comparative genomics
Evolutionary and Genomic MicrobiologyPhylogenomic Analyses of Members of the Widespread Marine Heterotrophic Genus Pseudovibrio Suggest Distinct Evolutionary Trajectories and a Novel Genus, Polycladidibacter gen. nov.The genus Pseudovibrio is commonly associated with marine invertebrates, which are essential for ocean health and marine nutrient cycling. Traditionally, the phylogeny of the genus has been based on 16S rRNA gene analysis. The use of the 16S rRNA gene or any other single marker gene for robust phylogenetic placement has recently been questioned. We used a large set of marker genes from all available Pseudovibrio...
Environmental Microbiology | SpotlightPredatory Organisms with Untapped Biosynthetic Potential: Descriptions of Novel Corallococcus Species C. aberystwythensis sp. nov., C. carmarthensis sp. nov., C. exercitus sp. nov., C. interemptor sp. nov., C. llansteffanensis sp. nov., C. praedator sp. nov., C. sicarius sp. nov., and C. terminator sp. nov.Corallococcus is a genus of predators with broad prey ranges, whose genomes contain large numbers of gene clusters for secondary metabolite biosynthesis. The physiology and evolutionary heritage of eight Corallococcus species strains were characterized using a range of analyses and assays. Multiple metrics confirmed that each strain belonged to a novel species within the Corallococcus genus. The strains...
Environmental MicrobiologyPseudofructophilic Leuconostoc citreum Strain F192-5, Isolated from Satsuma Mandarin PeelObligate fructophilic lactic acid bacteria (FLAB) lack the metabolic pathways used in the metabolism of most carbohydrates and differ from other lactic acid bacteria in that they prefer to ferment d-fructose instead of d-glucose. These characteristics are well conserved at the genus or species level. Leuconostoc citreum...
Public and Environmental Health MicrobiologyClinically Unreported Salmonellosis Outbreak Detected via Comparative Genomic Analysis of Municipal Wastewater Salmonella IsolatesUnderdetection of microbial infectious disease outbreaks in human communities carries enormous health costs and is an ongoing problem in public health monitoring (which relies almost exclusively on data from health clinics). Surveillance of municipal wastewater for community-level monitoring of infectious disease burdens has the potential to fill this information gap, due to its easy access to the mixed community microbiome. In the...
Public and Environmental Health MicrobiologyPopulation Genetics and Characterization of Campylobacter jejuni Isolates from Western Jackdaws and Game Birds in FinlandThe roles of environmental reservoirs, including wild birds, in the molecular epidemiology of Campylobacter jejuni have not been assessed in depth. Our results showed that game birds may pose a risk for acquiring campylobacteriosis, because they had C. jejuni genomotypes highly similar to human...
Environmental MicrobiologyComparative Genomic Analysis Reveals the Distribution, Organization, and Evolution of Metal Resistance Genes in the Genus AcidithiobacillusHorizontal gene transfer (HGT), natural selection, and gene duplication are three main engines that drive the adaptive evolution of microbial genomes. Previous studies indicated that HGT was a main adaptive mechanism in acidophiles to cope with heavy-metal-rich environments. However, evidences of HGT in Acidithiobacillus species in response to challenging metal-rich environments and the mechanisms addressing how metal...
Genetics and Molecular BiologyA Cotransformation Method To Identify a Restriction-Modification Enzyme That Reduces Conjugation Efficiency in Campylobacter jejuniConjugation is an important horizontal gene transfer mechanism contributing to the evolution of bacterial pathogenesis and antimicrobial resistance. Campylobacter jejuni, the leading foodborne bacterial organism, displays significant strain diversity due to horizontal gene transfer; however, the molecular components influencing conjugation efficiency in...
Environmental MicrobiologyGenome Analysis, Metabolic Potential, and Predatory Capabilities of Herpetosiphon llansteffanense sp. nov.Predatory bacteria are able to kill and consume other microbes and are therefore of interest as potential sources of new antimicrobial substances for applications in the clinic. “Wolf pack” predators kill prey by secreting antimicrobial substances into their surroundings, and those substances can kill prey organisms independently of the predatory cells. The genus ...
Food Microbiology | SpotlightA Consensus Ochratoxin A Biosynthetic Pathway: Insights from the Genome Sequence of Aspergillus ochraceus and a Comparative Genomic AnalysisOchratoxin A (OTA) is a significant mycotoxin that contaminates cereal products, coffee, grapes, wine, cheese, and meat. OTA is nephrotoxic, carcinogenic, teratogenic, and immunotoxic. OTA contamination is a serious threat to food safety, endangers human health, and can cause huge economic losses. At present, >20 species of the genera Aspergillus and...