The family alteromonadaceae

Abstract

The family Alteromonadaceae collects a diverse set of gammaproteobacteria, mostly marine in origin and requiring sodium to grow. The type genus Alteromonas was among the first marine bacteria described. They have large cells that grow quite fast with minimal nutritional requirements, and although all are obligate aerobic heterotrophs, they display a diverse set of potential substrates and extensive degradative properties. They have large genomes that contain several degradative genes and sometimes secondary metabolites. Ecologically they are often associated to nutrient-rich environments such as particulate material, marine snow, or marine animals. They have relatively high optimal growth temperatures for marine bacteria except for those isolated from cold environments such as Glaciecola. Saccharophagus has been shown to utilize a large set of sugars and polysaccharides as carbon and energy source. Members of Marinobacter have been described as hydrocarbon degrading, although this characteristic is spread among other genera of the family. Some are agarolytic (Agarivorans, Aliagarivorans). Some strains of Alteromonas macleodii have the most oxygen-resistant hydrogenase described to date although this species cannot grow on hydrogen as energy source and does not fix CO2.