Nomenclature of Bacteria: Naming Microbial Organisms

_{November 11, 2023 by JoyAnswer.org, Category : Microbiology}

What is the nomenclature of bacteria? Explore the nomenclature of bacteria and understand the naming conventions for microbial organisms. This guide provides insights into the systematic naming of bacteria.

What is the nomenclature of bacteria?

The nomenclature of bacteria, or the system of naming microbial organisms, follows a set of rules established by the International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria (ICNB). The ICNB provides guidelines for naming and classifying bacteria, ensuring consistency and clarity in scientific communication. Here are the key components of bacterial nomenclature:

Genus and Species Names:
- Bacterial names are binomial, consisting of two parts: the genus name and the species name. The genus name is always capitalized, and both names are italicized (or underlined).
  Example: Escherichia coli
Genus Abbreviation:
- After the first use of a genus name in a document, it is often abbreviated to its initial letter(s) followed by a period. The species name is written in full.
  Example: E. coli
Authority:
- The name of the person or research group who first described and published the new species is included after the species name. The author's name is not italicized.
  Example: Escherichia coli K-12 Straus and Blattner 1957
Strain Designation:
- Some bacteria have strain designations that indicate specific variants within a species. Strain names are usually added after the species name.
  Example: Escherichia coli K-12 MG1655
Type Strain:
- The type strain is a reference specimen that embodies the characteristics of a particular species. It is the strain from which the species description is derived. The type strain is indicated by the abbreviation "T."
  Example: Escherichia coli ATCC 11775T
Cultivar and Pathovar:
- For bacteria associated with plants, the terms "cultivar" and "pathovar" may be used to denote cultivated varieties and pathogenic variants, respectively.
  Example: Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria

It's important to note that the naming of bacteria is subject to updates and revisions as new information becomes available, and taxonomic classifications may change. The use of genetic and molecular data has led to reclassifications in bacterial taxonomy. Researchers follow the guidelines set forth by the International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria to maintain consistency and accuracy in the naming and classification of bacterial species.

The nomenclature system used for classifying bacteria is the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (ICNP). This code is based on the principles of binomial nomenclature, which means that each species of bacteria is given a two-part name consisting of a genus name and a species name.

1. Genus Names

Genus names are always capitalized and are written in italics.
They are typically derived from Latin or Greek words that describe some characteristic of the bacteria.
For example, the genus name Escherichia is derived from the name of Theodor Escherich, who discovered the bacterium, while the genus name Staphylococcus is derived from the Greek words staphyle (grape) and coccus (sphere), describing the bacterium's grape-like clusters of spherical cells.

2. Species Epithets

Species epithets are always written in lowercase and are not italicized.
They can be derived from Latin or Greek words, or they can be based on the bacterium's habitat, source, or other characteristics.
For example, the species epithet coli in Escherichia coli refers to the bacterium's habitat in the colon, while the species epithet aureus in Staphylococcus aureus refers to the bacterium's golden-yellow color.

3. Common Prefixes and Suffixes

Some common prefixes and suffixes are used in bacterial nomenclature.
For example, the prefix aero- means "air," so Aerobacter is a genus of bacteria that can live in the presence of oxygen.
The suffix -coccus means "sphere," so Streptococcus is a genus of bacteria that forms chains of spherical cells.

4. Phylogenetic Classification

In addition to the binomial name, bacteria are also classified into a hierarchy of taxa, including kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species.

These taxa are based on the evolutionary relationships between different groups of bacteria.
Bacteria that are closely related are grouped together into higher-level taxa, while bacteria that are more distantly related are placed in separate taxa.

The ICNP is regularly updated to reflect new discoveries and changes in our understanding of bacterial taxonomy. The current version of the code can be found on the website of the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes (ICSP).