title: Sequence Type 4821 Clonal Complex Serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis in China, 1978-2013.
abstract: Serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis strains belonging to sequence type 4821 clonal complex (CC4821), a hyperinvasive lineage first identified for serogroup C in 2003, have been increasingly isolated in China. We characterized the outer membrane protein genes of 48 serogroup B and 214 serogroup C strains belonging to CC4821 and analyzed the genomic sequences of 22 strains. Four serogroup B strains had porin A (i.e., PorA), PorB, and ferric enterobactin transport (i.e., FetA) genotypes identical to those for serogroup C. Phylogenetic analysis of the genomic sequences showed that the 22 CC4821 strains from patients and healthy carriers were unevenly clustered into 2 closely related groups; each group contained serogroup B and C strains. Serogroup B strains appeared variable at the capsule locus, and several recombination events had occurred at uncertain breakpoints. These findings suggest that CC4821 serogroup C N. meningitidis is the probable origin of highly pathogenic CC4821 serogroup B strains.
authors.forename: Bingqing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Pengcheng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiaofang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Zhujun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shao
mesh_terms: D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D005838:Genotype; D005843:Geography; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000266:history / Q000382:microbiology*; D058889:Molecular Typing; D038541:Neisseria meningitidis, Serogroup B / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011159:Population Surveillance; D018272:Porins / Q000235:genetics; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D065288:Serogroup
chemical_list: D018272:Porins; C057699:porin protein, Neisseria
keywords: CC4821; China; Neisseria meningitidis; ST-4821 clonal complex; bacteria; capsule switching; clonal complex 4821; epidemic; epidemiology; phylogenetic analysis; recombination events; sequence type 4821; serogroup B; serogroup C; surveillance