Query: NC_020211:554736 Serratia marcescens WW4, complete genome
Lineage: Serratia marcescens; Serratia; Enterobacteriaceae; Enterobacteriales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: This organism was discovered in 1819 by Bizio who named the organism after the Italian physicist Serrati. It was considered a nonpathogenic organism until late in the 20th century, although pathogenicity was noted as early as 1913. Serratia marcescens is an opportunistic human pathogen that is increasingly associated with life-threatening hospital-acquired infections. It is an environmental organism that has a broad host range, and is capable of infecting vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as plants. In humans, Serratia marcescens can cause meningitis (inflammation of the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord), endocarditis (inflammation of heart muscle) and pyelonephritis (inflammation of the kidneys). Many strains are resistant to multiple antibiotics. Environmental isolates are noted by production of the red pigment prodigiosin.
Subject: NC_005139:305420 Vibrio vulnificus YJ016 chromosome I, complete sequence
Lineage: Vibrio vulnificus; Vibrio; Vibrionaceae; Vibrionales; Proteobacteria; Bacteria
General Information: This is a Biotype 1 hospital isolate from Taiwan. It contains larger chromosomes and >1000 genes as compared to Vibrio cholerae and contains a conjugative plasmid, pYJ016. There are numerous virulence factors including a cytolysin, protease, capsular polysaccharide as well as iron-uptake systems encoded in the genome. This genus is abundant in marine or freshwater environments such as estuaries, brackish ponds, or coastal areas; regions that provide an important reservoir for the organism in between outbreaks of the disease. Vibrio can affect shellfish, finfish, and other marine animals and a number of species are pathogenic for humans. Organisms of this species are opportunistic pathogens that can attack immunocompromised patients and causes gastroenteritis (inflammation of mucous membranes of stomach and intestine), wound infections, and primary septicemia (spread of the organism through the blood). This organism is the major cause of death from eating raw oysters, especially in people with liver damage. It only affects humans and other primates.