Anaplasma phagocytophilum

From MicrobeWiki, the student-edited microbiology resource

A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Anaplasma phagocytophilum

Classification

Higher order taxa

Bacteria; proteabacteria; alphaproteobacteria; rickettsiales; anaplasmataceae; Anaplasma; phagocytophium group (2)

Species

NCBI: Taxonomy

Anaplasma phagocytophilum; Anaplasma marginale; Anaplasma platys(2)

Description and significance

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an intracellular obligate pathogen. It is widely distributed and can be found in North America, Europe, and Asia. Anaplasma phagocytophilum causes the disease Human granulocytic ehrlichiosis(HGE) and is most often spread through tick bites and is thus widely studied. The bacterium infects and colonizes neutrophils in host organisms, often leading to immunodeficiency diseases(1). The Human granulocytic ehrlichiosis pathogen was first described in 1994 in patients in Wisconsin and Minnesota(14). Ticks collected from the area of infection were also discovered to be carriers of the HGE pathogen(14). The infectious agent, first classified as Ehrlichia phagocytophila has recently been reclassified as Anaplasma phagocytophilum(14).

Genome structure

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Cell structure and metabolism

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Ecology

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Pathology

How does this organism cause disease? Human, animal, plant hosts? Virulence factors, as well as patient symptoms.

Application to Biotechnology

Does this organism produce any useful compounds or enzymes? What are they and how are they used?

Current Research

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References

[Sample reference] Takai, K., Sugai, A., Itoh, T., and Horikoshi, K. "Palaeococcus ferrophilus gen. nov., sp. nov., a barophilic, hyperthermophilic archaeon from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 2000. Volume 50. p. 489-500.

Edited by student of Rachel Larsen and Kit Pogliano