Beggiatoa

Beggiatoa is a filamentous (septate) genus of proteobacteria, and are among the largest prokaryotes, with cells about 200 micrometres in diameter. Beggiatoa can be considered an indicator species since they are present and flourish in marine environments which have been subject to pollution, where the bacteria become visible as a whitish layer.

Members of this genus are chemosynthetic, meaning that they utilize inorganic substances for the energy to make carbohydrates. B. gigantea obtains the energy required to survive by oxidizing compounds of sulfur; this characteristic means it is classified in the leucothiobacteria. Hydrogen sulfide is the compound typically oxidized, however its deficiency results in the use of elemental sulfur (oxidized to sulfuric acid) or of thiosulfate. There is an average of about 735kJ released per reaction.

Beggiatoa and other related filamentous bacteria can cause settling problems in sewage treatment plants, industrial waste lagoons in canning, paper pulping, brewing, milling, causing the phenomenon called Bulking.Beggiatoa are also able to detoxify hydrogen sulphide in soil.