Query: NC_004757:427483 Nitrosomonas europaea ATCC 19718, complete genome
Lineage: Nitrosomonas europaea; Nitrosomonas; Nitrosomonadaceae; Nitrosomonadales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: Ammonia-oxidizing bacterium. This organism is an obligate chemo-lithoautotroph as it only uses ammonia and carbon dioxide and mineral salts for growth, and is an important part of the global biogeochemical nitrogen cycle. It can derive all energy requirements from the oxidation of ammonia to nitrate, driving global nitrogen from the reduced insoluble form to the oxidized and potentially gaseous form (including NO and NO2 which are greenhouse gases). The energy derived from ammonia oxidation is in turn used to drive carbon fixation. This bacterium also provides plants with a readily available form of nitrogen, is important in wastewater treatment, and may be involved in bioremediation of sites contaminated with toxic compounds.
Subject: NC_008595:661507 Mycobacterium avium 104, complete genome
Lineage: Mycobacterium avium; Mycobacterium; Mycobacteriaceae; Actinomycetales; Actinobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: It was derived from an AIDS patient and has been characterized for virulence in the murine model of low-dose aerosol infection in that it could colonize the lung, proliferate within the tissue and disseminate to other organs. Environmental organism which causes infections in birds and humans. This genus comprises a number of Gram-positive, acid-fast, rod-shaped aerobic bacteria and is the only member of the family Mycobacteriaceae within the order Actinomycetales. Like other closely related Actinomycetales, such as Nocardia and Corynebacterium, Mycobacteria have unusually high genomic DNA GC content and are capable of producing mycolic acids as major components of their cell wall. Mycobacterium avium is ubiquitous in the environment, and can be found in stagnant waters and soils. This organism causes tuberculosis in birds and disseminated infections in immunocompromized humans (the elderly, children, and especially patients with AIDS). Infection results in a characteristic pulmonary disease which requires expensive drug therapy for successful treatment. Most prevalent colony morphotypes are smooth opaque, smooth transparent and rough, with the last two being the faster growers in vivo.