title: Genome analysis of multiple pathogenic isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae: implications for the microbial "pan-genome".
abstract: The development of efficient and inexpensive genome sequencing methods has revolutionized the study of human bacterial pathogens and improved vaccine design. Unfortunately, the sequence of a single genome does not reflect how genetic variability drives pathogenesis within a bacterial species and also limits genome-wide screens for vaccine candidates or for antimicrobial targets. We have generated the genomic sequence of six strains representing the five major disease-causing serotypes of Streptococcus agalactiae, the main cause of neonatal infection in humans. Analysis of these genomes and those available in databases showed that the S. agalactiae species can be described by a pan-genome consisting of a core genome shared by all isolates, accounting for approximately 80% of any single genome, plus a dispensable genome consisting of partially shared and strain-specific genes. Mathematical extrapolation of the data suggests that the gene reservoir available for inclusion in the S. agalactiae pan-genome is vast and that unique genes will continue to be identified even after sequencing hundreds of genomes.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Genomic Research, 9712 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA.
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tettelin
authors.forename: Vega
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Masignani
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cieslewicz
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Donati
authors.forename: Duccio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Medini
authors.forename: Naomi L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Samuel V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Angiuoli
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Crabtree
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: A Scott
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Durkin
authors.forename: Robert T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Deboy
authors.forename: Tanja M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Davidsen
authors.forename: Marirosa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mora
authors.forename: Maria
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authors.lastname: Scarselli
authors.forename: Immaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Margarit y Ros
authors.forename: Jeremy D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Christopher R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Hauser
authors.forename: Jaideep P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sundaram
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Ramana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Madupu
authors.forename: Lauren M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Brinkac
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Dodson
authors.forename: Mary J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rosovitz
authors.forename: Steven A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Sean C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Daugherty
authors.forename: Daniel H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Haft
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Selengut
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Gwinn
authors.forename: Liwei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Nikhat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zafar
authors.forename: Hoda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khouri
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Radune
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dimitrov
authors.forename: Kisha
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: Kevin J B
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Teresa R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Utterback
authors.forename: Owen
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Craig E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Rubens
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grandi
authors.forename: Lawrence C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Madoff
authors.forename: Dennis L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Kasper
authors.forename: John L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Telford
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Wessels
authors.forename: Rino
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rappuoli
authors.forename: Claire M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Fraser
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D016667:Bacterial Capsules / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D015870:Gene Expression; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics