Query: NC_010571:4483500 Opitutus terrae PB90-1, complete genome
Lineage: Opitutus terrae; Opitutus; Opitutaceae; Opitutales; Verrucomicrobia; Bacteria
General Information: Opitutus terrae is a member of the Verrucomicrobia, a diverse phylum of organisms common in many terrestrial and aquatic habitats. This organism was isolated from rice paddy soil and has been detected in peat bog soil and other anoxic terrestrial environments.
Subject: NC_010263:771901 Rickettsia rickettsii str. Iowa, complete genome
Lineage: Rickettsia rickettsii; Rickettsia; Rickettsiaceae; Rickettsiales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: Causative agent for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. This organism was first identified by Dr. Howard Rickets as the causative agent of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, which was originally named for its geographic distribution at the time, it is now known to be widespread throughout the North American continent. This bacterium is an obligate intracellular pathogen that infects primarily the vascular endothelium, and occasionally smooth muscle tissue. It is passed to the human host from a tick bite, and the tick acts as both a natural reservoir and a vector for disease transmission. Once the organism is endocytosed by the host cell, it quickly escapes the phagozome, and replicates intracellularly, causing cell death and tissue damage. The disease is characterized by a spotted rash and has a high mortality rate if left untreated.