Query: NC_014171:1 Bacillus thuringiensis BMB171 chromosome, complete genome
Lineage: Bacillus thuringiensis; Bacillus; Bacillaceae; Bacillales; Firmicutes; Bacteria
General Information: This organism, also known as BT, is famous for the production of an insecticidal toxin. The bacterium was initially discovered as a pathogen of various insects and was first used as an insecticidal agent in the early part of this century. This organism, like many other Bacilli, is found in the soil, where it leads a saprophytic existence, but becomes an opportunistic pathogen of insects when ingested.
Subject: NC_011958:1121387 Rhodobacter sphaeroides KD131 chromosome 2, complete genome
Lineage: Rhodobacter sphaeroides; Rhodobacter; Rhodobacteraceae; Rhodobacterales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: Bacteria belonging to the Rhodobacter group are metabolically versatile as they are able to grow using photosynthesis, chemosynthesis, and usually can grow under both anaerobic and aerobic conditions. The most extensively studied bacteria with regards to its photosynthetic capabilities which includes the structure, function and regulation of its photosynthetic membranes, its mechanisms of CO2 and nitrogen fixation, cytochrome diversity and its electron transport systems. It can grow aerobically and anaerobically in the light and anaerobically in the dark. It produces an intracytoplasmic membrane system consisting of membrane invaginations where the light harvesting complexes (LH1 and LH2) and the reaction center are synthesized. Furthermore, it has the ability to detoxify metal oxides and oxyanions and hence has a role in bioremediation.