''Chlamydia muridarum'' is an
intracellular
This glossary of biology terms is a list of definitions of fundamental terms and concepts used in biology, the study of life and of living organisms. It is intended as introductory material for novices; for more specific and technical definitions ...
bacterial
Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were among ...
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
that at one time belonged to ''
Chlamydia trachomatis
''Chlamydia trachomatis'' (), commonly known as chlamydia, is a bacterium that causes chlamydia, which can manifest in various ways, including: trachoma, lymphogranuloma venereum, nongonococcal urethritis, cervicitis, salpingitis, pelvic inflamma ...
''. However, ''C. trachomatis'' naturally only infects humans and ''C. muridarum'' naturally infects only members of the family
Muridae
The Muridae, or murids, are the largest family of rodents and of mammals, containing approximately 1,383 species, including many species of mice, rats, and gerbils found naturally throughout Eurasia, Africa, and Australia.
The name Muridae come ...
(includes both
mice
A mouse ( : mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus' ...
and
hamster
Hamsters are rodents (order Rodentia) belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae, which contains 19 species classified in seven genera.Fox, Sue. 2006. ''Hamsters''. T.F.H. Publications Inc. They have become established as popular small pets. The b ...
s, Alderton, 1996).
Two strains of ''Chlamydia muridarum'', MoPn (originally named Nigg) and SFPD, have been isolated from mice and hamsters. Glycogen production by both strains has been demonstrated. The
chromosome
A chromosome is a long DNA molecule with part or all of the genetic material of an organism. In most chromosomes the very long thin DNA fibers are coated with packaging proteins; in eukaryotic cells the most important of these proteins are ...
and extrachromosomal
plasmid
A plasmid is a small, extrachromosomal DNA molecule within a cell that is physically separated from chromosomal DNA and can replicate independently. They are most commonly found as small circular, double-stranded DNA molecules in bacteria; how ...
of MoPn have been sequenced.
''Chlamydia muridarum'' MoPn binds mAbs recognizing ''Chlamydia trachomatis'' MOMP vs4 core
epitope
An epitope, also known as antigenic determinant, is the part of an antigen that is recognized by the immune system, specifically by antibodies, B cells, or T cells. The epitope is the specific piece of the antigen to which an antibody binds. The p ...
(T) LNPT (IA).
DNA sequence
DNA sequencing is the process of determining the nucleic acid sequence – the order of nucleotides in DNA. It includes any method or technology that is used to determine the order of the four bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine. Th ...
analysis indicates that these mAbs should recognize SFPD and that ''Chlamydia trachomatis'' B-serogroup mAbs specific for the vs4 epitope IAGAG should recognize SFPD. MoPn was isolated in 1942 from the lungs of asymptomatic albino Swiss mice and was subsequently shown to be capable of producing disease in mice. SFPD was obtained from a hamster, concurrent with a causative agent of proliferative
ileitis
Ileitis is an inflammation of the ileum, a portion of the small intestine. Crohn's ileitis is a type of Crohn's disease affecting the ileum. Ileitis is caused by the bacterium ''Lawsonia intracellularis
''Lawsonia intracellularis'' is a speci ...
. MoPn has been shown to be sensitive to
sulfadiazine. In contrast to ''chlamydia trachomatis, chlamydia muridarum'' lacks a tryptophan operon. Due to this, ''chlamydia muridarum'' responds to interferon gamma (IFN-γ) differently than ''chlamydia trachomatis,'' which effects the degree to which the two different ''chlamydia'' strains are inhibited in infected mice and humans, respectively.
Genome structure
The genome of several strains has been sequenced.
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
Type strain of ''Chlamydia muridarum'' at Bac''Dive'' - the Bacterial Diversity Metadatabase
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2964056
Chlamydiota
Bacteria described in 1999