UVfluorescens

UVfluorescens is a hypothetical bacterial species used in education to illustrate autofluorescence under ultraviolet light. Its name mimics binomial nomenclature, but it is not a formally described taxon in current databases.

Under UV excitation (approximately 340–400 nm), UVfluorescens emits visible light, typically blue to green. The fluorescence arises from intrinsic cellular fluorophores such as flavins and porphyrin derivatives.

In teaching materials UVfluorescens is described as a small, rod-shaped bacterium, roughly 0.5–2.0 μm long, with polar flagella and Gram-negative features. It is often portrayed as facultatively aerobic.

Habitats include freshwater and coastal estuarine environments with organic matter and biofilms, where cells may appear as bright specks under UV illumination, aiding visualization in mixed microbial communities.

Applications focus on fluorescence-based detection, microscopy calibration, and demonstrations of autofluorescence in microbiology. Observations of spectral emission help illustrate how pigment composition affects color signals.

As a conceptual organism, UVfluorescens carries no known biosafety concerns beyond those applicable to ordinary environmental microbes; real studies adopt appropriate containment and guidelines.