Borrelia afzelii: Difference between revisions
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==Cell Structure and Metabolism== | ==Cell Structure and Metabolism== | ||
Borrelia spirochetes are 5 to 25 µm long and 0.2 to 0.5 µm wide. The phenotype of the species afzelli include being, a motile, nonsporulating, spirally-shaped, aerobic, pathogen. Also, it is a gram negative bacterium and is generally transmitted through ticks. | Borrelia spirochetes are 5 to 25 µm long and 0.2 to 0.5 µm wide. The phenotype of the species afzelli include being, a motile, nonsporulating, spirally-shaped, aerobic, pathogen. Also, it is a gram negative bacterium and is generally transmitted through ticks. The bacterium has very specific nutritional needs and lives by regulating the lipoproteins within the host. | ||
==Ecology== | ==Ecology== | ||
Revision as of 06:54, 5 June 2007
Classification
Higher order taxa:
Kingdom: Bacteria, Phylum: Spirochaetes, Class: Spriochaetes, Order: Spirochaetales, Family: Spirochaetaceae, Genus: Borrelia
Species
Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia lonestari, Borrelia recurrentis
Description and Significance
Borrelia afzelli is considered a new species of the Genus Borrelia and considered homologous to Borrelia burgdorferi with regard to phenotypic, genetic, and immunological characteristics. Diseases linked to this species of Borrelia are Lyme disease and Acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (ACA) found, almost prevanlently, in Europe. Better understanding of the structure and function of this pathogen will create better methods of treatment to people with the diseases it causes.
Genome Structure
The genome sequencing of this particular strain is still underway as it is still a very new strain. However, all previous species of Borrelia have had linear chromosomes, ranging in sizes from 900-920kb pairs having circular and linear plasmids. Also, it is thought that the strain B. afzelii has recently derived from B. burgdorferi
Cell Structure and Metabolism
Borrelia spirochetes are 5 to 25 µm long and 0.2 to 0.5 µm wide. The phenotype of the species afzelli include being, a motile, nonsporulating, spirally-shaped, aerobic, pathogen. Also, it is a gram negative bacterium and is generally transmitted through ticks. The bacterium has very specific nutritional needs and lives by regulating the lipoproteins within the host.
Ecology
Pathology
Application to Biotechnology
Current Research
References
Jason Farlow, Danielle Postic, Kimothy L. Smith, Zack Jay, Guy Baranton, and Paul Keim Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011-5640, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France Received 12 February 2002/ Returned for modification 31 March 2002/ Accepted 2 September 2002
Toshiyuki Masuzawa*, Tetsuro Komikado, Kazuhide Kaneda, Takako Fukui, Katsuji Sawaki and Yasutake Yanagihara Department of Microbiology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, 52-1 Yada, Shizuoka, Shizuoka 422, Japan Received 15 April 1997; revised 21 May 1997; accepted 28 May 1997. Available online 7 November 1997.
