Query: NC_006270:568171 Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 14580, complete genome
Lineage: Bacillus licheniformis; Bacillus; Bacillaceae; Bacillales; Firmicutes; Bacteria
General Information: Industrially important bacterium. Under starvation conditions this group of bacteria initiate a pathway that leads to endospore formation, a process that is thoroughly studied and is a model system for prokaryotic development and differentiation. Spores are highly resistant to heat, cold, dessication, radiation, and disinfectants, and enable the organism to persist in otherwise inhospitable environments. Under more inviting conditions the spores germinate to produce vegetative cells. This organism is a soil-dwelling endospore-forming microbe similar to other Bacilli. This bacterium is used extensively in the industrial production of important enzymes such as proteases, penicllinases, and amylases as well as smaller compounds like the antibiotic bacitracin and various organic metabolites. This organism is closely related to Bacillus subtilis on the basis of rRNA typing, and it has been found to occasionally cause illness in humans.
Subject: NC_007929:473500 Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius UCC118, complete genome
Lineage: Lactobacillus salivarius; Lactobacillus; Lactobacillaceae; Lactobacillales; Firmicutes; Bacteria
General Information: Lactobacillus salivarius salivarius strain UCC118 was isolated from the human gastrointestinal tract. This organism produces bacteriocins, antibiotic compounds which have inhibitory effects on pathogenic microorganisms. Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salivarius strain UCC118 has been extensively studied for its effectiveness as a probiotic to maintain the balance of the gut microbial flora and stimulate the intestinal immune system. Oral and gastrointestinal tract bacterium. They are commonly found in the oral, vaginal, and intestinal regions of many animals. They are important industrial microbes that contribute to the production of cheese, yogurt, and other products such as fermented milks, all stemming from the production of lactic acid, which inhibits the growth of other organisms as well as lowering the pH of the food product. Industrial production requires the use of starter cultures, which are carefully cultivated, created, and maintained, which produce specific end products during fermentation that impart flavor to the final product, as well as contributing important metabolic reactions, such as the breakdown of milk proteins during cheese production. The end product of fermentation, lactic acid, is also being used as a starter molecule for complex organic molecule syntheses. Lactobacillus salivarius was first isolated as part of a survey of human oral lactobacilli and is commonly found in the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract of humans and other animals.