Query: NC_000913:2373984 Escherichia coli K12, complete genome
Lineage: Escherichia coli; Escherichia; Enterobacteriaceae; Enterobacteriales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: This organism was named for its discoverer, Theodore Escherich, and is one of the premier model organisms used in the study of bacterial genetics, physiology, and biochemistry. This enteric organism is typically present in the lower intestine of humans, where it is the dominant facultative anaerobe present, but it is only one minor constituent of the complete intestinal microflora. E. coli, is capable of causing various diseases in its host, especially when they acquire virulence traits. E. coli can cause urinary tract infections, neonatal meningitis, and many different intestinal diseases, usually by attaching to the host cell and introducing toxins that disrupt normal cellular processes.
Subject: NC_008570:546736 Aeromonas hydrophila subsp. hydrophila ATCC 7966, complete genome
Lineage: Aeromonas hydrophila; Aeromonas; Aeromonadaceae; Aeromonadales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: Isolated from canned milk from the USA. Aquatic organism that can cause foodborne illnesses in humans. This organism is an enviromental bacterium that is often found in aquatic habitats, but can also be found contaminating food products. It causes a variety of diseases in both cold-blooded and warm-blooded organisms. The bacterium is becoming a problematic pathogen in humans, where it causes gastroenteritis and septicemia, mainly due to the development of antibiotic resistance by this organism. One of the major virulence factors is aerolysin, a toxin that is produced and secreted by the cell via a type II secretion apparatus. Other virulence functions include a surface layer which inhibits complement-mediated killing, type IV pili for attachment, and a set of extracellular proteases which can cause tissue damage.