Mobiluncus curtisii
What's this?
- G
- G
- G
- C
- T
- T
- G
- A
- G
- T
- G
- C
- G
- G
- T
- A
- G
- G
- G
- G
- T
- G
- A
- C
Its ID gene: the stretch scientists read to tell microbes apart. Each bar is one letter of its DNA. Every species has its own order of letters, so the pattern works like a fingerprint. Close relatives share most of it.
16S rRNA gene, V4 region: the 253 letters between the standard primers (515F/806R), which are the same in every species. One reference sequence; strains can differ by a letter or two. NCBI NR_042085.1
Formerly Falcivibrio vaginalis.
Small for a gut microbe: longer than 17% of the 2,354 we have genomes for.
55% G+C, higher than 65% of gut microbes.
To scale: if its ID gene were 1 cm long, its genome would stretch 14 meters. Yours would stretch 21 kilometers. One reference genome; strains vary. NCBI GCF_000196535.1
What it can do
- Can make lactic acid What yogurt bacteria make; other microbes turn it into butyrate.
- Can ferment fiber Breaks down dietary fiber that our own enzymes can't.
- Mixed evidence Can use lactose The sugar in milk and dairy. Genome analysis says yes; lab tests on 6 strains say no.
Not seen in its genomes or lab tests: make butyrate, make propionate, eat inulin, eat resistant starch, eat pectin, feed on gut mucus, change bile acids, make B vitamins, make hydrogen sulfide, make methane.
All 13 capabilities and their evidence
| Capability | Verdict | Genome analysis | Lab tests | Published research |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Can make butyrate | Not seen | 0 of 2 genomes | — | No papers |
| Can make propionate | Not seen | 0 of 2 genomes | — | No papers |
| Can make lactic acid | Can | 2 of 2 genomes | — | No papers |
| Can ferment fiber | Can | 2 of 2 genomes | 2 of 6 strains · strip test Strip tests often miss fiber-eaters, so this doesn't override the genomes. | No papers |
| Can eat inulin | Not seen | 0 of 2 genomes | 0 of 1 strain · strip test | No papers |
| Can eat resistant starch | Not seen | 0 of 2 genomes | — | No papers |
| Can eat pectin | Not seen | 0 of 2 genomes | — | No papers |
| Can use lactose | Mixed evidence | 2 of 2 genomes | 0 of 6 strains | No papers |
| Can feed on gut mucus | Not seen | 0 of 2 genomes | — | No papers |
| Can change bile acids | Not seen | 0 of 2 genomes | — | No papers |
| Can make B vitamins | Not seen | 0 of 2 genomes | — | No papers |
| Can make hydrogen sulfide | Not seen | 0 of 2 genomes | — | No papers |
| Can make methane | Not seen | 0 of 2 genomes | — | No papers |
AGORA2 (Heinken et al. 2023) via VMH, CC BY 4.0 · BacDive (DSMZ), CC BY 4.0 · NJC19 (Lim et al., Scientific Data 2020), CC0