Yersinia pestis evolution on a small timescale: comparison of whole genome sequences from North America.
BACKGROUND
Yersinia pestis, the etiologic agent of plague, was responsible for several devastating epidemics throughout history and is currently of global importance to current public heath and biodefense efforts. Y. pestis is widespread in the Western United States. Because Y. pestis was first introduced to this region just over 100 years ago, there has been little time for genetic diversity to accumulate. Recent studies based upon single nucleotide polymorphisms have begun to quantify the genetic diversity of Y. pestis in North America.


RESULTS
To examine the evolution of Y. pestis in North America, a gapped genome sequence of CA88-4125 was generated. Sequence comparison with another North American Y. pestis strain, CO92, identified seven regions of difference (six inversions, one rearrangement), differing IS element copy numbers, and several SNPs.


CONCLUSIONS
The relatively large number of inverted/rearranged segments suggests that North American Y. pestis strains may be undergoing inversion fixation at high rates over a short time span, contributing to higher-than-expected diversity in this region. These findings will hopefully encourage the scientific community to sequence additional Y. pestis strains from North America and abroad, leading to a greater understanding of the evolutionary history of this pathogen.
Auerbach
Raymond K
RK
Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America.
Tuanyok
Apichai
A
Probert
William S
WS
Kenefic
Leo
L
Vogler
Amy J
AJ
Bruce
David C
DC
Munk
Christine
C
Brettin
Thomas S
TS
Eppinger
Mark
M
Ravel
Jacques
J
Wagner
David M
DM
Keim
Paul
P
D005075:Biological Evolution; D007446:Chromosome Inversion; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009656:North America; D010930:Plague / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D015010:Yersinia pestis / Q000235:genetics*
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