Query: NC_020207:2575808 Enterococcus faecium NRRL B-2354, complete genome Lineage: Enterococcus faecium; Enterococcus; Enterococcaceae; Lactobacillales; Firmicutes; Bacteria General Information: 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 causes a range of infections similar to those observed with Enterococcus faecalis, including urinary tract infections, bacteremia (bacteria in the blood), and infective endocarditis (inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart). Hospital-acquired infections from this organism are on the rise due to the emergence of antiobiotic resistance strains and has led to the rise of vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains due to the horizontal transfer of Enterococcus antibiotic resistance genes. Little is known about the virulence mechanisms in this organism, but the genome does encode an esp gene for the surface adhesin. Vancomycin resistant isolates are more typically Enterococcus faecium than Enterococcus faecalis.
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General Information: This strain is the symbiont of the aphid Schizaphis graminum and contains a large circular chromosome. Aphid endosymbiont. Almost all aphids contain maternally transmitted bacteriocyte cells, which themselves contain bacteria called Buchnera. The aphids live on a restricted diet (plant sap), rich in carbohydrates, but poor in nitrogenous or other essential compounds. It is believed that the Buchnera provide the essential nutrients the host lacks. Besides a nutritional co-dependence, due to a co-existence of millions of years, Buchnera have lost the ability to produce cell surface components such as lipopolysaccharides. This makes for an obligate endosymbiont relationship between host and Buchnera. Buchnera are prokaryotic cells which belong to the gamma-Proteobacteria, closely related to the Enterobacteriaceae family. Phylogenetic studies using 16S rRNA indicate that the symbiotic relationship was established around 200-250 million years ago. Since Buchnera are closely related to Escherichia coli and Haemophilus influenzae, comparative genomic studies can shed light on the evolutionary mechanisms of intracellular endosymbiosis as well as the different underlying molecular basis between organisms with parasitic behavior and symbionts.