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Beggiatoa
 
 
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Beggiatoa is a filamentous (septate) genus
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
 of proteobacteria
Proteobacteria

The Proteobacteria are a major group of bacteria. They include a wide variety of pathogens, such as Escherichia, Salmonella, Vibrio, Helicobacter, and many other notable genera....
, and are among the largest prokaryotes, with cells about 200 micrometres in diameter. Beggiatoa can be considered an indicator species
Indicator species

An indicator species is any biological species that defines a trait or characteristic of the environment. For example, a species may delineate an ecoregion or indicate an Environmental science such as a disease outbreak, pollution, species competition or climate change....
 since they are present and flourish in marine
Marine (ocean)

Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology....
 environments which have been subject to pollution
Pollution

Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into an environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms ....
, where the bacteria become visible as a whitish layer.

Members of this genus are chemosynthetic
Chemosynthesis

Chemosynthesis is the biological conversion of one or more carbon molecules and nutrients into organic matter using the oxidation of inorganic molecules or methane as a source of energy, rather than sunlight, as in photosynthesis....
, meaning that they utilize inorganic substances for the energy to make carbohydrates.






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Encyclopedia


Beggiatoa is a filamentous (septate) genus
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
 of proteobacteria
Proteobacteria

The Proteobacteria are a major group of bacteria. They include a wide variety of pathogens, such as Escherichia, Salmonella, Vibrio, Helicobacter, and many other notable genera....
, and are among the largest prokaryotes, with cells about 200 micrometres in diameter. Beggiatoa can be considered an indicator species
Indicator species

An indicator species is any biological species that defines a trait or characteristic of the environment. For example, a species may delineate an ecoregion or indicate an Environmental science such as a disease outbreak, pollution, species competition or climate change....
 since they are present and flourish in marine
Marine (ocean)

Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology....
 environments which have been subject to pollution
Pollution

Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into an environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms ....
, where the bacteria become visible as a whitish layer.

Members of this genus are chemosynthetic
Chemosynthesis

Chemosynthesis is the biological conversion of one or more carbon molecules and nutrients into organic matter using the oxidation of inorganic molecules or methane as a source of energy, rather than sunlight, as in photosynthesis....
, meaning that they utilize inorganic substances for the energy to make carbohydrates. B. gigantea obtains the energy required to survive by oxidizing compounds of sulfur
Sulfur

Sulfur or sulphur is the chemical element that has the atomic number 16. It is denoted with the symbol S. It is an abundant Valence non-metal....
; this characteristic means it is classified in the leucothiobacteria. Hydrogen sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide

Hydrogen sulfide is the chemical compound with the chemical formula Hydrogen2Sulfur. This colorless, toxic and flammable gas is partially responsible for the foul odor of egg and flatulence....
 is the compound
Compound

Compound may refer to:* Chemical compounds, combinations of two or more elements* Compound , a cluster of buildings having a shared purpose, usually inside a fence or wall...
 typically oxidized, however its deficiency results in the use of elemental sulfur (oxidized to sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid

Sulfuric acid, hydrogen2sulfuroxygen4, is a strong mineral acid. It is soluble in water at all concentrations. Sulfuric acid has many applications, and is one of the top products of the chemical industry....
) or of thiosulfate
Thiosulfate

Thiosulfate is an oxyanion of sulfur produced by the reaction of sulfite ions with elemental sulfur in boiling water. Thiosulfate occurs naturally in hot springs and geysers, and is produced by certain biochemical processes....
. There is an average of about 735kJ released per reaction.

Beggiatoa and other related filamentous bacteria can cause settling problems in sewage treatment plants, industrial waste lagoons in canning, paper pulping, brewing, milling, causing the phenomenon called Bulking.Beggiatoa are also able to detoxify hydrogen sulfide in soil.

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