title: Virulence determinants, drug resistance and mobile genetic elements of Laribacter hongkongensis: a genome-wide analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Laribacter hongkongensis is associated with community-acquired gastroenteritis and traveler's diarrhea. In this study, we performed an in-depth annotation of the genes in its genome related to the various steps in the infective process, drug resistance and mobile genetic elements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For acid and bile resistance, L. hongkongensis possessed a urease gene cassette, two arc gene clusters and bile salt efflux systems. For intestinal colonization, it possessed a putative adhesin of the autotransporter family homologous to those of diffusely adherent Escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterotoxigenic E. coli. To evade from host defense, it possessed superoxide dismutase and catalases. For lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, it possessed the same set of genes that encode enzymes for synthesizing lipid A, two Kdo units and heptose units as E. coli, but different genes for its symmetrical acylation pattern, and nine genes for polysaccharide side chains biosynthesis. It contained a number of CDSs that encode putative cell surface acting (RTX toxin and hemolysins) and intracellular cytotoxins (patatin-like proteins) and enzymes for invasion (outer membrane phospholipase A). It contained a broad variety of antibiotic resistance-related genes, including genes related to β-lactam (n = 10) and multidrug efflux (n = 54). It also contained eight prophages, 17 other phage-related CDSs and 26 CDSs for transposases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The L. hongkongensis genome possessed genes for acid and bile resistance, intestinal mucosa colonization, evasion of host defense and cytotoxicity and invasion. A broad variety of antibiotic resistance or multidrug resistance genes, a high number of prophages, other phage-related CDSs and CDSs for transposases, were also identified.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Hong Kong.|Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.|Carol Yu Centre of Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.|Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Susanna Kp
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Gilman Km
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Alan Kl
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Tsang
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Jade Ll
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Rachel Yy
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Hong Kong.|Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.|Carol Yu Centre of Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.|Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Hong Kong.|Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.|Carol Yu Centre of Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.|Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Kwok-Yung
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Hong Kong.|Research Centre of Infection and Immunology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.|Carol Yu Centre of Infection, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.|Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Patrick Cy
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Woo