User talk:DusmanK: Difference between revisions
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==Description and significance== | ==Description and significance== | ||
S. pnuemoniae is an oval, spherical bacterium called a cocci. It is about 0.5-1.25 micrometers in length and usually never stands alone. Many times it can be found in pairs or chains (Bergeys). It is a Gram positive bacteria that is non-motile and cannot form spores. This bacteria is a section of the nasopharangeal flora and there are more than 85 different antigenic types of P. neumoniae (ncbi). It is estimated to cause nearly 3 million deaths in children per year due to meningitis, pneumonia, and bacteremia. This bacterium is important because it is something that affects humans each year, and it is something to watch for since it is naturally present in our bodies. | |||
==Genome structure== | ==Genome structure== | ||
Revision as of 01:33, 10 May 2012
A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus DusmanK
Classification
Higher order taxa
Domain: Bacteria Phylum: Firmicutes Class: Cocci Order: Lactobacillales Family: Streptococcaceae
Species
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NCBI: Taxonomy |
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Description and significance
S. pnuemoniae is an oval, spherical bacterium called a cocci. It is about 0.5-1.25 micrometers in length and usually never stands alone. Many times it can be found in pairs or chains (Bergeys). It is a Gram positive bacteria that is non-motile and cannot form spores. This bacteria is a section of the nasopharangeal flora and there are more than 85 different antigenic types of P. neumoniae (ncbi). It is estimated to cause nearly 3 million deaths in children per year due to meningitis, pneumonia, and bacteremia. This bacterium is important because it is something that affects humans each year, and it is something to watch for since it is naturally present in our bodies.
Genome structure
The genome for S. pneumoniae is comprised of 2,160,837 base pairs within a single circular chromosome. There are 39.7% GC base pairs in the genome, resulting in 60.3% AT base pairs also present. The genome was figured out by using a random shotgun sequencing technique. They were able to sequence the genome by taking a clinical isolate from the blood of a 30-year-old, male patient. There are 2236 genes that comprise the genome, and of these, 1155 are situated to the right of the replication fork, and 1081 genes are located to the left. There were 1440 predicted proteins that encode for biological roles, 359 that encode for unknown function, and 437 were not able to matched. The genome is also rich in insertion sequences, which comprise of about 5% of the genome.
Cell structure and metabolism
Interesting features of cell structure; how it gains energy; what important molecules it produces.
Ecology
Habitat; symbiosis; contributions to the environment.
Pathology
There are many different types of infections that S. pneumoniae causes in humans. These include pneumonia, meningitis, otitis media, conjunctivitis, pericarditis, and arthritis. One of the most commonly caused diseases from S. pneumoniae is pneumonia. This bacterial is naturally apart of the human flora in the respiratory tract. However, at high levels the bacteria may cause what is known as strep pneumonia or pneumococcal pneumonia. Depending on the strain of bacteria, the induced pneumnia can have a fatality rate up to 30% of patients diagnosed.
Once this bacteria is embedded in the lung macropahges and neutrophils have a hard time engulfing the bacteria in order to get rid of it because of the surrounding protective capsule. Researchers found that some strains of S. pneumonia were much more pathogenic than others, and the attributed this to the fact that the strains had different capsule build ups. This is related to the type of glycoproteins and polysaccharides that make up the capsule. Many of the infections that S. pneumoniae causes occur in fluid filled areas. The pili attached to the surface of the bacterial cells help to anchor the bacterial cell into place.
Current Research and or Application to Biotechnology
Enter summaries of the most recent research and/or application to biotechnology here--at least three required
References
Edited by student of Dr. Lynn M Bedard, DePauw University http://www.depauw.edu
