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[..]

C. perfringens (Clostridium perfringens) is a common Gram-positive endosporeforming, non-motile, rod-shaped, anaerobic bacillus and is known to produce a variety of toxins and enzymes that are responsible for severe myonecrotic lesions. Spores survive cooking and then germinate and multiply during storage at ambient temperature, slow cooling, or inadequate re-warming. Though its natural habitats are soil and the intestinal tracts of humans and animals, it has been isolated from virtually every environment examined for its presence. C. perfringens is a human pathogen, capable of causing illness either through wound infection or food-borne intoxication (Ref.1). Alpha-toxin is regarded as the most medically important toxin produced by C. perfringens; it is the toxin[..]

Members of genus Clostridium are Gram-positive, spore-forming rods that are anaerobic. These bacteria includes both motile and non-motile bacillus with ubiquitous distribution in nature and are especially fond of soil. Clostridium shows optimimum growth when plated on blood agar at human body temperatures. When the environment becomes stressed, however, the bacteria produce spores that tolerate the extreme conditions that the active bacteria cannot. In their active form, these bacteria secrete powerful exotoxins that are responsible for such diseases as Tetanus, Botulism, and  Gas  gangrene (Ref.1). The solventogenic Clostridia like C. acetobutylicum (Clostridium acetobutylicum) continue to be the subject of numerous studies, including recent efforts to apply[..]

D. vulgaris (Desulfovibrio vulgaris) is a Gram-negative, anaerobic, non-spore forming, curved rod-shaped bacteria, isolated from soil, animal intestines and feces, and fresh and salt water. The distinguishing characteristics of Desulfovibrio species are that they contain Desulfoviridin, a multimeric-dissimilatory sulfite reductase. D. vulgaris Hildenborough oxidize their energy source to that of Acetate and excrete this as their end product. Desulfovibrio also uses Hydrogen, Lactate, and Pyruvate as electron donors and this genus can grow easily on a Sulfate-Lactate medium in the absence of Oxygen. The biochemical processes like metabolism of Glycine, Seine and Threonine provides Acetate, Lactate and Pyruvate by converting amino acids to Pyruvate. During metabolism[..]

The Gram-negative, micro-aerophilic, spiral-shaped and flagellated bacteria, H. pylori (Helicobacter pylori) are associated with the pathogenesis of Gastric inflammation and Peptic ulcer disease. Presence of H. pylori in the gastric mucosa is associated with Gastritis and is often implicated in Peptic ulceration and Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue Lymphomas. The H. pylori genome is important for drug discovery and vaccine development and this is exemplified by the genome analysis of H. pylori Strain 26695 (Ref.1). H. pylori 26695 protein-coding genes (1,590 genes) are unique to the strain. H. pylori have well-developed systems for motility, for scavenging iron, and for DNA restriction and modification. H. pylori utilize amino acids as the sole carbon and nitrogen[..]

Cyanobacteria are photoatutrophic micro-organisms occuring in all photic environments. It is widely accepted that Cyanobacterial type endosymbiont are the ancestor of Chloroplasts in higher plants. Synechocystiae are unicellular, photoautotrophic, facultative glucose-heterotrophic cyanobacteria. They are oxygenic photosynthetic with two photosystems at their disposal, similar to those in Algae and Plants, and they fix atmospheric Nitrogen. Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 grows in the absence of Photosynthesis if a suitable fixed-carbon source such as Glucose is provided. Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803 is a unicellular Cyanobacterium with a light-dependent cell cycle and contains six to eight chromosome copies (Ref.1). This strain is easily transformable, and capable of[..]

Cyanobacteria are photoatutrophic micro-organisms occuring in all photic environments. It is widely accepted that Cyanobacterial type endosymbiont are the ancestor of Chloroplasts in higher plants. Synechocystiae are unicellular, photoautotrophic, facultative glucose-heterotrophic cyanobacteria. They are oxygenic photosynthetic with two photosystems at their disposal, similar to those in Algae and Plants, and they fix atmospheric Nitrogen. Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 grows in the absence of Photosynthesis if a suitable fixed-carbon source such as Glucose is provided. Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803 is a unicellular Cyanobacterium with a light-dependent cell cycle and contains six to eight chromosome copies (Ref.1). This strain is easily transformable, and capable of[..]

Marine unicellular Cyanobacteria of the Synechococcus group occupy an important position at the base of the marine food chain. They are abundant in the world's oceans and as a result are one of the most numerous genomes on earth. They have the ability to acquire major nutrients and trace metals from the sub-micromolar concentrations found in the oligotrophic open seas and theiSynechococcus light-harvesting apparatus is uniquely adapted to the spectral quality of light in the ocean. Synechococcus utilizes Chlorophyll-A. Marine unicellular Cyanobacteria are responsible for an estimated 20-40 percent of Chlorophyll biomass and Carbon fixation in the oceans (Ref.1). Open ocean isolates of Synechococcus possess a unique type of swimming motility not seen in any other[..]

Marine unicellular Cyanobacteria of the Synechococcus group occupy an important position at the base of the marine food chain. They are abundant in the world's oceans and as a result are one of the most numerous genomes on earth. They have the ability to acquire major nutrients and trace metals from the sub-micromolar concentrations found in the oligotrophic open seas and their light-harvesting apparatus is uniquely adapted to the spectral quality of light in the ocean. Synechococcus utilizes Chlorophyll-A. Marine unicellular Cyanobacteria are responsible for an estimated 20-40 percent of Chlorophyll biomass and Carbon fixation in the oceans. Open ocean isolates of Synechococcus possess a unique type of swimming motility not seen in any other type of[..]

Tetanus disease is one of the most dramatic and globally prevalent diseases of humans and vertebrate animals. The manifestation of the disease, spastic paralysis, is caused by the second most poisonous substance known, the Tetanus toxin (Ref.1). The causative agent of Tetanus disease is C. tetani (Clostridium tetani), an anaerobic Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium, whose natural habitat is soil, dust, and the intestinal tracts of various animals and which enters the host through wound sites. Comparative genomics reveals a remarkable capacity of C. tetani to rely on extensive sodium ion bioenergetics. C. tetani anaerobically utilize amino acids as an energy source. As is the case in other Gram-positive bacteria, the cell wall of C. tetani is a unique biopolymer,[..]

Tetanus disease is one of the most dramatic and globally prevalent diseases of humans and vertebrate animals. The manifestation of the disease, spastic paralysis, is caused by the second most poisonous substance known, the Tetanus toxin (Ref.1). The causative agent of Tetanus disease is C. tetani (Clostridium tetani), an anaerobic Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium, whose natural habitat is soil, dust, and the intestinal tracts of various animals and which enters the host through wound sites. Comparative genomics reveals a remarkable capacity of C. tetani to rely on extensive sodium ion bioenergetics (Ref.2). C. tetani anaerobically utilize amino acids as an energy source. It carries out fermentation of L-Serine if no additional Hydrogen donor or acceptor is[..]