title: Absence of a set of plasmid-encoded genes is predictive of reduced pathogenic potential in Brachyspira hyodysenteriae.
abstract: The gene content of 14 strains of the intestinal spirochaete Brachyspira hyodysenteriae was compared using a DNA microarray. A consistent difference occurred in a block of four genes on the ~36 Kb plasmid, with these being present in six virulent strains and absent in eight strains with reduced pathogenic potential. These genes encoded a predicted radical S-adenosylmethionine domain protein, a glycosyl transferase group 1-like protein, an NAD dependent epimerase and a dTDP-4-dehydrorhamnose 2-5 epimerase: they may be involved in rhamnose biosynthesis and glycosylation. The absence of these plasmid genes in B. hyodysenteriae isolates is predictive of reduced pathogenic potential.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: La
authors.forename: Nyree D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Jill R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch 6150, Western Australia, Australia. d.hampson@murdoch.edu.au.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hampson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017401:Brachyspira hyodysenteriae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000662:veterinary; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins