firmicutes

(noun)

A phylum of bacteria, most of which have Gram-positive cell wall structure.

Related Terms

Examples of firmicutes in the following topics:

  • Firmicutes

    • The Firmicutes are a phylum of bacteria, most of which have Gram-positive cell wall structure and some of which can form endospores.
    • The Firmicutes (Latin: firmus = strong, and cutis = skin, referring to the cell wall) are a phylum of bacteria, most of which have Gram-positive cell wall structure.
    • Many Firmicutes produce endospores, which are resistant to desiccation and can survive extreme conditions.
    • Firmicutes play an important role in beer, wine, and cider spoilage.
    • An endospore is a dormant, tough, and non-reproductive structure produced by certain bacteria from the Firmicute phylum.

  • Non-Spore-Forming Firmicutes

    • The Firmicutes are a phylum of bacteria, most of which have Gram-positive cell wall structure and some of which do not produce spores.
    • Scientists once classified the Firmicutes to include all Gram-positive bacteria, but have recently defined them to be of a core group of related forms called the low-G+C group, in contrast to the Actinobacteria.
    • Many Firmicutes produce endospores, which are resistant to desiccation and can survive extreme conditions.
    • Firmicutes play an important role in beer, wine, and cider spoilage.The group is typically divided into the Clostridia, which are anaerobic, the Bacilli, which are obligate or facultative aerobes, and the Mollicutes.
    • Discuss the role of non-spore forming Firmicutes in industrial applications, specifically lactic acid bacteria (LAB)

  • Overview of Gram-Positive Bacteria and Actinobacteria

    • Unlike the Firmicutes, the other main group of Gram-positive bacteria, they have DNA with a high GC-content, and some Actinomycetes species produce external spores.

  • Actinobacteria (High G + C Gram-Positive Bacteria)

    • Unlike the Firmicutes, the other main group of Gram-positive bacteria, they have DNA with a high GC-content, and some Actinomycetes species produce external spores.

  • Classification and Nomenclature

    • Phyla are not covered by the Bacteriological Code, however, the scientific community generally follows the Ncbi and Lpsn taxonomy, where the name of the phylum is generally the plural of the type genus, with the exception of the Firmicutes, Cyanobacteria, and Proteobacteria, whose names do not stem from a genus name.

  • Endospores

    • An endospore is a dormant, tough, and non-reproductive structure produced by certain bacteria from the Firmicute phylum.

  • Chloroflexus and Relatives

    • Whereas most bacteria, in terms of diversity, are diderms and stain Gram negative with the exception of the Firmicutes (low CG Gram positives), Actinobacteria (high CG gram positives), and the Deinococcus-Thermus group (Gram positive, but diderms with thick peptidoglycan), the members of the phylum Chloroflexi are monoderms and stain mostly Gram negative.

  • Microbiota of the Skin

    • Most come from four phyla: Actinobacteria (51.8%), Firmicutes (24.4%), Proteobacteria (16.5%), and Bacteroidetes (6.3%).