Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum str. Nichols

Treponema_pallidum
Names Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum str. Nichols
Accession numbers NC_000919
Background Treponema pallidum, is a helical to sinusoidal spirochaete with 2 membranes, a thin peptidoglycan layer and flagella that lie in the periplasmic space. It is the causative agent of syphilis, plays a role in the transmission and acquisition of HIV, and is a major cause of stillbirth and perinatal morbidity in the developing world. Even if the primary infection is localized, bacteria rapidly disseminate and cause manifestations in the cardiovascular and nervous systems. It is an obligate human parasite.The first T.pallidum strain to be sequenced was strain Nichols, which was isolated in 1912 from the cerebrospinal fluid of patient with secondary syphilis. It has since been passed in rabbits for nearly a century. This Chicago strain was isolated in 1951, has not been passed continually in rabbits and has had an important role in research on antigenic variation, immune escape and pathogen persistence. There are 44 nucleotide substitutions, 21 deletions and 75 insertions compared to the Nichols genome (adapted from PMID). (EBI Integr8)
Taxonomy
Kingdom:Bacteria
Phylum:Spirochaetes
Class:Spirochaetes
Order:Spirochaetales
Family:Spirochaetaceae
Genus:Treponema
Species:pallidum
Strain Nichols
Complete Yes
Sequencing centre (06-MAR-1998) The Institute for Genomic Research, 9712 Medical Center Dr, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
(18-SEP-2001) National Center for Biotechnology Information, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
Sequencing quality Level 6: Finished
Sequencing depth NA
Sequencing method NA
Isolation site Neurosyphilitic patient in 1912
Isolation country NA
Number of replicons 1
Gram staining properties Negative
Shape Spirilla
Mobility No
Flagellar presence Yes
Number of membranes 2
Oxygen requirements Anaerobic
Optimal temperature NA
Temperature range Mesophilic
Habitat HostAssociated
Biotic relationship Free living
Host name Homo sapiens
Cell arrangement Singles
Sporulation Nonsporulating
Metabolism NA
Energy source NA
Diseases Syphilis
Pathogenicity Yes