gordonii

Gordonii is a Latin patronym used as a species epithet in the scientific names of various organisms, typically honoring a person with the surname Gordon. In biology the epithet gordonii is most widely recognized from Streptococcus gordonii, a member of the viridans group of streptococci.

Streptococcus gordonii is a Gram-positive, catalase-negative bacterium commonly found as part of the human oral microbiota. It is usually described as a facultative anaerobe and tends to appear in small colonies of short chains. As an early colonizer of dental surfaces, it contributes to the formation of oral biofilms by attaching to the salivary pellicle and by coaggregating with other oral bacteria, helping to establish complex communities that become dental plaque.

Ecologically, S. gordonii plays a role in the balance of the oral ecosystem, and it can interact with a variety of partners, including Actinomyces and other streptococci. These interactions influence nutrient flow and community structure within biofilms. While typically a commensal organism in healthy individuals, S. gordonii can cause disease in certain circumstances, most notably through bacteremia or endocarditis following dental procedures or in people with predisposing heart conditions or immune compromise.

Genomic research has characterized several strains of S. gordonii, with genome sequencing aiding studies of adhesion, metabolism, and interspecies interactions within oral biofilms. The epithet gordonii remains primarily associated with this clinically and biologically significant dental bacterium, though it appears in the names of other organisms as a tribute to individuals named Gordon.