Premium
Illuminating the agent of syphilis: The Treponema pallidum genome project (minireview)
Author(s) -
Norris Steven J.,
Fraser Claire M.,
Weinstock George M.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
electrophoresis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.666
H-Index - 158
eISSN - 1522-2683
pISSN - 0173-0835
DOI - 10.1002/elps.1150190415
Subject(s) - treponema , fastidious organism , biology , syphilis , whole genome sequencing , genome , microbiology and biotechnology , obligate , sexually transmitted disease , virology , genetics , gene , bacteria , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , ecology
As the causative agent of the common sexually transmitted disease syphilis and a fastidious, microaerophilic obligate parasite of humans, Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum is one of the few prominent infectious agents that has not been cultured continuously in vitro . T. pallidum therefore represents an attractive candidate for genomic sequencing. Preliminary sequence results from the 1.13 million base pair genome are consistent with the expected limited metabolic capabilities of this spirochete, but indicate that the bacterium may express toxins and surface proteins that have not been identified previously.