Query: NC_008095:5527707 Myxococcus xanthus DK 1622, complete genome
Lineage: Myxococcus xanthus; Myxococcus; Myxococcaceae; Myxococcales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: First isolated from soil in 1941. Bacterium with a multi-stage lifecycle. M.xanthus is a Gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium. This organism undergoes a complex development and differentiation pathway. When cell density increases, the organism switches to "social motility" where aggregates of cells can gather together into masses termed fruiting bodies that may consist of up to 100 000 cells. This organism is also utilized industrially to produce the anticancer drug epithilone.
Subject: NC_007722:851129 Erythrobacter litoralis HTCC2594, complete genome
Lineage: Erythrobacter litoralis; Erythrobacter; Erythrobacteraceae; Sphingomonadales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: This strain was collected from the Sargasso Sea at a depth of 10 meters. Phototrophic bacterium. Organisms in this aerobic phototrophic genus are found in marine environments. Members of this group produce bacteriochlorophyll a, which is normally found in anaerobic organisms. One theory to explain this is that the anoxygenic photosynthetic gene cluster was acquired by these organisms via lateral gene transfer. Although they require an organic carbon substrate for growth, they are able to supplement a significant fraction of their metabolic requirements with photosynthetically derviced energy. This species was isolated from a marine cyanobacterial mat. Although they require an organic carbon substrate for growth, they are able to supplement a significant fraction of their metabolic requirements with photosynthetically derviced energy. The presence of the carotenoids bacteriorubixanthinal and erythroxanthin sulfate give this organism a reddish color.