| Description | Proteus mirabilis is a clinically significant Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that thrives in a mesophilic environment with an optimal temperature range of 25-37°C. As a facultative chemoheterotroph, it derives its energy by oxidizing organic compounds in the presence of oxygen, but can also grow anaerobically using fermentation. Its energy production is achieved through the process of glycolysis, where glucose is converted into pyruvate, generating ATP and NADH. Proteus mirabilis is a Gram-negative organism, characterized by an outer membrane and a thin peptidoglycan layer, distinguishing it from Gram-positive bacteria. It has a typical rod-shaped morphology, with lengths ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 μm and widths of 0.5-0.8 μm. As a ubiquitous microbe, Proteus mirabilis can be found in various body sites, including the respiratory tract, skin, and gastrointestinal tract, as well as in soil, water, and clinical environments. It is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause urinary tract infections, pneumonia, and wound infections in compromised hosts. In terms of oxygen preference, Proteus mirabilis is a facultative anaerobe, capable of growing in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. It can thrive in the presence of oxygen, but can also survive in low-oxygen environments by utilizing alternative metabolic pathways. One of the notable characteristics of Proteus mirabilis is its ability to produce copious amounts of slime, which helps it adhere to surfaces and evade host immune responses. It also exhibits the ability to form biofilms, complex communities of microorganisms attached to a surface, conferring increased resistance to antibiotics and immune clearance. |
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