Azotobacter is a genus of usually motile, oval or spherical bacteria that form thick-walled cysts, and may produce large quantities of capsular slime. Azotobacter is an aerobic, free-living soil microbe which fixes nitrogen from the atmosphere. Beyond Azotobacter’s use as a model organism it has biotechnological applications. Examples are its use for alginate production and for nitrogen production in batch fermentations [1],[2]. Polyhydroxybutyrate is produced under certain conditions. Azotobacter are Gram-negative bacteria.
References
^ Clementi F. 1997. Alginate production by Azotobacter vinelandii.
