Query: NC_009445:6621996 Bradyrhizobium sp. ORS 278 chromosome, complete genome
Lineage: Bradyrhizobium; Bradyrhizobium; Bradyrhizobiaceae; Rhizobiales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: This strain was isolated from an Aeschynomene stem nodule and is photosynthetic, which is a rare trait in Rhizobium bacteria. These strains exhibit a photoheterotrophic and strictly aerobic photosynthesis. In culture, most stem isolates show the same pink coloration, while a few strains produce orange pigmentation. Pigment analyses showed that bacteriochlorophyll and spirilloxanthin, two pigments of the light harvesting system, are common to all of these photosynthetic Bradyrhizobium strains, whereas orange strains produce an additional bicyclic carotenoid, canthaxanthin (4,4'-diketo-beta-carotene). Bradyrhizobium sp. strain ORS278 produces the highest quantity of canthaxanthin of all tested photosynthetic bacteria; canthaxanthin represents 85% of its total carotenoid content.
Subject: NC_010120:144000 Neisseria meningitidis 053442, complete genome
Lineage: Neisseria meningitidis; Neisseria; Neisseriaceae; Neisseriales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: Causes septicemia and meningitis. The second of two pathogenic Neisseria, this organism causes septicemia and is the leading cause of life-threatening meningitis (inflammation of the meninges, the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord) in children. This organism typically residies in the nasopharynx cavity but can invade the respiratory epthelial barrier, cross into the bloodstream and the blood brain barrier, and cause inflammation of the meninges. Pathogenicity factors include the surface proteins (porins and opacity proteins), and the type IV pilus (which is also found in Neisseria gonorrhoeae). Pathogenicity factors include the surface proteins (porins and opacity proteins), and the type IV pilus (which is also found in Neisseria gonorrhoeae). This organism, like Neisseria gonorrhoeae, is naturally competent, and protein complexes at the cell surface recognize the uptake signal sequence in extracellular DNA, an 8mer that is found at high frequency in Neisseria chromosomal DNA.