TODAY IN OUR LAB: Aureimonas altamirensis

Aureimonas altamirensis

Aureimonas altamirensis is a Gram-negative, non-motile bacterium that was first isolated from the Altamira Cave in Spain. It’s a bit of a globe-trotter, having been found in places as diverse as a canine testicle in the United States, a patient’s blood in Korea, and chicken guts in an Italian slaughterhouse.

This bacterium is a bit of a chameleon, having been misidentified as Brucella melitensis and Acinetobacter lwoffii by the VITEK-2 system. It seems to enjoy playing hide and seek with microbiologists, as it can only be accurately identified by the Bruker MALDI-ToF MS, which has a more comprehensive database.

Aureimonas altamirensis is a bit of a loner, preferring strictly aerobic environments. It’s also quite picky about its living conditions, preferring temperatures of 28-30 °C and pH levels of 6.5-7.5.

In summary, Aureimonas altamirensis is a well-traveled, elusive, and somewhat picky bacterium that enjoys playing tricks on microbiologists and hanging out in a variety of unusual places.