WGS based study of the population structure of Salmonella enterica serovar Infantis.

BACKGROUND: Salmonella Infantis (S. Infantis) is one of the most frequent Salmonella serovars isolated from human cases of salmonellosis and the most detected serovar from animal and food sources in Europe. The serovar is commonly associated with poultry and there is increasing concern over multidrug resistant clones spreading worldwide, as the dominating clones are characterized by presence of large plasmids carrying multiple resistance genes. Increasing the knowledge of the S. Infantis population and evolution is important for understanding and preventing further spread. In this study, we analysed a collection of strains representing different decades, sources and geographic locations. We analysed the population structure and the accessory genome, in particular we identified prophages with a view to understand the role of prophages in relation to the evolution of this serovar. RESULTS: We sequenced a global collection of 100 S. Infantis strains. A core-genome SNP analysis separated five strains in e-Burst Group (eBG) 297 with a long branch. The remaining strains, all in eBG31, were divided into three lineages that were estimated to have separated approximately 150 years ago. One lineage contained the vast majority of strains. In five of six clusters, no obvious correlation with source or geographical locations was seen. However, one cluster contained mostly strains from human and avian sources, indicating a clone with preference for these sources. The majority of strains within this cluster harboured a pESI-like plasmid with multiple resistance genes. Another lineage contained three genetic clusters with more rarely isolated strains of mainly animal origin, possibly less sampled or less infectious clones. Conserved prophages were identified in all strains, likely representing bacteriophages which integrated into the chromosome of a common ancestor to S. Infantis. We also saw that some prophages were specific to clusters and were probably introduced when the clusters were formed. CONCLUSIONS: This study analysed a global S. Infantis population and described its genetic structure. We hypothesize that the population has evolved in three separate lineages, with one more successfully emerging lineage. We furthermore detected conserved prophages present in the entire population and cluster specific prophages, which probably shaped the population structure.

Increased antibody levels to stage-specific Epstein-Barr virus antigens in systemic autoimmune diseases reveal a common pathology.

The immune responses to antigens from different stages of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) life cycle were investigated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Sjögren's syndrome (SS), and systemic sclerosis (SSc) to gain knowledge of EBV's involvement in the etiology of systemic autoimmune diseases (SADs) and for an overview of the humoral immune responses against EBV. Investigations were performed by the use of ELISA. IgM, IgA, and IgG antibody binding to 11 EBV antigens: EBNA1, EBNA2, BALF5, EAD, BALF2, EA/R, VCA p18, VCA p23, gB, gp350, and gp42 were examined in serum pools from SAD patients and healthy controls (HCs). Increased antibody levels against the 11 EBV antigens in the SAD pools were seen compared to the HC pool. Specifically, SLE was characterized by strongly increased IgA to EAD both compared to HCs and other SADs, and RA was characterized by increased IgM levels to several EBV antigens. The SADs may be partly distinguished by their differential immune responses to various antigens in the EBV life cycle. All together, these findings support an association between EBV infection and SADs.

Redefining enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC): Genomic characterization of epidemiological EAEC strains.

Although enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) has been implicated as a common cause of diarrhea in multiple settings, neither its essential genomic nature nor its role as an enteric pathogen are fully understood. The current definition of this pathotype requires demonstration of cellular adherence; a working molecular definition encompasses E. coli which do not harbor the heat-stable or heat-labile toxins of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) and harbor the genes aaiC, aggR, and/or aatA. In an effort to improve the definition of this pathotype, we report the most definitive characterization of the pan-genome of EAEC to date, applying comparative genomics and functional characterization on a collection of 97 EAEC strains isolated in the course of a multicenter case-control diarrhea study (Global Enteric Multi-Center Study, GEMS). Genomic analysis revealed that the EAEC strains mapped to all phylogenomic groups of E. coli. Circa 70% of strains harbored one of the five described AAF variants; there were no additional AAF variants identified, and strains that lacked an identifiable AAF generally did not have an otherwise complete AggR regulon. An exception was strains that harbored an ETEC colonization factor (CF) CS22, like AAF a member of the chaperone-usher family of adhesins, but not phylogenetically related to the AAF family. Of all genes scored, sepA yielded the strongest association with diarrhea (P = 0.002) followed by the increased serum survival gene, iss (p = 0.026), and the outer membrane protease gene ompT (p = 0.046). Notably, the EAEC genomes harbored several genes characteristically associated with other E. coli pathotypes. Our data suggest that a molecular definition of EAEC could comprise E. coli strains harboring AggR and a complete AAF(I-V) or CS22 gene cluster. Further, it is possible that strains meeting this definition could be both enteric bacteria and urinary/systemic pathogens.

DNA-binding specificity of rice mariner-like transposases and interactions with Stowaway MITEs.

Mariner-like elements (MLEs) are DNA transposons found throughout the plant and animal kingdoms. A previous computational survey of the rice (Oryza sativa) genome sequence revealed 34 full length MLEs (Osmars) belonging to 25 distinct families. This survey, which also identified sequence similarities between the Osmar elements and the Stowaway superfamily of MITEs, led to the formulation of a hypothesis whereby Stowaways are mobilized by OSMAR transposases. Here we investigate the DNA-binding activities and specificities of two OSMAR transposases, OSMAR5 and OSMAR10. Like other mariner-like transposases, the OSMARs bind specifically to the terminal inverted repeat (TIR) sequences of their encoding transposons. OSMAR5 binds DNA through a bipartite N-terminal domain containing two functionally separable helix-turn-helix motifs, resembling the paired domain of Tc1-like transposases and PAX transcription factors in metazoans. Furthermore, binding of the OSMARs is not limited to their own TIRs; OSMAR5 transposase can also interact in vitro with TIRs from closely related Osmar elements and with consensus TIRs of several Stowaway families mined from the rice genome sequence. These results provide the first biochemical evidence for a functional relationship between Osmar elements and Stowaway MITEs and lead us to suggest that there is extensive cross-talk among related but distinct transposon families co-existing in a single eukaryote genome.

Applied plant genomics: the secret is integration.

Although concerted efforts to understand selected botanical models have been made, the resulting basic knowledge varies in its applicability to other diverse species including the major crops. Recent advances in high-throughput genomics are offering new avenues through which to exploit model systems for the study of botanical diversity, providing prospects for crop improvement. In particular, whole-genome sequencing has provided opportunities for the broader application of reverse genetics, expression profiling, and molecular mapping in diverse species.