARGE INTESTINE and SMALL INTESTINE.	Intestine
D007773	Lactates	Salts or esters of LACTIC ACID containing the general formula CH3CHOHCOOR.
D007814	Larva	Wormlike or grublike stage, following the egg in the life cycle of insects, worms, and other metamorphosing animals.	Maggots,Tadpoles,Larvae,Maggot,Tadpole
D004755	Enterobacteriaceae	A family of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria that do not form endospores. Its organisms are distributed worldwide with some being saprophytes and others being plant and animal parasites. Many species are of considerable economic importance due to their pathogenic effects on agriculture and livestock.	Coliform Bacilli,Enterobacteria,Ewingella,Leclercia,Paracolobactrum,Sodalis
D005285	Fermentation	Anaerobic degradation of GLUCOSE or other organic nutrients to gain energy in the form of ATP. End products vary depending on organisms, substrates, and enzymatic pathways. Common fermentation products include ETHANOL and LACTIC ACID.	Fermentations
D000693	Anaerobiosis	The complete absence, or (loosely) the paucity, of gaseous or dissolved elemental oxygen in a given place or environment. (From Singleton & Sainsbury, Dictionary of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, 2d ed)	Anaerobic Metabolism,Anaerobic Metabolisms,Anaerobioses,Metabolism, Anaerobic,Metabolisms, Anaerobic
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001419	Bacteria	One of the three domains of life (the others being Eukarya and ARCHAEA), also called Eubacteria. They are unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms which generally possess rigid cell walls, multiply by cell division, and exhibit three principal forms: round or coccal, rodlike or bacillary, and spiral or spirochetal. Bacteria can be classified by their response to OXYGEN: aerobic, anaerobic, or facultatively anaerobic; by the mode by which they obtain their energy: chemotrophy (via chemical reaction) or PHOTOTROPHY (via light reaction); for chemotrophs by their source of chemical energy: CHEMOLITHOTROPHY (from inorganic compounds) or chemoorganotrophy (from organic compounds); and by their source for CARBON; NITROGEN; etc.; HETEROTROPHY (from organic sources) or AUTOTROPHY (from CARBON DIOXIDE). They can also be classified by whether or not they stain (based on the structure of their CELL WALLS) with CRYSTAL VIOLET dye: gram-negative or gram-positive.	Eubacteria
D001439	Bacteroides	A genus of gram-negative, anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria. Its organisms are normal inhabitants of the oral, respiratory, intestinal, and urogenital cavities of humans, animals, and insects. Some species may be pathogenic.