Query: NC_011365:592256 Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus PAl 5 chromosome, complete genome
Lineage: Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus; Gluconacetobacter; Acetobacteraceae; Rhodospirillales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus strain PAL5 (ATCC 49037) was isolated from sugarcane roots in Brazil. Nitrogen-fixing plant symbiont. This acid-tolerant organism is endophytic and colonizes internal plant tissues, establishing a symbiotic relationship with its host. This bacterium has been found in sugarcane, coffee, rice, tea, and other plants. The nitrogen-fixation systems of the bacterium provide the plant with essential nitrogenous compounds while the plant provides a protected environment for the bacterium to grow in. Nitrogen-fixation is important for sugarcane production, and this organism can fix nitrogen even in the presence of nitrate.
Subject: NC_010263:278463 Rickettsia rickettsii str. Iowa, complete genome
Lineage: Rickettsia rickettsii; Rickettsia; Rickettsiaceae; Rickettsiales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: Causative agent for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. This organism was first identified by Dr. Howard Rickets as the causative agent of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, which was originally named for its geographic distribution at the time, it is now known to be widespread throughout the North American continent. This bacterium is an obligate intracellular pathogen that infects primarily the vascular endothelium, and occasionally smooth muscle tissue. It is passed to the human host from a tick bite, and the tick acts as both a natural reservoir and a vector for disease transmission. Once the organism is endocytosed by the host cell, it quickly escapes the phagozome, and replicates intracellularly, causing cell death and tissue damage. The disease is characterized by a spotted rash and has a high mortality rate if left untreated.