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DeinococcusRANK: GenusTAXONOMY: Bacteria -> Terrabacteria group -> Deinococcus-Thermus -> Deinococci -> Deinococcales -> Deinococcaceae -> Deinococcus OVERVIEW: Deinococcus strains form either spherical cells 0.5–3.5 µm in diameter, or rods 0.6–1.2 µm wide × 1.5–4.0 µm long. Spherical cells form pairs or tetrads and appear larger than other cocci. Species are mesophilic or thermophilic, with optimum growth temperatures of 25–35°C or 45–50°C, respectively. With the exception of D. grandis, all species stain Gram-positive. Nonmotile, without a differentiated resting stage. Aerobic, catalase is produced. Several distinct cell wall layers are visible by electron microscopy of sections and an outer membrane is included. The peptidoglycan is type A3β and contains l-ornithine. Menaquinone 8 (MK-8) is the predominant respiratory quinone. The phospholipids do not include phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, or derivatives. Fatty acids are saturated or monounsaturated. Unbranched 15, 16, and 17 carbon acids predominate in mesophilic species, branched 16 and 17 carbon acids in thermophilic species. Chemoorganotrophic; metabolism is respiratory. May be proteolytic. All natural isolates are ionizing-radiation resistant. The habitat of the mesophilic species is not defined, thermophilic species are found in hot springs. The mol% G + C of the DNA is: 62–70. Type species: Deinococcus radiodurans This genus contains microbial species that can reside in the human gastrointestinal tract. [PMC 4262072]
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