Pre_GI: SWBIT SVG BLASTP

Query: NC_012416:4973 Wolbachia sp. wRi, complete genome

Lineage: Wolbachia; Wolbachia; Anaplasmataceae; Rickettsiales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria

General Information: Endosymbiont. Obligate intracellular bacterium infects around 20% of all insect species. Naturally infects Drosophila simulans and induces almost complete cytoplasmic incompatibility in its host. Wolbachia sp. subsp. Drosophila simulans (strain wRi) is an intracellular proteobacterium that infect insects as well as isopods, spiders, scorpions, mites, and filarial nematodes. It is maternally inherited and induces reproductive alterations of insect populations by male killing, feminization, parthenogenesis, or cytoplasmic incompatibility. In insect populations, Wolbachia sp. induce reproductive manipulations to enhance their own spreading. The most frequently observed reproductive abnormality is cytoplasmic incompatibility, where uninfected females are unable to produce offspring with infected males, whereas infected females can produce offspring with both infected and uninfected males, thus creating a reproductive advantage for infected females. Other spectacular effects of Wolbachia sp. infections are male embryo killing, feminization, and parthenogenesis induction.

Subject: NC_004917:340997 Helicobacter hepaticus ATCC 51449, complete genome

Lineage: Helicobacter hepaticus; Helicobacter; Helicobacteraceae; Campylobacterales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria

General Information: This organism was found to be linked to an increasing incidence of liver tumors in mouse colonies at the National Cancer Institute in 1992. Normally it resides in the lower intestines, but it can cause chronic hepatitis. This organism has a similar urease gene cluster and cytolethal distending toxin as compared to Helicobacter pylori, but lacks other virulence factors such as the vacuolating cytotoxin and the cag pathogenicity island. However, it does contain a pathogenicity island that encodes proteins similar to those found in a type IV secretion system. Causes liver disease. This genus consists of organisms that colonize the mucosal layer of the gastrointestinal tract or are found enterohepatically (in the liver). This species was associated with an increase in liver tumors. It can cause active chronic hepatitis and typhlitis (inflammation of a region at the beginning of the large intestine), hepatocellular tumors, and gastric bowel disease in various mice strains.