Erin’s wonderful notes

1)      Classification

a)      This particular bacteria is a species of bacteria that is associated with fermentation, under conditions of salinity and low temperatures

i)        Salinity- a sterile solution of sodium chloride used to dilute medications of for intravenous therapy  

b)      Kingdom- bacteria

c)       Division- Firmicutes

d)      Class- Bacilli

e)      Order- Lactobacillales

f)       Family- Leuconostocaceae

g)      Genus- Leuconostoc

h)      Species- L. mesenteroides

i)        A genus of bacteria in the family Streptococcaceae

j)        Gram-positive, stains purple

2)      Structure

a)      Bacilli shaped

b)      Usually occurring singly or in pairs, but mostly chains

c)       Has a flagellum

i)        If flagellum is present, it contains two rings for support as opposed to four in Gram-negative bacteria because Gram-positive bacteria have only one membrane layer

3)      How is this bacteria useful?

a)      It is used for the fermentation of vegetable productions and drinks

i)        Fermentation is a change brought up by a ferment such as yeasts enzymes and certain types of bacteria

b)      They help many different foods

4)      Habitat/ Where it occurs

a)      They are widespread in nature, and are found in soil, water, plants and animals

b)      They usually inhabit nutrient-rich environments such as milk, meat, vegetable products and fermented drinks

5)      Facts about this bacteria

a)      Teichoic acids and lipoteichoic acids are present, which serve to act as chelating agents, and also for certain types of adherence

i)        Teichoic acids- a polymer of ribitol phosphate with additional compounds(found in the cell wall of the bacteria

ii)       Lipoteichoic acids- a surface- associated adhesion amphiphile from gram-positive bacteria

iii)     Chelating- a heterocyclic compound having a central metallic attached by covalent bonds or two or more nonmetallic atoms in the same molecule  

b)        Gram-positive

c)        non-spore-formin

d)       round or elongated in shape

e)       anaerobic or aerotolerant

i)        Anaerobic- organisms live in the absence of oxygen

ii)       Aerotolerant- can live in the presence of oxygen but to not need it to survive

6)      ferment glucose with production of levorotatory lactic acid (heterofermentative), ethanol, and carbon dioxide