Taxonomic Information

Domain: Bacteria
    The Domain Bacteria are described by the following characteristics:
1) Prokaryotic cells, so they lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.
2) Their genetic information is not found within the nucleus.
3) The cell walls contain peptidoglycan.
To view the organism Streptomyces griseus, which is also from this domain, please click here.

      

Kingdom: Bacteria
    This kingdom is characterized by the same descriptions as the Domain above.

Phylum: Actinobacteria
    The Phylum Actinobacteria are one of the more dominant phyla within the Bacteria. They are classified as being Gram-positive bacteria with large contents of guanine and cytosine.

Brevibacterium linens is a gram-positive organism. This means that it has a cell wall made of a peptidoglycan layer found outside of its plasma membrane. When gram stained, gram-positive bacteria are purple in color; however, gram-negative bacteria which have their peptidoglycan layer in between an outer membrane and the plasma membrane, are pink in color.

 

 

Class: Actinobacteria
    The Class Actinobacteria is characterized by the same descriptions as the Phylum above.

Order: Actinomycetales
    The word "Actinomycetales" means "filamentous or rod-shaped bacteria". This is exactly why Brevibacterium linens falls under this order, because they are a rod-shaped bacteria. Also, all members of this order are gram-positive. They can undergo either aerobic or facultative anaerobic growth.
To view another organism that falls under this order, please click here.

Family: Brevibacteriaceae

Genus: Brevibacterium
    This genus is a combination of coryneform bacteria that are used to create vitamins, amino acids for chemical production, and are primarily used in cheese making. These bacteria also had a rod-coccus shape while they were developing. After they grow older, they turn into their normal rod-shaped structure. They are sessile (non-motile) individuals, chemoorganotrophic, and halotolerant (greater than or equal to 6.5% Sodium Chloride).

Species: Brevibacterium linens
    This is the scientific name for this organism. Its common name is "Lactic Acid Bacteria"

The phylogenetic tree above is based off of molecular DNA. The gene sequence that was used to organize this phylogeny are the neighbour-joining of 16S rRNA genes. The organism Brevibacterium linens is the second from the top, and it is most closely related to Breibacterium iodinum. The organisms B. otitidis and B. lutescens are the organisms furthest related from B. linens. Furthermore, all of these organisms evolved from a now extinct ancestor.

This phylogenetic tree is based off of molecular RNA data. The purpose of this tree is to show the separation of the three domains and some of the types of organisms that fall within these domains. Brevibacterium linens falls under the "Gram positives" category beneath the Bacteria domain.

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