Query: NC_004342:3370310 Leptospira interrogans serovar Lai str. 56601 chromosome I, Lineage: Leptospira interrogans; Leptospira; Leptospiraceae; Spirochaetales; Spirochaetes; Bacteria General Information: Pathogenic strain. Causative agent of leptospirosis. This organism is the causative agent of leptospirosis, a tropical zoonosis transmitted by direct contact with the urine of infected animals. This motile and obligately aerobic organism grows optimally at 28-30 C. Many serovars are adapted for specific mammalian reservoir hosts, which harbor the organisms in their renal tubules and shed them in their urine. Because of the large spectrum of animal species that serve as reservoirs, leptospirosis is considered to be the world's most widespread zoonotic disease.
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General Information: This organism was first isolated from the soil in Vineland, New Jersey, although it is found worldwide. It is a large obligate aerobe that has one of the highest respiratory rates of any organism. Azotobacter vinelandii also produces a number of unusual nitrogenases which allow it to fix atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia, a compound it can then use as a nitrogen source. It protects the oxygen-sensitive nitrogenase enzymes through its high respiratory rate, which sequesters the nitrogenase complexes in an anoxic environment. This organism has a number of unusual characteristics. Under extreme environmental conditions, the cell will produce a cyst that is resistant to dessication and is surrounded by two capsular polysaccharide layers. This organism produces two industrially important polysaccharides, poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) and alginate. PHB is a thermoplastic biopolymer, and alginate is used in the food industry. Alginate is also used by the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa to infect the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients.