Query: NC_003923:559208 Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus MW2, complete genome
Lineage: Staphylococcus aureus; Staphylococcus; Staphylococcaceae; Bacillales; Firmicutes; Bacteria
General Information: This strain is a community-acquired methicillin-resistant (MSRA) strain and is one of the major pathogens causing community-acquired infections in the Midwestern USA. Several fatal infections were attributed to this strain in the late 1990's. Causes skin infections. Staphylcocci are generally found inhabiting the skin and mucous membranes of mammals and birds. Some members of this genus can be found as human commensals and these are generally believed to have the greatest pathogenic potential in opportunistic infections. This organism is a major cause of nosocomial (hospital-acquired) and community-acquired infections. S. aureus continues to be a major cause of mortality and is responsible for a variety of infections including, boils, furuncles, styes, impetigo and other superficial skin infections in humans. Also known to cause more serious infections particularly in the chronically ill or immunocompromised. The ability to cause invasive disease is associated with persistance in the nasal cavity of a host.
Subject: NC_009664:1569335 Kineococcus radiotolerans SRS30216, complete genome
Lineage: Kineococcus radiotolerans; Kineococcus; Kineosporiaceae; Actinomycetales; Actinobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: This organism is a coccoid bacterium originally isolated from a high-level radioactive waste cell at the Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina, USA, in 2002. Radiation-resistant bacterium. Similarly to Deinococcus radiodurans, K. radiotolerans exhibits a high degree of resistance to ionizing gamma-radiation. Cells are also highly resistant to dessication. Kineococcus-like 16S rRNA gene sequences have been reported from the Mojave desert and other arid environments where these bacteria seem to be ubiquitous. Because of its high resistance to ionizing radiation and desiccation, K. radiotolerans has potential use in applications involving in situ biodegradation of problematic organic contaminants from highly radioactive environments. Moreover, comparative functional genomic characterization of this species and other known radiotolerant bacteria such as Deinococcus radiodurans and Rubrobacter xylanophilus will shed light onto the strategies these bacteria use for survival in high radiation environments, as well as the evolutionary origins of radioresistance and their highly efficient DNA repair machinery. This organism produces an orange carotenoid-like pigment. Cell growth occurs between 11-41 degresss C, pH 5-9, and in the presence of <5% NaCl and <20% glucose. Carbohydrates and alcohols are primary growth substrates.