Query: NC_006576:1435422 Synechococcus elongatus PCC 6301, complete genome
Lineage: Synechococcus elongatus; Synechococcus; Synechococcaceae; Chroococcales; Cyanobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: Freshwater organism. These unicellular cyanobacteria are also known as blue green algae and along with Prochlorococcus are responsible for a large part of the carbon fixation that occurs in marine environments. Synechococcus have a broader distribution in the ocean and are less abundant in oligotrophic (low nutrient) regions. These organism utilize photosystem I and II to capture light energy. They are highly adapted to marine environments and some strains have evolved unique motility systems in order to propel themselves towards areas that contain nitrogenous compounds. An obligate photoautotroph, it has been studied extensively by an international research community with respect to acquisition of organic carbon, transport and regulation of nitrogen compounds, adaptation to nutrient stresses, and reponse to light intensity.
Subject: NC_015978:996933 Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis TMW 1.1304 chromosome, complete
Lineage: Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis; Lactobacillus; Lactobacillaceae; Lactobacillales; Firmicutes; Bacteria
General Information: This is the characteristic organism in wheat sourdough. They are commonly found in the oral, vaginal, and intestinal regions of many animals. They are important industrial microbes that contribute to the production of cheese, yogurt, and other products such as fermented milks, all stemming from the production of lactic acid, which inhibits the growth of other organisms as well as lowering the pH of the food product. Industrial production requires the use of starter cultures, which are carefully cultivated, created, and maintained, which produce specific end products during fermentation that impart flavor to the final product, as well as contributing important metabolic reactions, such as the breakdown of milk proteins during cheese production. The end product of fermentation, lactic acid, is also being used as a starter molecule for complex organic molecule syntheses.