Query: NC_012438:1514376 Sulfurihydrogenibium azorense Az-Fu1 chromosome, complete genome
Lineage: Sulfurihydrogenibium azorense; Sulfurihydrogenibium; Hydrogenothermaceae; Aquificales; Aquificae; Bacteria
General Information: This strain was isolated from a terrestrial hot spring in the Azores, where it was living at temperatures between 65 degrees C and 70 degrees C. Hydrogen-oxidizing thermophile. Sulfurihydrogenibium azorense is a thermophilic bacterium that is able to use hydrogen and sulfur compounds as electron donors. This organism is also able to use ferric iron and arsenate as electron acceptors. This is the first pure culture terrestrial member of the Aquificales group, isolated by dilution-to-extinction methods.
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.