The family Brevibacteriaceae

Abstract

Brevibacterium constitutes a ubiquitous range of species for which only the halotolerant sulfur aroma production has been utilized in the dairy food industry. Recently, however, a wide range of new isolates from different environments including soil, sediment, and seawater has been assigned to this genus. Since these isolates show quite diverse metabolic properties, they pave the way to new applications such as metal processing or bioremediation. Despite its long-time industrial use, especially as inoculants in the cheese-making industry, the genomic era for this genus has just started, with the first genomes of B. aurantiacum ATCC9174 (an industrial strain), B. massiliense DSM23039 (a pathogenic strain), and, finally, Brevibacterium sp. JC43 (a human gut strain) being released recently. Other genome sequences of Brevibacteriaceae are on their way. This includes the genome sequences from several strains of the industrially used B. linens (ATCC9172 and OC2 strains) and the genital pathogen Brevibacterium mcbrellneri. Genomic data should open investigation of the valuable but not yet fully deciphered metabolic properties of species and, on the other side, allow a better understanding of the specialization of distinct species within this genus as pathogens. Genetic manipulation of members of this genus is also not yet fully developed and tools remain to be derived from the genomic information. The recently obtained but still limited genomic data should be screened carefully with special focus on genetic elements such as genomic islands and plasmids. In addition, the investigation of mechanism underlying lateral gene transfer will also give novel insights and potentially applicable genetic tools for this genus.