Kingdom Bacteria Class Clostridia Family Thermodesulfobiaceae Rank Species | Phylum Firmicutes Order Thermoanaerobacterales Genus Coprothermobacter | |
Similar Dictyoglomus thermophilum, Thermoanaerobacter, Methanothermobacter, Synergistetes | ||
Coprothermobacter proteolyticus, formerly Thermobacteroides proteolyticus, is a thermophilic, nonsporeforming bacteria.
C. proteolyticus was originally isolated from a thermophilic digester that was fermenting tannery wastes and cattle manure. The bacteria are rod-shaped and stain Gram-negative, although the cell structure is Gram-positive. The growth range is 35 to 75°C and pH 5.5 to 8.5, with the optimum growth conditions of 63°C at pH 7.5. The species uses sugars poorly unless yeast extract and either rumen fluid or Tripticase peptone are available. The bacteria was previously classified as Thermobacteroides proteolyticus until further study led researchers to propose a new genus, Coprothermobacter for the organism. The new genus refers to the fact that the organism was originally isolated from manure and for its thermophilic qualities.