Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 18, 2026

Megasphaera

Megasphaera is a genus of Bacillota bacteria classified within the class Negativicutes. Several species in the genus, including M. elsdenii and M. hexanoica, are known to utilize lactate.

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Jul 18, 2026
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Megasphaera
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Bacteria
Kingdom: Bacillati
Phylum: Bacillota
Class: Negativicutes
Order: Veillonellales
Family: Veillonellaceae
Genus: Megasphaera
Rogosa 1971
Type species
Megasphaera elsdenii
(Gutierrez et al. 1959) Rogosa 19711
Species

See text

Megasphaera is a genus of Bacillota bacteria classified within the class Negativicutes.12 Several species in the genus, including M. elsdenii and M. hexanoica, are known to utilize lactate.3

This classification has been reexamined.4 This genus appears to be a member of the Clostridia.

Phylogeny

The currently accepted taxonomy is based on the List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature (LPSN)1 and National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).2

16S rRNA based LTP_10_2024567 120 marker proteins based GTDB 10-RS2268910
Megasphaera

M. micronuciformis Marchandin et al. 2003

Anaeroglobus geminatus Carlier et al. 2002

M. paucivorans Juvonen and Suihko 2006

M. sueciensis Juvonen and Suihko 2006

M. cerevisiae Engelmann and Weiss 1986

M. vaginalis Bordigoni et al. 2020 non Srinivasan et al. 2021

M. hutchinsoni Srinivasan et al. 2021

M. lornae Srinivasan et al. 2021

M. hexanoica Jeon et al. 2017

M. hominis Liu et al. 2022

M. butyrica Hitch et al. 2022

M. stantonii Maki & Looft 2018

M. massiliensis Padmanabhan et al. 2016

M. elsdenii (Gutierrez et al. 1959) Rogosa 1971

M. indica Lanjekar et al. 2014

Megasphaera_C

Megasphaera hutchinsoni

Megasphaera lornae

"Caecibacter"

"Megasphaera hominis"

"C. massiliensis" Ricaboni et al. 2017
(incl. Megasphaera hexanoica)

Megasphaera paucivorans

Anaeroglobus

Megasphaera vaginalis

"A. micronuciformis"

"Colibacter massiliensis" Mailhe et al. 2017

A. geminatus

Megasphaera

M. cerevisiae

M. stantonii

M. massiliensis

M. elsdenii

"M. intestinihominis" Hitch et al. 2025

Unassigned species:

  • M. jansseni Heng et al. 2025
  • "M. vaginalis" Srinivasan et al. 2021 non Bordigoni et al. 2020
See also

See also

References

References

  1. Megasphaera in LPSN; Freese, H. M.; Meier-Kolthoff, J. P.; Sardà Carbasse, J.; Afolayan, A. O.; Göker, M. (29 October 2025). "TYGS and LPSN in 2025: a Global Core Biodata Resource for genome-based classification and nomenclature of prokaryotes within DSMZ Digital Diversity". Nucleic Acids Research. 53: D1–D12. doi:10.1093/nar/gkaf1110.
  2. Schoch CL; et al. "Megasphaera". National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) taxonomy database. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
  3. Strachan, CR.; et al. (2025). "Distinct lactate utilization strategies drive niche differentiation between two co-existing Megasphaera species in the rumen microbiome". The ISME Journal. 19 (1) wraf147. doi:10.1093/ismejo/wraf147. PMC 12342382.
  4. Yutin N, Galperin MY (2013) A genomic update on Clostridial phylogeny: Gram-negative spore formers and other misplaced Clostridia. Environ Microbiol doi: 10.1111/1462-2920.12173
  5. "The LTP". Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  6. "LTP_all tree in newick format". Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  7. "LTP_10_2024 Release Notes" (PDF). Retrieved 10 December 2024.
  8. "GTDB release 10-RS226". Genome Taxonomy Database. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  9. "bac120_r226.sp_label". Genome Taxonomy Database. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  10. "Taxon History". Genome Taxonomy Database. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  • Arik, H. D., Gulsen, N., Hayirli, A., & Alatas, M. S. (2019). Efficacy of Megasphaera elsdenii inoculation in subacute ruminal acidosis in cattle. Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition, 103(2), 416–426.