Francisella tularensis

Classification

Higher order taxa

Domain: Bacteria

Phylum: Proteobacteria

Class: Gamma Proteo Bacteria

Order: Thiotrichales

Family: Francisellaceae

Genus

Genus species: Francisella tularensis

NCBI: Taxonomy

Edited by Neena Patel, student of Rachel Larsen at UCSD.

Description and significance

Francisella tularensis is a gram-negative bacteria. Francisella tularensis is a highly contagious bacteria that causes tularemia, or "rabbit fever" that is contagious to humans. There are two strands of Francisella tularensis that are most studied: the more virulent Type A strain (found in North America), and the less virulent Type B strain (found in Europe). The bacteria was used in development of biological weapons in the World War II and post WWII years.

Genome structure

Francisella tularensis has a circular chromosome, and its entire genome is sequenced. It has 52 RNA genes at the length of 1,898,476 nt long. It has a G+C content of 32%, 79% of the genes are functional. Francisella tularensis contains no pseudogenes,

Cell structure and metabolism

Describe any interesting features and/or cell structures; how it gains energy; what important molecules it produces.

Ecology

Describe any interactions with other organisms (included eukaryotes), contributions to the environment, effect on environment, etc.

Francisella tularensis infects small mammals such as rabbit and rodents with the disease tularemia. Francisella tularensis can also infect human through contact with infected animals or vectors such as fleas and mosquitos. It can also be spread to humans by being in their water or food supply (It can survive for along time in animal carcasses).

Pathology

Treponema denticola is a bacterial pathogen and plant plastid. It causes periodontal disease and gum inflammation.

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

Application to Biotechnology

Francisella tularensis was researched and used as a biological weapon during World War II and two decades afterwards. During World War II, Japan conducted research on the bacteria for its potential as a biological weapon. Francisella tularensis has the potential to be a biological weapon because it is very infectious (a small number, about 10-50 organisms, can cause disease). As a biological weapon it is most effective when spread airbrone, and the United States developed weapons that can deliver aerosol Francisella tularensis in the 1950s-60s. The Soviet Union, along with using Francisella tularensis as a weapon, also developed antibiotic and vaccine resistant strains against the bacteria.

The effects of the biological weapon are severe respiratory illness including pneumonia and systemic infection that if not treated, can result in death.

Current Research

1. This research deals with the genetic manipulation of Francisella tularensis . This bacteria is a "category A bioterror pathogen" that can cause fatal human infection, however, very few virulence factors are known in this species due to lack of tools for genetic manipulation and difficulty working with it. In this research, a vector that can replicate in E. Coli and F. tularensis is created that allows the research of the bacteria by identifying the promoters that are activated during intracellular growth and survival of the bacteria.

References

1. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/tularemia.htm

2. http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/bt/tularemia/biofacts/tularemiafactsheet.html

3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=genome&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=Overview&list_uids=20753

Current Researches 1. Rasko DA, Esteban CD, Sperandio V, Development of novel plasmid vectors and a promoter trap system in Francisella tularensis compatible with the pFLN10 based plasmids. 2007

Edited by student of Rachel Larsen and Kit Pogliano