title: A single natural nucleotide mutation alters bacterial pathogen host tropism.
abstract: The capacity of microbial pathogens to alter their host tropism leading to epidemics in distinct host species populations is a global public and veterinary health concern. To investigate the molecular basis of a bacterial host-switching event in a tractable host species, we traced the evolutionary trajectory of the common rabbit clone of Staphylococcus aureus. We report that it evolved through a likely human-to-rabbit host jump over 40 years ago and that only a single naturally occurring nucleotide mutation was required and sufficient to convert a human-specific S. aureus strain into one that could infect rabbits. Related mutations were identified at the same locus in other rabbit strains of distinct clonal origin, consistent with convergent evolution. This first report of a single mutation that was sufficient to alter the host tropism of a microorganism during its evolution highlights the capacity of some pathogens to readily expand into new host species populations.
authors: Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, 46113 Moncada, Valencia, Spain.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Viana
authors: Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Animal, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias(CITA-IVIA), Apdo. 187, 12.400 Segorbe, Castellón, Spain.
authors: María
authors: M
authors: Comos
authors: The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, United Kingdom.
authors: Paul R
authors: PR
authors: McAdam
authors: Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH93JT.
authors: Melissa J
authors: MJ
authors: Ward
authors: Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera, 46113 Moncada, Valencia, Spain.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Selva
authors: The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, United Kingdom.
authors: Caitriona M
authors: CM
authors: Guinane
authors: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK.
authors: Beatriz M
authors: BM
authors: González-Muñoz
authors: Centre National de Référence des Staphylocoques, Université Lyon, France.
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Tristan
authors: Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK.
authors: Simon J
authors: SJ
authors: Foster
authors: The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Edinburgh EH25 9RG, United Kingdom.
authors: J Ross
authors: JR
authors: Fitzgerald
authors: Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV-CSIC), 46010, Valencia, Spain.|Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8TA, UK.
authors: José R
authors: JR
authors: Penadés
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D049810:Genetic Speciation; D058507:Host Specificity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D057131:Immune Evasion / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D017354:Point Mutation; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011817:Rabbits; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D018523:Tropism / Q000235:genetics*