Query: NC_016513:54802 Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans ANH9381 chromosome, complete
Lineage: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans; Aggregatibacter; Pasteurellaceae; Pasteurellales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, previously Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans typically resides in the oral cavity of humans and animals and can cause a number of diseases. The bacterium, along with 3 other organisms, is the main culprit in periodontis, which results in devastation to the bone supporting the teeth. Adherence to oral surfaces is controlled through the tad (tight adherence) locus, which may express proteins that are involved in type IV secretion.
Subject: NC_008710:621822 Borrelia turicatae 91E135, complete genome
Lineage: Borrelia turicatae; Borrelia; Spirochaetaceae; Spirochaetales; Spirochaetes; Bacteria
General Information: This strain was isolated in the USA from the soft tick Ornithodoros turicatae. Borrelia turicatae is the causative agent of tick-borne relapsing fever in the southwestern USA. Ticks become infected with Borrelia while feeding on an infected mammal, usually a rodent or squirrel. Borrelia then multiplies rapidly, causing a generalized infection throughout the tick. While feeding, the tick passes the spirochete into a mammalian host through its infectious saliva. Relapsing fever is characterized by period of chills, fever, headache, and malaise, followed by an asymptomatic, followed by another episode of symptoms. The cycle of relapsing is due to changes in the surface proteins of Borrelia, which allow it to avoid detection and removal by the host immune system. This antigenic variation is the result of homologous recombination of silent proteins into an expressed locus, causing partial or complete replacement of one serotype with another. These plasmids carry genes involved in antigenic variation and pathogenicity.