Comparison of the genome of the oral pathogen Treponema denticola with other spirochete genomes.
We present the complete 2,843,201-bp genome sequence of Treponema denticola (ATCC 35405) an oral spirochete associated with periodontal disease. Analysis of the T. denticola genome reveals factors mediating coaggregation, cell signaling, stress protection, and other competitive and cooperative measures, consistent with its pathogenic nature and lifestyle within the mixed-species environment of subgingival dental plaque. Comparisons with previously sequenced spirochete genomes revealed specific factors contributing to differences and similarities in spirochete physiology as well as pathogenic potential. The T. denticola genome is considerably larger in size than the genome of the related syphilis-causing spirochete Treponema pallidum. The differences in gene content appear to be attributable to a combination of three phenomena: genome reduction, lineage-specific expansions, and horizontal gene transfer. Genes lost due to reductive evolution appear to be largely involved in metabolism and transport, whereas some of the genes that have arisen due to lineage-specific expansions are implicated in various pathogenic interactions, and genes acquired via horizontal gene transfer are largely phage-related or of unknown function.
Seshadri
Rekha
R
The Institute for Genomic Research, 9712 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA.
Myers
Garry S A
GS
Tettelin
Hervé
H
Eisen
Jonathan A
JA
Heidelberg
John F
JF
Dodson
Robert J
RJ
Davidsen
Tanja M
TM
DeBoy
Robert T
RT
Fouts
Derrick E
DE
Haft
Dan H
DH
Selengut
Jeremy
J
Ren
Qinghu
Q
Brinkac
Lauren M
LM
Madupu
Ramana
R
Kolonay
Jamie
J
Durkin
Scott A
SA
Daugherty
Sean C
SC
Shetty
Jyoti
J
Shvartsbeyn
Alla
A
Gebregeorgis
Elizabeth
E
Geer
Keita
K
Tsegaye
Getahun
G
Malek
Joel
J
Ayodeji
Bola
B
Shatsman
Sofiya
S
McLeod
Michael P
MP
Smajs
David
D
Howell
Jerrilyn K
JK
Pal
Sangita
S
Amin
Anita
A
Vashisth
Pankaj
P
McNeill
Thomas Z
TZ
Xiang
Qin
Q
Sodergren
Erica
E
Baca
Ernesto
E
Weinstock
George M
GM
Norris
Steven J
SJ
Fraser
Claire M
CM
Paulsen
Ian T
IT
D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D007921:Leptospira interrogans / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014208:Treponema / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014210:Treponema pallidum / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D001426:Bacterial Proteins