Complete Genome Sequence of JII-1961, a Bovine Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis Field Isolate from Germany.

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis causes Johne's disease in ruminants and was also detected in nonruminant species, including human beings, and in milk products. We announce here the 4.829-Mb complete genome sequence of the cattle-type strain JII-1961 from Germany, which is very similar to cattle-type strains recovered from different continents.

Comprehensive insights in the Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis genome using new WGS data of sheep strain JIII-386 from Germany.

Mycobacterium avium (M. a.) subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) - the etiologic agent of Johne's disease - affects cattle, sheep and other ruminants worldwide. To decipher phenotypic differences among sheep and cattle strains (belonging to MAP-S [Type-I/III] respectively MAP-C [Type-II]) comparative genome analysis needs data from diverse isolates originating from different geographic regions of the world. The current study presents the so far best assembled genome of a MAP-S-strain: sheep isolate JIII-386 from Germany. One newly sequenced cattle isolate (JII-1961, Germany), four published MAP strains of MAP-C and MAP-S from U.S. and Australia and M. a. subsp. hominissuis (MAH) strain 104 were used for assembly improvement and comparisons. All genomes were annotated by BacProt and results compared with NCBI annotation. Corresponding protein-coding sequences (CDSs) were detected, but also CDSs that were exclusively determined either by NCBI or BacProt. A new Shine-Dalgarno sequence motif (5'AGCTGG3') was extracted. Novel CDSs including PE-PGRS family protein genes and about 80 non-coding RNAs exhibiting high sequence conservation are presented. Previously found genetic differences between MAP-types are partially revised. Four out of ten assumed MAP-S-specific large sequence polymorphism regions (LSPSs) are still present in MAP-C strains; new LSPSs were identified. Independently of the regional origin of the strains, the number of individual CDSs and single nucleotide variants confirm the strong similarity of MAP-C strains and show higher diversity among MAP-S strains. This study gives ambiguous results regarding the hypothesis that MAP-S is the evolutionary intermediate between MAH and MAP-C, but it clearly shows a higher similarity of MAP to MAH than to M. intracellulare.

Sequence and characterization of the Ig heavy chain constant and partial variable region of the mouse strain 129S1.

Although the entire mouse genome has been sequenced, there remain challenges concerning the elucidation of particular complex and polymorphic genomic loci. In the murine Igh locus, different haplotypes exist in different inbred mouse strains. For example, the Igh(b) haplotype sequence of the Mouse Genome Project strain C57BL/6 differs considerably from the Igh(a) haplotype of BALB/c, which has been widely used in the analyses of Ab responses. We have sequenced and annotated the 3' half of the Igh(a) locus of 129S1/SvImJ, covering the C(H) region and approximately half of the V(H) region. This sequence comprises 128 V(H) genes, of which 49 are judged to be functional. The comparison of the Igh(a) sequence with the homologous Igh(b) region from C57BL/6 revealed two major expansions in the germline repertoire of Igh(a). In addition, we found smaller haplotype-specific differences like the duplication of five V(H) genes in the Igh(a) locus. We generated a V(H) allele table by comparing the individual V(H) genes of both haplotypes. Surprisingly, the number and position of D(H) genes in the 129S1 strain differs not only from the sequence of C57BL/6 but also from the map published for BALB/c. Taken together, the contiguous genomic sequence of the 3' part of the Igh(a) locus allows a detailed view of the recent evolution of this highly dynamic locus in the mouse.

A human-horse comparative map based on equine BAC end sequences.

In an effort to increase the density of sequence-based markers for the horse genome we generated 9473 BAC end sequences (BESs) from the CHORI-241 BAC library with an average read length of 677 bp. BLASTN searches with the BESs revealed 4036 meaningful hits (E

The biosynthesis of the aromatic myxobacterial electron transport inhibitor stigmatellin is directed by a novel type of modular polyketide synthase.

Deductions from the molecular analysis of the 65,000-bp stigmatellin biosynthetic gene cluster are reported. The biosynthetic genes (stiA-J) encode an unusual bacterial modular type I polyketide synthase (PKS) responsible for the formation of this aromatic electron transport inhibitor produced by the myxobacterium Stigmatella aurantiaca. Involvement of the PKS gene cluster in stigmatellin biosynthesis is shown using site-directed mutagenesis. One module of the PKS is assumed to be used iteratively during the biosynthetic process, which seems to involve an unusual transacylation of the biosynthetic intermediate from an acyl carrier protein domain back to the preceding ketosynthase domain. Finally, the polyketide chain which is presumably catalyzed by a novel C-terminal domain in StiJ that does not resemble thioesterases, is cyclized and aromatized. The presented results of feeding experiments are in good agreement with the proposed biosynthetic scheme. In contrast to all other PKS type I systems reported to date, each module of StiA-J is encoded on a separate gene. The gene cluster contains a "stand alone" O-methyltransferase and two unusual O-methyltransferase domains embedded in the PKS. In addition, inactivation of a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase-encoding gene involved in post-PKS hydroxylation of the aromatic ring leads to the formation of two novel stigmatellin derivatives.