<P> Fructooligosaccharides (fructans) such as inulin, occurring in relatively large amounts in a number of foods such as chicory, garlic, onion, leek, artichoke, and asparagus, have a prebiotic or bifidogenic effect, selectively promoting the growth and metabolism of beneficial bacteria in the colon, such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, while inhibiting harmful ones, such as clostridia, fusobacteria, and bacteroides . </P> <P> In the late 1700s, Germany experienced a number of outbreaks of an illness that seemed connected to eating certain sausages . In 1817, the German neurologist Justinus Kerner detected rod - shaped cells in his investigations into this so - called sausage poisoning . In 1897, the Belgian biology professor Emile van Ermengem published his finding of an endospore - forming organism he isolated from spoiled ham . Biologists classified van Ermengem's discovery along with other known gram - positive spore formers in the genus Bacillus . This classification presented problems, however, because the isolate grew only in anaerobic conditions, but Bacillus grew well in oxygen . </P> <P> In 1924, Ida A. Bengtson separated van Ermengem's microorganisms from the Bacillus group and assigned them to a new genus, Clostridium . By Bengtson's classification scheme, Clostridium contained all of the anaerobic endospore - forming rod - shaped bacteria, except the genus Desulfotomaculum . </P> <Ul> <Li> Clostridium thermocellum can use lignocellulosic waste and generate ethanol, thus making it a possible candidate for use in production of ethanol fuel . It also has no oxygen requirement and is thermophilic, which reduces cooling cost . </Li> <Li> Clostridium acetobutylicum was first used by Chaim Weizmann to produce acetone and biobutanol from starch in 1916 for the production of cordite (smokeless gunpowder). </Li> <Li> Clostridium botulinum produces a potentially lethal neurotoxin used in a diluted form in the drug Botox, which is carefully injected to nerves in the face, which prevents the movement of the expressive muscles of the forehead, to delay the wrinkling effect of aging . It is also used to treat spasmodic torticollis and provides relief for around 12 to 16 weeks . </Li> <Li> Clostridium butyricum MIYAIRI 588 strain is marketed in Japan, Korea, and China for Clostridium difficile prophylaxis due to its reported ability to interfere with the growth of the latter . </Li> <Li> Clostridium histolyticum has been used as a source of the enzyme collagenase, which degrades animal tissue . Clostridium species excrete collagenase to eat through tissue and, thus, help the pathogen spread throughout the body . The medical profession uses collagenase for the same reason in the débridement of infected wounds . Hyaluronidase, deoxyribonuclease, lecithinase, leukocidin, protease, lipase, and hemolysin are also produced by some clostridia that cause gas gangrene . </Li> <Li> Clostridium ljungdahlii, recently discovered in commercial chicken wastes, can produce ethanol from single - carbon sources including synthesis gas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, that can be generated from the partial combustion of either fossil fuels or biomass . </Li> <Li> Clostridium diolis converts dicarboxylic acids to 1, 3 - propanediol . </Li> <Li> Genes from Clostridium thermocellum have been inserted into transgenic mice to allow the production of endoglucanase . The experiment was intended to learn more about how the digestive capacity of monogastric animals could be improved . </Li> <Li> Nonpathogenic strains of Clostridium may help in the treatment of diseases such as cancer . Research shows that Clostridium can selectively target cancer cells . Some strains can enter and replicate within solid tumors . Clostridium could, therefore, be used to deliver therapeutic proteins to tumours . This use of Clostridium has been demonstrated in a variety of preclinical models . </Li> <Li> Mixtures of Clostridium species, such as Clostridium beijerinckii, Clostridium butyricum, and species from other genera have been shown to produce biohydrogen from yeast waste . </Li> </Ul>

What other organisms belong to the genus clostridium tetani