Poliovirus is a member of the Picornaviridae family, which includes a number of significant pathogens of humans (e.g., Rhinoviruses, Coxsackieviruses, Echoviruses, Enteroviruses, and Hepatitis-A virus) and livestock (e.g., foot-and-mouth disease viruses). Poliovirus has three known serotypes: PV1, PV2, and PV3 and all three serotypes can cause poliomyelitis, a paralytic disease resulting from the destruction of motor neurons in the CNS (Central Nervous System )(Ref.1). All the three serotypes of Poliovirus recognize a common cellular receptor, CD155 (or PVR, Poliovirus Receptor), for cell attachment and entry. CD155 is a trans-membrane glycoprotein belonging to the immunoglobulin super family. CD155 also functions as a cell adhesion protein and aids in transendothelial[..]
Members of the bacterial genus Bdellovibrio are obligately predacious upon other Gram-negative bacteria. Bdellovibrio are ubiquitous in nature and their prey includes plant, animal, and human pathogens. Despite the small dimensions of Bdellovibrio cells, its genome consists of 3,782,950 base pairs on a single circular chromosome. B. bacteriovorus (Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus) is a highly motile, vibrio-shaped, Gram-negative Delta-Proteobacterium and in its attack phase, it swims at high speed using a single sheathed polar flagellum with a characteristic dampened filament waveform (Ref.1). Once B. bacteriovorus has collided with a prey cell, it remains reversibly attached to it for a short “recognition” period, after which it becomes irreversibly anchored via[..]
ERK5 (also known as the BMK1 (Big MAP Kinase-1)) is an atypical MAPK that can be activated in vivo by a variety of stimuli, including Serum, Growth factors including EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor), NGF (Nerve Growth Factor) and BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), GPCRs (G-Protein Coupled Receptors), Lysophosphatidic Acid, Neurotrophins and Phorbol ester and some Cellular stress such as Oxidative and Osmotic Shock. MAPK (Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase) cascades play important roles in many cellular processes including cell proliferation, differentiation, survival and apoptosis. They are also important for many physiological functions in several systems, including in developmental, immune and neuronal systems. At least 12 isoforms of MAPKs exist in mammalian[..]
B. longum (Bifidobacterium longum) is among the first colonizers of the sterile digestive tract of newborns and predominate in breast-fed infants. Bifidobacteria including B. longum are Gram-positive, anaerobic and branched rod-shaped bacteria that naturally colonize in the human gastrointestinal tract and vagina. These are beneficial bacteria that contribute to digestion, immunity promotion and inhibition of pathogens, and production of vitamins (Ref.1). The ability to scavenge from a large variety of nutrients likely contributes to the competitiveness and persistence of Bifidobacteria in the colon. Bifidobacteria metabolize nucleotides, some key vitamins and all amino acids (which is evident from the cell wall composition of B. longum that contains both D- and[..]
The Cyanidiophyceae, including C. merolae (Cyanidioschyzon merolae), are a basal clade within the red lineage plastids. The red algae are thought to be one of the basal eukaryotic lineages, and may possess ancestral features of eukaryotic phototrophs. C. merolae is the first species of algae to be sequenced; the organism consists of a single cell that has three smaller compartments, each containing DNA. It is a unicellular, obligate photoautotrophic red alga that is found in acidic hot springs. The C. merolae cell contains one mitochondrion, one plastid with a centrally located plastid nucleoid, one Golgi body, and one microbody (Ref.1). The major biological processes of C. merolae are dependant on its plastid genome. The striking feature of this genome is the high[..]
The genome of C. jejuni RM1221 (Campylobacter jejuni RM1221) is a single circular chromosome, 1,777,831 bp in length, with an average G+C content of 30.31 percent. There are a total of 1,884 predicted coding regions in the genome with an average ORF (Open Reading Frame) length of 885 bp. The genomic structure of C. jejuni RM1221 is syntenic with the genome of C. jejuni NCTC11168. C. jejuni RM1221 is isolated from a chicken carcass. There are a number of unique features present in C. jejuni RM1221, which do not occur in the previously sequenced C. jejuni strain NCTC11168, including the colonization and invasion factors, unique LOS (Lipooligosaccharide) and capsule loci, and other unique ORFs. In general, the Gram-negative, slender spiral-shaped, motile, asaccharolytic[..]
The Gram-negative, slender spiral-shaped, motile, asaccharolytic bacterium C. jejuni (Campylobacter jejuni) is commensal in cattle, swine, and birds. Campylobacteriosis is the illness caused by C. jejuni and is often known as Campylobacter Enteritis or human bacterial Gastroenteritis. Typical symptoms of C. jejuni foodborne illness include severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, nausea, headache, and muscle pain. C. jejuni grows best at the body temperature of a bird, and seems to be well adapted to birds, which carry it without becoming ill. The bacterium is fragile. It cannot tolerate drying and can be killed by oxygen. It grows only if there is less than the atmospheric amounts of oxygen present (microaerophilic). Freezing reduces the number of Campylobacter[..]
The genome of C. jejuni RM1221 (Campylobacter jejuni RM1221) is a single circular chromosome, 1,777,831 bp in length, with an average G+C content of 30.31 percent. There are a total of 1,884 predicted coding regions in the genome with an average ORF (Open Reading Frame) length of 885 bp. The genomic structure of C. jejuni RM1221 is syntenic with the genome of C. jejuni NCTC11168. C. jejuni RM1221 is isolated from a chicken carcass. There are a number of unique features present in C. jejuni RM1221, which do not occur in the previously sequenced C. jejuni strain NCTC11168, including the colonization and invasion factors, unique LOS (Lipooligosaccharide) and capsule loci, and other unique ORFs. In general, the Gram-negative, slender spiral-shaped, motile, asaccharolytic[..]
A. tumefaciens (Agrobacterium tumefaciens) is a plant pathogen with the unique ability to transfer a defined segment of DNA to eukaryotes, where it integrates into the eukaryotic genome. It is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes tumors commonly known as ‘Galls’ or ‘Crown Galls’ in dicots. Crown Gall is formed by inserting a small segment of DNA (known as the T-DNA, for ‘Transfer DNA’) into the plant cell, which is incorporated at a semi-random location into the plant genome. The T-DNA contains genes encoding enzymes that cause the plant to create specialized sugars which the bacteria metabolize to form Opines. Agrobacterium is an Alpha-Proteobacterium of the family Rhizobiaceae and are parasitic to the plant. A. tumefaciens C58 is[..]
A. tumefaciens (Agrobacterium tumefaciens) is a species of bacteria that causes tumors (commonly known as ‘Galls’ or ‘Crown Galls’) in dicots. This Gram-negative bacterium form Crown Gall by inserting a small segment of DNA (known as the T-DNA, for ‘Transfer DNA’) into the plant cell, which is incorporated at a semi-random location into the plant genome. The T-DNA contains genes encoding enzymes that cause the plant to create specialized sugars which the bacteria metabolize to form Opines. Agrobacterium is an Alpha-Proteobacterium of the family Rhizobiaceae and are parasitic to the plant. A. tumefaciens C58 is the first fully sequenced pathovar isolated from a Cherry tree Crown Gall. The genome of A. tumefaciens C58 consists of a[..]
Poxviridae is a family of viruses containing large double-stranded DNA genomes of 130,000 to >300,000 nucleotides. Humans, vertebrates, and arthropods serve as natural hosts. Poxviridae viral particles (virions) are generally enveloped (external enveloped virion), though the intracellular mature virion form of the virus, which contains different envelope, is also infectious. They vary in their shape depending upon the species but are generally shaped like a brick or as an oval form similar to a rounded brick because they are wrapped by the endoplasmic reticulum. The virion is exceptionally large its size is around 200 nm in diameter and 300 nm in length and carries its genome in a single, linear, double-stranded segment of DNA. By comparison, Rhinovirus is[..]
HBV (Hepatitis-B Virus) belongs to a family of closely related DNA viruses called the Hepadnaviruses. Included in this family are the WHV (Woodchuck Hepatitis Virus), the DHBV (Duck Hepatitis-B Virus) and several other avian and mammalian variants. Hepadnaviruses have a strong preference for infecting liver cells, but small amounts of hepadnaviral DNA can be found in kidney, pancreas, and mononuclear cells. However, infection at these sites is not linked to extra hepatic disease (Ref.1). The HBV nucleocapsid contains a relatively small and partially duplex 3.2 Kb circular DNA, viral polymerase and core protein. The genome has only four long open reading frames. The preS–S (presurface–surface) region of the genome encodes the three viral surface antigens by[..]
