Gfaj-1 NEUF2011: Difference between revisions
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==Ecology== | ==Ecology== | ||
The recently discovered GFAJ-1 bacterium, isolated from Mono Lake in California, has provided researchers substantial information pertaining to the growth of organisms in extremely harsh environments in which life was thought to be nearly non-existent. Mono Lake has quite abnormal qualities in that it is hypersaline and a highly alkaline body of water. The salt content of the lake had been measured to be approximately 90 grams/liter and the pH to be around 9.8 [1]. But most interesting of all is Mono Lake’s highest natural concentrations of arsenic in the world with a concentration of roughly 200μM [2]. It had been found that many bacteria are known to be able to withstand high levels of arsenic and have the molecular adaptations in order to so. However, when starved for essential nutrients, in particular phosphorus, the GFAJ-1 bacterium will actually incorporate arsenic from the water into its molecular machinery, replacing phosphorus, to continue living and growing [3]. | |||
==Pathology== | ==Pathology== | ||
Revision as of 21:07, 4 October 2011
A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Gfaj-1 NEUF2011
Classification
Higher order taxa
Domain; Phylum; Class; Order; family [Others may be used. Use NCBI link to find]
Domain: Bacteria
Phylum: Proteobacteria
Class: Gammaproteobacteria
Order: Oceanospirillales
Family: Halomonadaceae
Species: GFAJ-1
Species
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NCBI: Taxonomy |
GFAJ-1 is actually not a new species but is considered a new strain of the family Halomonadaceae.
Description and significance
Describe the appearance, habitat, etc. of the organism, and why you think it is important.
Genome structure
Describe the size and content of the genome. How many chromosomes? Circular or linear? Other interesting features? What is known about its sequence?
Cell structure and metabolism
Interesting features of cell structure; how it gains energy; what important molecules it produces.
Ecology
The recently discovered GFAJ-1 bacterium, isolated from Mono Lake in California, has provided researchers substantial information pertaining to the growth of organisms in extremely harsh environments in which life was thought to be nearly non-existent. Mono Lake has quite abnormal qualities in that it is hypersaline and a highly alkaline body of water. The salt content of the lake had been measured to be approximately 90 grams/liter and the pH to be around 9.8 [1]. But most interesting of all is Mono Lake’s highest natural concentrations of arsenic in the world with a concentration of roughly 200μM [2]. It had been found that many bacteria are known to be able to withstand high levels of arsenic and have the molecular adaptations in order to so. However, when starved for essential nutrients, in particular phosphorus, the GFAJ-1 bacterium will actually incorporate arsenic from the water into its molecular machinery, replacing phosphorus, to continue living and growing [3].
Pathology
How does this organism cause disease? Human, animal, plant hosts? Virulence factors, as well as patient symptoms.
Current Research
Enter summaries of the most recent research here--at least three required
Cool Factor
Describe something you fing "cool" about this microbe.
References
Edited by student of Iris Keren
