The Complete Genome Sequence for Campylobacter jejuni RM1285
Campylobacter jejuni strain RM1285 was observed through microscopy to be a rod shaped variant.  Additionally, when strain RM1285 was exposed to pressures of 100-200 MPA for 5 to 10 minutes we observed that a greater percentage of the RM1285 cells survived the pressure treatments compared to the survival of five other C. jejuni strains treated in the same manner.  Therefore, in order to determine how these strains differed genetically to both produce the morphological variation and the pressure resistance we performed whole genome sequencing on RM1285 as well as the other 5 C. jejuni strains in our pressure experiments.  The whole genome sequence for RM1285 is ready for publication and we have already identified a mutation in the strains pgp1 gene which is sufficient to explain the morphological change.  We are currently investigating if this change is sufficient to also explain the enhanced pressure resistance.