Comamonas testosteroni

Comamonas testosteroni is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, aerobic bacterium belonging to the family Comamonadaceae. It is commonly found in environmental sources such as soil, water, sewage, wastewater, and industrial effluents—particularly where organic material is abundant. Initially classified under the Pseudomonas genus, it was later reclassified as Comamonas based on molecular and phylogenetic studies (Stanier et al., 1966).

This bacterium is notable for its exceptional metabolic flexibility. It can utilize testosterone as a carbon source and is capable of degrading other complex sterols, including ergosterol and estrogens. Its ability to break down a wide range of organic pollutants makes it a valuable organism for bioremediation and various industrial applications. For example, the strain C. testosteroni I2gfp has been used in bioaugmentation trials aimed at treating toxic industrial byproducts such as 3-chloroaniline.

Although C. testosteroni is not typically part of the human microbiome, it was first identified as a human pathogen in 1987, according to the National Library of Medicine. Since then, it has been associated with rare but documented cases of human infections, primarily involving the bloodstream.

Overall, Comamonas testosteroni plays a key ecological role in organic compound degradation and continues to be a species of interest in environmental and medical microbiology.