title: Characterization of ST-4821 complex, a unique Neisseria meningitidis clone.
abstract: Ten outbreaks of a new serogroup C meningococcal disease emerged during 2003-2005 in China. The multilocus sequence typing results indicated that unique sequence type 4821 clone meningococci were responsible for these outbreaks. Herein, we determined the entire genomic DNA sequence of serogroup C isolate 053442, which belongs to ST-4821. Comparison of 053442 gene contents with other meningococcal genomes shows that they have similar characteristics, including thousands of repetitive elements and simple sequence repeats, numerous phase-variable genes, and similar virulence-related factors. However, many strain-specific regions were found in each genome. We also present the results of a genomic comparison of 28 ST-4821 complex isolates that were isolated from different serogroups using comparative genomic hybridization analysis. Genome comparison between the newly emerged hyperinvasive isolates belonging to different serogroups will further our understanding of their respective pathogenetic mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Molecular Virology and Genetic Engineering, National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100052, China.
authors.forename: Junping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yongliang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Huan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Xiaobing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhaohui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Xingye
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Shuxia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lilian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Weijun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Zhujun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Jianguo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D016680:Genome, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D020071:Interspersed Repetitive Sequences / Q000235:genetics*; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D038542:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup C / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA