Query: NC_010163:145808 Acholeplasma laidlawii PG-8A chromosome, complete genome
Lineage: Acholeplasma laidlawii; Acholeplasma; Acholeplasmataceae; Acholeplasmatales; Tenericutes; Bacteria
General Information: Acholeplasma species are widely distributed in the nature and can be detected and isolated from different plant, avian, and mammalian sources. Acholeplasma laidlawii is found in soil, compost, wastewaters, cell cultures as well as in human tissues and in many animal species (birds, bovine, goat, equine, ovine, porcine, feline, rodent, primates). Acholeplasma laidlawii is capable of synthesizing glucose using a pyrophosphate-dependent 6-phosphofructokinase which has also been detected in other acholeplasmas (a good example of flexible metabolism). Additionally, Acholeplasma laidlawii and phytoplasmas are the only mollicutes known to use the universal genetic code, in which UGA is a stop codon.
Subject: NC_008710:386376 Borrelia turicatae 91E135, complete genome
Lineage: Borrelia turicatae; Borrelia; Spirochaetaceae; Spirochaetales; Spirochaetes; Bacteria
General Information: This strain was isolated in the USA from the soft tick Ornithodoros turicatae. Borrelia turicatae is the causative agent of tick-borne relapsing fever in the southwestern USA. Ticks become infected with Borrelia while feeding on an infected mammal, usually a rodent or squirrel. Borrelia then multiplies rapidly, causing a generalized infection throughout the tick. While feeding, the tick passes the spirochete into a mammalian host through its infectious saliva. Relapsing fever is characterized by period of chills, fever, headache, and malaise, followed by an asymptomatic, followed by another episode of symptoms. The cycle of relapsing is due to changes in the surface proteins of Borrelia, which allow it to avoid detection and removal by the host immune system. This antigenic variation is the result of homologous recombination of silent proteins into an expressed locus, causing partial or complete replacement of one serotype with another. These plasmids carry genes involved in antigenic variation and pathogenicity.