Non-O1/O139 Vibrio cholerae
Vibrio cholerae (non-O1/non-O139 serogroups)
Non-O1/O139 Vibrio cholerae refers to strains of the species Vibrio cholerae that lack the O1 and O139 surface antigens associated with epidemic cholera. These bacteria are autochthonous to aquatic environments worldwide, thriving in coastal waters with moderate salinity and warm temperatures. While they typically do not cause cholera, they possess various virulence factors that can lead to vibriosis, including wound infections and septicaemia. Their abundance is closely linked to climate change and rising sea surface temperatures.
Details
Identification
Short, curved rods (comma-shaped), monotrichous flagellation, Gram-negative, growth on TCBS agar (usually yellow colonies).
Social behavior
Formation of biofilms on biotic and abiotic surfaces, often associated with chitinous zooplankton.
Diet
Heterotrophic nutrition; they utilize dissolved organic carbon sources and actively degrade chitin.
Overwintering
Persistence in sediments or entry into a viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state during low temperatures.
Ecology
Ecological role
Important decomposers in the marine nutrient cycle, specialized in the degradation of chitin biopolymers.
Natural predators
Bacterivorous protozoa (flagellates, ciliates) and bacteriophages.
Competitor species
Other marine bacteria within the families Vibrionaceae and Pseudoalteromonadaceae.
Ecosystem service
Contribution to the self-purification of water bodies through remineralization of organic matter.
Threats
No significant threats; the species benefits from anthropogenic ocean warming.
Scientific profile
Profile
Habitat
Autochthonous inhabitants of estuaries, brackish water, and coastal ecosystems worldwide. They prefer moderate salinities (5–25 PSU) and are highly dependent on water temperature.
Ecological role
Important component of the marine microbiome; they contribute to nutrient cycling and regulate the microbial community in coastal waters through their interaction with plankton.