Query: NC_017515:1601954 Neisseria meningitidis M04-240196 chromosome, complete genome
Lineage: Neisseria meningitidis; Neisseria; Neisseriaceae; Neisseriales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: The second of two pathogenic Neisseria, this organism causes septicemia and is the leading cause of life-threatening meningitis (inflammation of the meninges, the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord) in children. This organism typically residies in the nasopharynx cavity but can invade the respiratory epthelial barrier, cross into the bloodstream and the blood brain barrier, and cause inflammation of the meninges. Pathogenicity factors include the surface proteins (porins and opacity proteins), and the type IV pilus (which is also found in Neisseria gonorrhoeae). This organism, like Neisseria gonorrhoeae, is naturally competent, and protein complexes at the cell surface recognize the uptake signal sequence in extracellular DNA, an 8mer that is found at high frequency in Neisseria chromosomal DNA.
Subject: NC_006510:2778777 Geobacillus kaustophilus HTA426, complete genome
Lineage: Geobacillus kaustophilus; Geobacillus; Bacillaceae; Bacillales; Firmicutes; Bacteria
General Information: Geobacillus kaustophilus strain HTA426 was first isolated from deep sea sediment of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean and belongs to a closely related group of thermophilic Bacillus spp. Members of this genus were originally classified as Bacillus. Recent rDNA analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization studies using spore-forming thermophilic subsurface isolates provided enough evidence to define the phylogenetically distinct, physiologically and morphologically consistent taxon Geobacillus. Geobacillus species are chemo-organotrophic, obligately thermophilic, motile, spore-forming, aerobic or facultatively anaerobic. This organism was compared with mesophilic Bacillus spp. to identify genome characteristics and specific genes related to thermophilia. Analysis of the amino acid compositions showed clear differences between Geobacillus kaustophilus and the mesophilic bacilli. In addition, the higher G+C content in Geobacillus kaustophilus rRNA also appears correlated to thermophilia. In addition, tRNA modification by the Geobacillus kaustophilus specific tRNA methyltransferases probably aids in the thermoadaptation of this organism.