Genetic Diversity of Tick-Borne Rickettsial Pathogens; Insights Gained from Distant Strains
The ability to capture genetic variation with unprecedented resolution improves our understanding of bacterial populations and their ability to cause disease. The goal of the pathogenomics era is to define genetic diversity that results in disease. Despite the economic losses caused by vector-borne...
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MDPI AG
2014-01-01
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author | Sebastián Aguilar Pierlé Ivan Imaz-Rosshandler Ammielle Akim Kerudin Jacqueline Sambono Ala Lew-Tabor Peter Rolls Claudia Rangel-Escareño Kelly A. Brayton |
author_facet | Sebastián Aguilar Pierlé Ivan Imaz-Rosshandler Ammielle Akim Kerudin Jacqueline Sambono Ala Lew-Tabor Peter Rolls Claudia Rangel-Escareño Kelly A. Brayton |
author_sort | Sebastián Aguilar Pierlé |
collection | DOAJ |
description | The ability to capture genetic variation with unprecedented resolution improves our understanding of bacterial populations and their ability to cause disease. The goal of the pathogenomics era is to define genetic diversity that results in disease. Despite the economic losses caused by vector-borne bacteria in the Order Rickettsiales, little is known about the genetic variants responsible for observed phenotypes. The tick-transmitted rickettsial pathogen Anaplasma marginale infects cattle in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, including Australia. Genomic analysis of North American A. marginale strains reveals a closed core genome defined by high levels of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). Here we report the first genome sequences and comparative analysis for Australian strains that differ in virulence and transmissibility. A list of genetic differences that segregate with phenotype was evaluated for the ability to distinguish the attenuated strain from virulent field strains. Phylogenetic analyses of the Australian strains revealed a marked evolutionary distance from all previously sequenced strains. SNP analysis showed a strikingly reduced genetic diversity between these strains, with the smallest number of SNPs detected between any two A. marginale strains. The low diversity between these phenotypically distinct bacteria presents a unique opportunity to identify the genetic determinants of virulence and transmission. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-11T12:13:39Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-2b64b2faca7e405582cb27cf5560f695 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2076-0817 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-11T12:13:39Z |
publishDate | 2014-01-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
record_format | Article |
series | Pathogens |
spelling | doaj.art-2b64b2faca7e405582cb27cf5560f6952022-12-22T04:24:27ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172014-01-0131577210.3390/pathogens3010057pathogens3010057Genetic Diversity of Tick-Borne Rickettsial Pathogens; Insights Gained from Distant StrainsSebastián Aguilar Pierlé0Ivan Imaz-Rosshandler1Ammielle Akim Kerudin2Jacqueline Sambono3Ala Lew-Tabor4Peter Rolls5Claudia Rangel-Escareño6Kelly A. Brayton7Program in Genomics, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-7040, USANational Institute of Genomic Medicine, Computational Genomics Lab, Mexico City 14610, MexicoThe University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, AustraliaQueensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry, Tick Fever Centre, Wacol, Queensland 4076, AustraliaThe University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, AustraliaQueensland Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry, Tick Fever Centre, Wacol, Queensland 4076, AustraliaNational Institute of Genomic Medicine, Computational Genomics Lab, Mexico City 14610, MexicoProgram in Genomics, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-7040, USAThe ability to capture genetic variation with unprecedented resolution improves our understanding of bacterial populations and their ability to cause disease. The goal of the pathogenomics era is to define genetic diversity that results in disease. Despite the economic losses caused by vector-borne bacteria in the Order Rickettsiales, little is known about the genetic variants responsible for observed phenotypes. The tick-transmitted rickettsial pathogen Anaplasma marginale infects cattle in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, including Australia. Genomic analysis of North American A. marginale strains reveals a closed core genome defined by high levels of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). Here we report the first genome sequences and comparative analysis for Australian strains that differ in virulence and transmissibility. A list of genetic differences that segregate with phenotype was evaluated for the ability to distinguish the attenuated strain from virulent field strains. Phylogenetic analyses of the Australian strains revealed a marked evolutionary distance from all previously sequenced strains. SNP analysis showed a strikingly reduced genetic diversity between these strains, with the smallest number of SNPs detected between any two A. marginale strains. The low diversity between these phenotypically distinct bacteria presents a unique opportunity to identify the genetic determinants of virulence and transmission.http://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/3/1/57intracellular bacteriacomparative genomicsSNPsRickettsialesAnaplasma |
spellingShingle | Sebastián Aguilar Pierlé Ivan Imaz-Rosshandler Ammielle Akim Kerudin Jacqueline Sambono Ala Lew-Tabor Peter Rolls Claudia Rangel-Escareño Kelly A. Brayton Genetic Diversity of Tick-Borne Rickettsial Pathogens; Insights Gained from Distant Strains Pathogens intracellular bacteria comparative genomics SNPs Rickettsiales Anaplasma |
title | Genetic Diversity of Tick-Borne Rickettsial Pathogens; Insights Gained from Distant Strains |
title_full | Genetic Diversity of Tick-Borne Rickettsial Pathogens; Insights Gained from Distant Strains |
title_fullStr | Genetic Diversity of Tick-Borne Rickettsial Pathogens; Insights Gained from Distant Strains |
title_full_unstemmed | Genetic Diversity of Tick-Borne Rickettsial Pathogens; Insights Gained from Distant Strains |
title_short | Genetic Diversity of Tick-Borne Rickettsial Pathogens; Insights Gained from Distant Strains |
title_sort | genetic diversity of tick borne rickettsial pathogens insights gained from distant strains |
topic | intracellular bacteria comparative genomics SNPs Rickettsiales Anaplasma |
url | http://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/3/1/57 |
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