vs

Clostridium amylolyticum compared with Clostridium tertium

Taxonomic Classification

Rank
Kingdom same	Bacteria (Bacteria)	Bacteria (Bacteria)
Phylum same	Firmicutes_A	Firmicutes_A
Class same	Clostridia (Clostridia)	Clostridia (Clostridia)
Order same	Clostridiales (Clostridiales)	Clostridiales (Clostridiales)
Family same	Clostridiaceae	Clostridiaceae
Genus same	Clostridium	Clostridium
Species	Clostridium amylolyticum	Clostridium tertium

Evolutionary Relationship

and share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Clostridium.

ดู: Genus: Clostridium

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Asia, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Taiwan.

Habitat

Native to Asia, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Taiwan.

Clostridium amylolyticum is an anaerobic, endospore-forming bacterium in the family Clostridiaceae notable for its ability to ferment starch (amylon in Greek, giving the species epithet) and other complex carbohydrates to produce organic acids, alcohols, and gases. Like other members of the Clostridium genus, it is a strictly anaerobic rod-shaped bacterium that produces resistant endospores enabling survival in unfavorable environmental conditions, including exposure to heat, desiccation, and oxygen. C. amylolyticum is found in starch-rich anaerobic environments such as soil, sediments, and fermentation systems, where its amylolytic enzymes break down starch polymers into simpler sugars that are then fermented. The genus Clostridium is polyphyletic and has undergone extensive reclassification as molecular phylogenetics revealed it encompasses multiple distinct evolutionary lineages. Amylolytic clostridia have industrial applications in bioprocessing, particularly in biofuel production through simultaneous saccharification and fermentation of starchy biomass feedstocks, and in producing commodity chemicals through anaerobic fermentation.

Clostridium tertium is an aerotolerant, endospore-forming bacterium in the family Clostridiaceae notable among clostridia for its ability to grow in the presence of atmospheric oxygen, despite being classified within the genus of strictly anaerobic organisms. Its relative aerotolerance distinguishes it from most genus members and contributes to its occasional isolation from clinical sources. C. tertium is considered an opportunistic pathogen, causing bacteremia primarily in immunocompromised patients including those undergoing chemotherapy, with neutropenia as a key risk factor. The bacterium has been isolated from soil, water, and the gastrointestinal tract of animals and humans. Despite causing bacteremia and occasionally more invasive infections, C. tertium does not produce recognized exotoxins comparable to the major histotoxic clostridia, and its pathogenic mechanisms involve host immune evasion rather than direct toxin-mediated tissue destruction. Clinically, C. tertium bacteremia carries significant mortality in neutropenic patients but responds to beta-lactam antibiotics unlike C. difficile or C. perfringens infections. Its natural aerotolerance makes it unusual within the Clostridium genus and raises evolutionary questions about the anaerobic ancestry of this lineage.