Abstract
BackgroundChromobacterium violaceum is a free-living bacterium able to survive under diverse environmental conditions. In this study we evaluate the genetic and physiological diversity of Chromobacterium sp. isolates from three Brazilian ecosystems: Brazilian Savannah (Cerrado), Atlantic Rain Forest and Amazon Rain Forest. We have analyzed the diversity with molecular approaches (16S rRNA gene sequences and amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis) and phenotypic surveys of antibiotic resistance and biochemistry profiles.ResultsIn general, the clusters based on physiological profiles included isolates from two or more geographical locations indicating that they are not restricted to a single ecosystem. The isolates from Brazilian Savannah presented greater physiologic diversity and their biochemical profile was the most variable of all groupings. The isolates recovered from Amazon and Atlantic Rain Forests presented the most similar biochemical characteristics to the Chromobacterium violaceum ATCC 12472 strain. Clusters based on biochemical profiles were congruent with clusters obtained by the 16S rRNA gene tree. According to the phylogenetic analyses, isolates from the Amazon Rain Forest and Savannah displayed a closer relationship to the Chromobacterium violaceum ATCC 12472. Furthermore, 16S rRNA gene tree revealed a good correlation between phylogenetic clustering and geographic origin.ConclusionThe physiological analyses clearly demonstrate the high biochemical versatility found in the C. violaceum genome and molecular methods allowed to detect the intra and inter-population diversity of isolates from three Brazilian ecosystems.
Highlights
Chromobacterium violaceum is a free-living bacterium able to survive under diverse environmental conditions
C. violaceum is present in three main ecosystems: the Amazon Rain Forest (AmF) [4], the Brazilian Savannah (BS), called Cerrado, and the Atlantic Rain Forest (AtF), which are considered biodiversity hotspots [5]
None of the isolates was able to grow at 4°C and all grew at 15°C,25°C and 37°C
Summary
Chromobacterium violaceum is a free-living bacterium able to survive under diverse environmental conditions. Chromobacterium violaceum is a Gram-negative bacterium found in the environment as a saprophyte, in a wide variety of tropical and subtropical ecosystems, primarily in water and soil [1] It is a β-Proteobacterium that is of great biotechnological interest due to its wide potential for industrial, pharmacological and ecological use [2]. This free-living bacterium presents a high flexibility to survive in the most diverse environments [3]. In Brazil, C. violaceum is present in three main ecosystems: the Amazon Rain Forest (AmF) [4], the Brazilian Savannah (BS), called Cerrado, and the Atlantic Rain Forest (AtF), which are considered biodiversity hotspots [5]. These three ecosystems encompass altogether almost 50% of the total area in the Neotropical region
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