How Do You Spell CLOSTRIDIUM PASTEURIANUM?

1. Clostridium pasteurianum is a species of Gram-positive, anaerobic bacteria that belongs to the genus Clostridium. It is named after the renowned French chemist and microbiologist, Louis Pasteur.

   This bacterium is characterized by its rod-shaped cells, which are typically 0.5-1.2 µm in diameter and 2-8 µm in length. Its cells are motile due to the presence of peritrichous flagella. Clostridium pasteurianum is widely distributed in various natural environments, including soil, aquatic sediments, and the digestive tracts of humans and animals.

   One of the significant metabolic features of C. pasteurianum is its ability to carry out the nitrogenase enzyme-mediated biological nitrogen fixation process. This bacterium is capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, which can then be utilized by plants and other organisms. It accomplishes this process by forming a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing plant species or by free-living nitrogen fixation.

   In addition to nitrogen fixation, C. pasteurianum can also ferment various substrates, including sugars and organic acids, generating a mixture of end products such as acetate, butyrate, ethanol, and hydrogen gas. These metabolic capabilities make C. pasteurianum significant in the fields of biotechnology and bioenergy production, as it can potentially be used for the production of biofuels and other biochemicals from renewable resources.

   Clostridium pasteurianum has been studied extensively due to its metabolic versatility and potential applications in various fields. However, it is also recognized as one of the causative agents of gas gangrene, a severe infection characterized by tissue necrosis and gas production, primarily affecting deep muscle tissues.

2. A nitrifying bacterium which utilizes directly the nitrogen of the air.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for CLOSTRIDIUM PASTEURIANUM

The etymology of the word "Clostridium pasteurianum" can be broken down as follows:

1. Clostridium: This term comes from the Greek word "kloster", which means "a spindle" or "spinning top", referring to the shape of the bacteria under a microscope. The suffix "-idium" denotes a diminutive or small-sized entity. In the case of bacteria, the term "Clostridium" is used to describe a genus of bacteria that are rod-shaped and form spores.

2. Pasteurianum: This term is derived from the name of Louis Pasteur, a prominent French scientist who made significant contributions to microbiology and the development of pasteurization. The suffix "-ianum" denotes association or belonging to someone, in this case, Pasteur.