Query: NC_008618:1526392 Bifidobacterium adolescentis ATCC 15703, complete genome
Lineage: Bifidobacterium adolescentis; Bifidobacterium; Bifidobacteriaceae; Bifidobacteriales; Actinobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: Human gut bacterium. This species is a normal inhabitant of the healthy human gut. Newborns, especially those that are breast-fed, are colonized with Bifidobacteria within days after birth. This species was first isolated from the feces of a breast-fed infant. In one comprehensive 16S rDNA sequence-based enumeration of the colonic microbiota of three healthy adult humans it represents, on average, 0.008% of all 16S rDNA sequences and 4.302% of the sequences in its division (Eckburg et. They are saccharolytic organisms that produce acetic and lactic acids without generation of CO2, except during degradation of gluconate.
Subject: NC_004668:1010610 Enterococcus faecalis V583, complete genome
Lineage: Enterococcus faecalis; Enterococcus; Enterococcaceae; Lactobacillales; Firmicutes; Bacteria
General Information: This strain is one of the first vancomycin-resistant strains isolated. This isolate came from a blood culture derived from a chronically-infected patient in 1987 from Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. This strain was found to lack the cytolysin gene and a surface adhesin, Esp, that contributes to urinary tract infections. Mobile genetic elements make up one quarter of the genome. This genera consists of organisms typically found in the intestines of mammals, although through fecal contamination they can appear in sewage, soil, and water. They cause a number of infections that are becoming increasingly a problem due to the number of antibiotic resistance mechanisms these organisms have picked up. Both Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium cause similar diseases in humans, and are mainly distinguished by their metabolic capabilities. This opportunistic pathogen can cause urinary tract infections, bacteremia (bacteria in the blood), and infective endocarditis (inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart), similar to infections caused by Enterococcus faecium. Hospital-acquired infections from this organism are on the rise due to the emergence of antiobiotic resistance strains. Enterococcus faecalis produces a cytolysin toxin that is encoded on various mobile genetic elements, pathogenicity islands, and conjugative plasmids. The cytolysin aids in pathogenesis, possibly by causing destruction of cells such as erythrocytes, which allows access to new nutrients for the organism.