title: Genome sequence and comparative analysis of Avibacterium paragallinarum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Avibacterium paragallinarum, the causative agent of infectious coryza, is a highly contagious respiratory acute disease of poultry, which affects commercial chickens, laying hens and broilers worldwide.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we performed the whole genome sequencing, assembly and annotation of a Peruvian isolate of A. paragallinarum. Genome was sequenced in a 454 GS FLX Titanium system. De novo assembly was performed and annotation was completed with GS De Novo Assembler 2.6 using the H. influenzae str. F3031 gene model. Manual curation of the genome was performed with Artemis. Putative function of genes was predicted with Blast2GO. Virulence factors were identified by comparison with the Virulence Factor Database.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The genome obtained has a length of 2.47 Mb with 40.66% of GC content. Seventy five large contigs (>500 nt) were obtained, which comprised 1,204 predicted genes. All the contigs are available in Genbank [GenBank: PRJNA64665]. A total of 103 virulence factors, reported in the Virulence Factor Database, were found in A. paragallinarum. Forty four of them are present in 7 species of Haemophilus, which are related with pathogenesis, virulence and host immune system evasion. A tetracycline-resistance associated transposon (Tn10), was found in A. paragallinarum, possibly acting as a defense mechanism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The availability of A. paragallinarum genome represents an important source of information for the development of diagnostic tests, genotyping, and novel antigens for potential vaccines against infectious coryza. Identification of virulence factors contributes to better understanding the pathogenesis, and planning efforts for prevention and control of the disease.
authors.affiliation: FARVET S.A.C. Carretera Panamericana Sur N° 766 Km 198.5, Chincha Alta. Ica - Peru ; Laboratorio de Bioinformática y Biología Molecular, Laboratorios de Investigación y Desarrollo, Facultad de Ciencias y Filosofía. Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia. Av. Honorio Delgado 430, San Martin de Porres Lima -Peru.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Requena
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chumbe
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: Ofelia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Alzamora
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Valdivia-Olarte
authors.forename: Andres Hazaet
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.forename: Ray
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Izquierdo-Lara
authors.forename: Luis Enrique
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Saravia
authors.forename: Milagros
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zavaleta
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tataje-Lavanda
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Best
authors.forename: Manolo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernández-Sánchez
authors.forename: Eliana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Icochea
authors.forename: Mirko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zimic
authors.forename: Manolo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernández-Díaz
keywords: Infectious coryza; Tn10 transposon; genome sequencing; syntenic homology; virulence factors