Escherichia | |
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SEM micrograph of cluster of Escherichia coli bacteria. Each individual bacterium is oblong. | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Bacteria |
Phylum: | Pseudomonadota |
Class: | Gammaproteobacteria |
Order: | Enterobacterales |
Family: | Enterobacteriaceae |
Genus: | Escherichia Castellani & Chalmers 1919[1] |
Type species | |
Escherichia coli (Escherich, 1886)
| |
Species | |
E. albertii |
Escherichia (/ˌɛʃəˈrɪkiə/ ESH-ə-RIK-ee-ə) is a genus of Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria from the family Enterobacteriaceae.[3] In those species which are inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tracts of warm-blooded animals, Escherichia species provide a portion of the microbially derived vitamin K for their host. A number of the species of Escherichia are pathogenic.[4] The genus is named after Theodor Escherich, the discoverer of Escherichia coli. Escherichia are facultative aerobes, with both aerobic and anaerobic growth, and an optimum temperature of 37 °C.[3] Escherichia are usually motile by flagella, produce gas from fermentable carbohydrates, and do not decarboxylate lysine or hydrolyze arginine.[5] Species include E. albertii, E. fergusonii, E. hermannii, E. ruysiae, E. marmotae and most notably, the model organism and clinically relevant E. coli. Formerly, Shimwellia blattae[6] and Pseudescherichia vulneris were also classified in this genus.
Castellani et al., 1919
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).