Query: NC_007517:687276 Geobacter metallireducens GS-15, complete genome
Lineage: Geobacter metallireducens; Geobacter; Geobacteraceae; Desulfuromonadales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: First isolated from the Potomac river downstream of Washington, DC, USA in 1987. This organism actively moves towards metal attractants such as iron and manganese oxides, which are insoluble, and produces type IV pili for attachment to the insoluble substrates. Common metal-reducing bacterium. This organism, similar to what is observed in Geobacteria sulfurreducens, couples the oxidation of organic molecules to the reduction of iron by using insoluble Fe (III) as an electron acceptor under anaerobic conditions. This bacterium plays an imporant part of the nutrient cycling in aquatic environments. The cell can also use uranium and plutonium, therefore, this organism and may be important for the bioremediation of contaminated waste sites.
Subject: NC_013199:2536705 Lactobacillus rhamnosus Lc 705, complete genome
Lineage: Lactobacillus rhamnosus; Lactobacillus; Lactobacillaceae; Lactobacillales; Firmicutes; Bacteria
General Information: 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. Lactobacillus rhamnosus is used in the manufacture of cheese and other dairy products to aid ripening and enhance flavors. This organism has also been shown to stimulate the immune system and have antibacterial activity against intestinal pathogens, indicating that it may be useful as a probiotic.