Bacillus anthracis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bacillus anthracis |
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| Photomicrograph of Bacillus anthracis (fuchsin-methylene blue spore stain). | |
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Bacillaceae
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| Bacillus anthracis |
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Bacillus anthracis is a gram-positive rod-shaped bacterium, 1–1.2µm in width and 3–5µm in length. It is the agent which causes anthrax.
Description
The bacillus lives in soils worldwide at moderate temperatures. It can be grown in aerobic or anaerobic conditions (it is a facultative anaerobe) in a medium with essential nutrients, including carbon and nitrogen sources. In 1877, this organism was the first to be shown to cause disease by Robert Koch and verified by Louis Pasteur.
Images for kids
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B. anthracis belongs to the B. cereus group of strains.
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CD14 and Mac-1 work together to increase the macrophage internalization of B. anthracis spores. (a) CD14 and TLR2 work in close proximity to propagate the activation signal. Mac-1 starts in a closed confirmation which keeps the integrin from binding the spores, keeping them out of the cell. (b) CD14 binds the rhamnose residues on the BclA of the exosporium leading to TLR2-mediated activation of PI3K. (c) Activation of PI3K pushes Mac-1 into its open conformation so the spore can be bound and internalized (information from Oliva et al. 2009)
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CapD protein crystal structure of B. anthracis
See also
In Spanish: Bacillus anthracis para niños
