Whole genome comparisons of serotype 4b and 1/2a strains of the food-borne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes reveal new insights into the core genome components of this species.
The genomes of three strains of Listeria monocytogenes that have been associated with food-borne illness in the USA were subjected to whole genome comparative analysis. A total of 51, 97 and 69 strain-specific genes were identified in L.monocytogenes strains F2365 (serotype 4b, cheese isolate), F6854 (serotype 1/2a, frankfurter isolate) and H7858 (serotype 4b, meat isolate), respectively. Eighty-three genes were restricted to serotype 1/2a and 51 to serotype 4b strains. These strain- and serotype-specific genes probably contribute to observed differences in pathogenicity, and the ability of the organisms to survive and grow in their respective environmental niches. The serotype 1/2a-specific genes include an operon that encodes the rhamnose biosynthetic pathway that is associated with teichoic acid biosynthesis, as well as operons for five glycosyl transferases and an adenine-specific DNA methyltransferase. A total of 8603 and 105 050 high quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found on the draft genome sequences of strain H7858 and strain F6854, respectively, when compared with strain F2365. Whole genome comparative analyses revealed that the L.monocytogenes genomes are essentially syntenic, with the majority of genomic differences consisting of phage insertions, transposable elements and SNPs.
Nelson
Karen E
KE
The Institute for Genomic Research, 9712 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA. kenelson@tigr.org
Fouts
Derrick E
DE
Mongodin
Emmanuel F
EF
Ravel
Jacques
J
DeBoy
Robert T
RT
Kolonay
James F
JF
Rasko
David A
DA
Angiuoli
Samuel V
SV
Gill
Steven R
SR
Paulsen
Ian T
IT
Peterson
Jeremy
J
White
Owen
O
Nelson
William C
WC
Nierman
William
W
Beanan
Maureen J
MJ
Brinkac
Lauren M
LM
Daugherty
Sean C
SC
Dodson
Robert J
RJ
Durkin
A Scott
AS
Madupu
Ramana
R
Haft
Daniel H
DH
Selengut
Jeremy
J
Van Aken
Susan
S
Khouri
Hoda
H
Fedorova
Nadia
N
Forberger
Heather
H
Tran
Bao
B
Kathariou
Sophia
S
Wonderling
Laura D
LD
Uhlich
Gaylen A
GA
Bayles
Darrell O
DO
Luchansky
John B
JB
Fraser
Claire M
CM
D001482:Base Composition; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D023281:Genomics; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics; D020161:Physical Chromosome Mapping; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D039002:Prophages / Q000235:genetics; D012703:Serotyping; D013045:Species Specificity; D026801:Synteny; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements