Query: NC_004663:4977635 Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron VPI-5482, complete genome Lineage: Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron; Bacteroides; Bacteroidaceae; Bacteroidales; Bacteroidetes; Bacteria General Information: This is the type strain for this organism and was isolated from the feces of a healthy adult. Common gastrointestinal bacterium. This group of microbes constitute the most abundant members of the intestinal microflora of mammals. Typically they are symbionts, but they can become opportunistic pathogens in the peritoneal (intra-abdominal) cavity. Breakdown of complex plant polysaccharides such as cellulose and hemicellulose and host-derived polysaccharides such as mucopolysaccharides is aided by the many enzymes these organisms produce. Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron is one of the two major Bacteroidesspecies found in the intestine. This organism has been used in studies on gut microflora composition and succession.
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General Information: This red-pigmented organism's name means "strange berry that withstands radiation", marking the fact that this organism is one of the most radiation-resistant known. It can tolerate radiation levels at 1000 times the levels that would kill a human and it was originally isolated in 1956 from a can of meat that had been irradiated with X-rays. The resistance to radiation may reflect its resistance to dessication, which also causes DNA damage. This organism may be of use in cleaning up toxic metals found at nuclear weapons production sites due to the radiation resistance. This bacterium is also a highly efficient transformer, and can readily take up exogenous DNA from the environment, which may also aid DNA repair. This organism carries multiple copies of many DNA repair genes, suggesting a robust system for dealing with DNA damage. The recombination system may rely on multiple copies of various repeat elements found throughout the genome.