Mycobacterium bovis
A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Mycobacterium bovis
Classification
Higher order taxa
Higher Order Taxa: Bacteria; Actinobacteria; Actinobacteridae; Actinomycetales; Corynebacterineae; Mycobacteriaceae; Mycobacterium; Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (1)
Genus
Mycobacterium bovis
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NCBI: Taxonomy |
Description and significance
“Mycobacterium bovis is the causative agent of tuberculosis in a range of animal species and man, with world wide annual losses to agriculture of $3 billion.”(2) M. bovis is the agent responsible for bovine tuberculosis, however it can also cause the disease in humans if there is consumption of infected materials.(1) Pasteurization of milk has been a major preventative factor in stopping transmission of bovine tuberculosis in humans; however in many underdeveloped countries, where pasteurization is not practiced, there is still a concern with infection by M. bovis.(1) M. bovis AF2122/97 is a fully virulent strain that was isolated from a diseased cow in 1997.(2)
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? Does it have any plasmids? Are they important to the organism's lifestyle?
Cell structure and metabolism
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Ecology
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Pathology
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Application to Biotechnology
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Current Research
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References
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Edited by Steven Lada, student of Rachel Larsen and Kit Pogliano
