Query: NC_015711:6796082 Myxococcus fulvus HW-1 chromosome, complete genome
Lineage: Myxococcus fulvus; Myxococcus; Myxococcaceae; Myxococcales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: This organism, like other myxobacteria, 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. The motility system is not dependent on flagella like most bacteria, but instead relies on twitching pili: short extracellular appendages that may function analogously to oars in a rowboat. The myxobacteria have proved to be a rich source of novel natural products. Myxococcus fulvus produces a number of antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic substances which are being studies for therapeutic applications.
Subject: NC_012490:2006716 Rhodococcus erythropolis PR4, complete genome
Lineage: Rhodococcus erythropolis; Rhodococcus; Nocardiaceae; Actinomycetales; Actinobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: Rhodococcus erythropolis PR4 (NBRC 100887) was isolated from Pacific Ocean seawater. It has the enzymes necessary for the degradation of different alkanes, such as pristane. PR4 shows tolerance to hydrocarbons and it is capable of producing several compounds with medical, industrial, and nutritional applications such as beta-carotenes (i.e. astaxanthin) and fatty acid-containing extracellular polysaccharides (i.e. mucoidan). Rhodococcus species are soil bacteria with remarkable metabolic versatility leading to several possible applications in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries and for industrial bioremediation. This species has shown potential in producing different valuable compounds. As examples, some Rhodococcus erythropolis strains posses a nitrile hydratase, an enzyme used for the industrial production of acrylamide and nicotinamide, while other strains are capable of transforming indene to 1,2-indandiol, a key precursor of the AIDS drug Crixivan.