Bacteria Genomes - FUSOBACTERIUM NUCLEATUM

Fusobacterium nucleatum is found in the dental plaque of humans and is frequently associated with gum disease

Fusobacterium nucleatum, is an anaerobic Gram-negative non-sporeforming oral bacterium found in the normal flora of the mouth, that plays a role in periodontal disease.

The cells of F. nucleatum are spindle-shaped or fusiform rods of variable length. All strains obtain energy from the fermentation of sugars or amino acids, and produce butyric acid as a major metabolic by-product.

Although F. nucleatum is not considered a major dental pathogen on its own, it can adhere to a wide range of other plague organisms, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, and contribute to the development of periodontitis as well as invasive human infections of the head and neck, chest, lung, liver and abdomen.

Hierarchy Description:

Genus: Fusobacterium
Species: nucleatum
Strain: ATCC 25586
Genome accession number: AE009951 [AE010459 - AE010655]
EMBL reference Medline reference
Taxonomy: 190304

References:

www.hgsc.bcm.tmc.edu/microbial/Fnucleatum/
J. Bacteriol 2002, 184 (7):2005-18