Biochemical characteristics, adhesion, and cytotoxicity of environmental and clinical isolates of Herbaspirillum spp

J Clin Microbiol. 2015 Jan;53(1):302-8. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02192-14. Epub 2014 Oct 29.

Abstract

Herbaspirillum bacteria are best known as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria but have also been recovered from clinical samples. Here, biochemical tests, matrix-assisted laser deionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, adherence, and cytotoxicity to eukaryotic cells were used to compare clinical and environmental isolates of Herbaspirillum spp. Discrete biochemical differences were observed between human and environmental strains. All strains adhered to HeLa cells at low densities, and cytotoxic effects were discrete, supporting the view that Herbaspirillum bacteria are opportunists with low virulence potential.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Adhesion / physiology*
  • Cell Survival
  • Environmental Microbiology*
  • Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / microbiology*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Herbaspirillum / chemistry
  • Herbaspirillum / classification
  • Herbaspirillum / pathogenicity*
  • Herbaspirillum / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Phylogeny
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization