ClAsS-i-Fi-Ca-TiOn

Lactobacillus Thermophilus , genus (species) being Lactobacillus, belongs to the very broad Kingdom of Bacteria.  Bacteria are numerous in every habitat on Earth; growing in environments such as soil, acidic hot springs, radioactive wastes, seawater, and deep in the Earth's crust, let alone anywhere else.  There are typically 40 million bacterial cells in a gram of soil and a million bacterial cells in a milliliter of fresh water; in all, there are approximately five nonillion, or (5x10 to the 30'th power) bacteria in the world varying in types, functions, purposes, etc...

The Division of bacteria that Lactobacillus Thermophilus belongs to is known as the Firmicutes division.  This division is primarily composed of bacteria that have a cell wall structure, and produce endospores.  Endospores are tough, non-reproductive structures which can withstand extreme conditions and are resistant to dessicration, (process of extreme drying), put off by some types of bacteria.  The role of these spores is to keep the bacteria surviving through periods of environmental stress, (a last result act of survival made by the bacteria if you will...).  These spores provide insight to the reason that Lactobacillus Thermophilus can withstand the pasteurization process in milk.

The bacteria, Lactobacillus Thermophilus, belong to the class of Bacilli.  By name, Bacilli implies that the bacteria is rod-shaped, which will be covered in a separate portion of this exibit.

The Lactobacillales order is home to our designated bacteria as well.  Lactobacillales is an order composed of gram positive bacteria that renders the lactic acid bacteria.  These particular bacteria that belong to the Lactobacillales order are commonly found in soil, water, plants and animals.  This is an interesting statement though because our group cited evidence that the particular strand of Lactobacillus, which is our bacteria Lactobacillus Thermophilus, is not so commonly found in soil, water, plants or animals.  Rather, it is rarely cited in milk products after withstanding the pasteurization process.  However, this is not so unusual when you realize the fact that bacteria in the Lactobacillales order are seen used in the fermentation of dairy products such as milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, etc...

The family pertaining to Lactobacillus Thermophilus is called the Lactobacillaceae, which is just a family of lactic acid bacteria, and lactic acid is just acid deriving from milk.

Continue to learn more about the habitat of this incredible bacteria.                                                                                                   Last Page            Next Page