Pre_GI: SWBIT SVG BLASTN

Query: NC_017501:147933 Neisseria meningitidis 8013, complete genome

Lineage: Neisseria meningitidis; Neisseria; Neisseriaceae; Neisseriales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria

General Information: The second of two pathogenic Neisseria, this organism causes septicemia and is the leading cause of life-threatening meningitis (inflammation of the meninges, the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord) in children. This organism typically residies in the nasopharynx cavity but can invade the respiratory epthelial barrier, cross into the bloodstream and the blood brain barrier, and cause inflammation of the meninges. Pathogenicity factors include the surface proteins (porins and opacity proteins), and the type IV pilus (which is also found in Neisseria gonorrhoeae). This organism, like Neisseria gonorrhoeae, is naturally competent, and protein complexes at the cell surface recognize the uptake signal sequence in extracellular DNA, an 8mer that is found at high frequency in Neisseria chromosomal DNA.

Subject: NC_008601:1658454 Francisella tularensis subsp. novicida U112, complete genome

Lineage: Francisella tularensis; Francisella; Francisellaceae; Thiotrichales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria

General Information: Avirulent species. Francisella novicida is closely related to Francisella tularensis, the causative agent for tularemia but is nonvirulent. This organism, however may cause disease in immunocompromised individuals. They do however cause a disease in mice that is very similar to tularemia. This strain was isolated from water in Utah, USA in 1950. Francisella tularensis is a non-motile, aerobic, rod-shaped Gram-negative bacterium and is the causative agent of tularemia.