Rhoads DD, Pummill J, Alrubaye AAK. Molecular Genomic Analyses of
Enterococcus cecorum from Sepsis Outbreaks in Broilers.
Microorganisms 2024;
12:250. [PMID:
38399654 PMCID:
PMC10892122 DOI:
10.3390/microorganisms12020250]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Extensive genomic analyses of Enterococcus cecorum isolates from sepsis outbreaks in broilers suggest a polyphyletic origin, likely arising from core genome mutations rather than gene acquisition. This species is a normal intestinal flora of avian species with particular isolates associated with osteomyelitis. More recently, this species has been associated with sepsis outbreaks affecting broilers during the first 3 weeks post-hatch. Understanding the genetic and management basis of this new phenotype is critical for developing strategies to mitigate this emerging problem. Phylogenomic analyses of 227 genomes suggest that sepsis isolates are polyphyletic and closely related to both commensal and osteomyelitis isolate genomes. Pangenome analyses detect no gene acquisitions that distinguish all the sepsis isolates. Core genome single nucleotide polymorphism analyses have identified a number of mutations, affecting the protein-coding sequences, that are enriched in sepsis isolates. The analysis of the protein substitutions supports the mutational origins of sepsis isolates.
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