HOMD Banner
16S rRNA RefSeq: V15.23    Genomic RefSeq: V10.1
Genus: Corynebacterium
Lineage: Bacteria;Actinobacteria;Actinomycetia;Corynebacteriales;Corynebacteriaceae;Corynebacterium
Overview: Oral members of genus Corynebacterium (C. matruchotii and C. durum) are prominent in dental plaque, where they make up 5 to 9% of the community; they are a minor component (<0.5%) of the community at other sites in the healthy mouth. Other corynebacteria are abundant in the skin microbiome and are included in eHOMD for their potential importance in the nasal microbiome.

Ecological role/importance in health and disease: C. matruchotii is not among the earliest colonizers of the tooth surface but enters the dental plaque biofilm after about 24 hours of biofilm growth and maturation (Mark Welch et al. 2016). The membranes of C. matruchotii nucleate the precipitation of calcium from saliva (van Dijk et al. 1998), which may contribute to the observation that dental plaque that is rich in filaments forms calculus more readily than does plaque rich in cocci (Friskopp & Hammarström 1980). Corynebacterium spp. are the foundational taxa in hedgehog structures (Mark Welch et al. 2016), creating a spatial structure inhabited by other members of the plaque biofilm. Corynebacteria are occasionally reported as opportunistic pathogens in immunocompromised individuals.
eHOMD Taxonomy
LifeCellular Organisms
 DomainBacteria (773) Abundance
  PhylumActinobacteria (119) Abundance
   ClassActinomycetia (104) Abundance
    OrderCorynebacteriales (33) Abundance
     FamilyCorynebacteriaceae (28) Abundance
      GenusCorynebacterium (28) Abundance
       Species       Corynebacterium accolens (HMT-019) Abundance
       Corynebacterium afermentans (HMT-030) Abundance
       Corynebacterium amycolatum (HMT-031) Abundance
       Corynebacterium appendicis (HMT-033) Abundance
       Corynebacterium aurimucosum (HMT-034) Abundance
       Corynebacterium bovis (HMT-208) Abundance
       Corynebacterium coyleae (HMT-341) Abundance
       Corynebacterium diphtheriae (HMT-591) Abundance
       Corynebacterium durum (HMT-595) Abundance
       Corynebacterium gottingense (HMT-207) Abundance
       Corynebacterium jeikeium (HMT-047) Abundance
       Corynebacterium kroppenstedtii (HMT-049) Abundance
       Corynebacterium macginleyi (HMT-050) Abundance
       Corynebacterium massiliense (HMT-333) Abundance
       Corynebacterium mastitidis (HMT-328) Abundance
       Corynebacterium matruchotii (HMT-666) Abundance
       Corynebacterium minutissimum (HMT-053) Abundance
       Corynebacterium mucifaciens (HMT-835) Abundance
       Corynebacterium otitidis (HMT-832) Abundance
       Corynebacterium pilbarense (HMT-054) Abundance
       Corynebacterium propinquum (HMT-059) Abundance
       Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum (HMT-060) Abundance
       Corynebacterium simulans (HMT-062) Abundance
       Corynebacterium singulare (HMT-063) Abundance
       Corynebacterium striatum (HMT-072) Abundance
       Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum (HMT-077) Abundance
       Corynebacterium tuscaniense (HMT-184) Abundance
       Corynebacterium urealyticum (HMT-853) Abundance