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Metrailer MC, Hoang TTH, Jiranantasak T, Luong T, Hoa LM, Ngoc DB, Pham QT, Pham VK, Hung TTM, Huong VTL, Pham TL, Ponciano JM, Hamerlinck G, Dang DA, Norris MH, Blackburn JK. Spatial and phylogenetic patterns reveal hidden infection sources of Bacillus anthracis in an anthrax outbreak in Son La province, Vietnam. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2023; 114:105496. [PMID: 37678701 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2023.105496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Bacillus anthracis, the bacterial cause of anthrax, is a zoonosis affecting livestock and wildlife often spilling over into humans. In Vietnam, anthrax has been nationally reportable since 2015 with cases occurring annually, mostly in the northern provinces. In April 2022, an outbreak was reported in Son La province following the butchering of a water buffalo, Bubalus bubalis. A total of 137 humans from three villages were likely exposed to contaminated meat from the animal. Early epidemiological investigations suggested a single animal was involved in all exposures. Five B. anthracis isolates were recovered from human clinical cases along with one from the buffalo hide, another from associated maggots, and one from soil at the carcass site. The isolates were whole genome sequenced, allowing global, regional, and local molecular epidemiological analyses of the outbreak strains. All recovered B. anthracis belong to the A.Br.001/002 lineage based on canonical single nucleotide polymorphism analysis (canSNP). Although not previously identified in Vietnam, this lineage has been identified in the nearby countries of China, India, Indonesia, Thailand, as well as Australia. A twenty-five marker multi-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA-25) was used to investigate the relationship between human, soil, and buffalo strains. Locally, four MLVA-25 genotypes were identified from the eight isolates. This level of genetic diversity is unusual for the limited geography and timing of cases and differs from past literature using MLVA-25. The coupled spatial and phylogenetic data suggest this outbreak originated from multiple, likely undetected, animal sources. These findings were further supported by local news reports that identified at least two additional buffalo deaths beyond the initial animal sampled in response to the human cases. Future outbreak response should include intensive surveillance for additional animal cases and additional molecular epidemiological traceback to identify pathogen sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan C Metrailer
- Spatial Epidemiology and Ecology Research Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | | | - Treenate Jiranantasak
- Spatial Epidemiology and Ecology Research Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Tan Luong
- Spatial Epidemiology and Ecology Research Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Luong Minh Hoa
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Do Bich Ngoc
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Quang Thai Pham
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Van Khang Pham
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Duc Anh Dang
- National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Viet Nam
| | - Michael H Norris
- Spatial Epidemiology and Ecology Research Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jason K Blackburn
- Spatial Epidemiology and Ecology Research Laboratory, Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
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2
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Tourasse NJ, Jolley KA, Kolstø AB, Økstad OA. Core genome multilocus sequence typing scheme for Bacillus cereus group bacteria. Res Microbiol 2023; 174:104050. [PMID: 36893969 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2023.104050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) employs a strategy where the set of orthologous genes common to all members of a group of organisms are used for phylogenetic analysis of the group members. The Bacillus cereus group consists of species with pathogenicity towards insect species as well as warm-blooded animals including humans. While B. cereus is an opportunistic pathogen linked to a range of human disease conditions, including emesis and diarrhoea, Bacillus thuringiensis is an entomopathogenic species with toxicity toward insect larvae, and therefore used as a biological pesticide worldwide. Bacillus anthracis is a classical obligate pathogen causing anthrax, an acute lethal condition in herbivores as well as humans, and which is endemic in many parts of the world. The group also includes a range of additional species, and B. cereus group bacteria have been subject to analysis with a wide variety of phylogenetic typing systems. Here we present, based on analyses of 173 complete genomes from B. cereus group species available in public databases, the identification of a set of 1568 core genes which were used to create a core genome multilocus typing scheme for the group which is implemented in the PubMLST system as an open online database freely available to the community. The new cgMLST system provides unprecedented resolution over existing phylogenetic analysis schemes covering the B. cereus group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas J Tourasse
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Biosciences, University of Oslo, Norway; University of Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, ARNA, UMR 5320, U1212, F-33000 Bordeaux, France.
| | | | - Anne-Brit Kolstø
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Biosciences, University of Oslo, Norway.
| | - Ole Andreas Økstad
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Biosciences, University of Oslo, Norway.
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3
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Bassy O, Antwerpen M, Ortega-García MV, Ortega-Sánchez MJ, Bouzada JA, Cabria-Ramos JC, Grass G. Spanish Outbreak Isolates Bridge Phylogenies of European and American Bacillus anthracis. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11040889. [PMID: 37110312 PMCID: PMC10146487 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11040889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The geographical origin of a major present-day phylogenetic group (A branch WNA; A.Br.WNA) of American Bacillus anthracis is controversial. One hypothesis postulated that the anthrax pathogen reached North America via a then-existing land bridge from northeastern Asia thousands of years ago. A competing hypothesis suggested that B. anthracis was introduced to America a couple of hundred years ago, related to European colonization. The latter view is strongly supported by genomic analysis of a group of French B. anthracis isolates that are phylogenetically closely related to the North American strains of the A branch A.Br.WNA clade. In addition, three West African strains also belong to this relationship group. Recently, we have added a Spanish strain to these close relatives of the WNA lineage of American B. anthracis. Nevertheless, the diversity of Spanish B. anthracis remains largely unexplored, and phylogenetic links to European or American relatives are not well resolved. Here, we genome sequenced and characterized 29 new B. anthracis isolates (yielding 18 unique genotypes) from outbreaks in west central and central Spain in 2021. Applying comparative chromosomal analysis, we placed the chromosomes of these isolates within the established phylogeny of the A.Br.008/009 (A.Br.TEA) canonical SNP group. From this analysis, a new sub-clade, named A.Br.11/ESPc, emerged that constitutes a sister group of American A.Br.WNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Bassy
- Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Defence Systems Department, Campus La Marañosa, Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial “Esteban Terradas” (INTA), 28330 San Martín de la Vega, Madrid, Spain
| | - Markus Antwerpen
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology (IMB), 80937 Munich, Germany
| | - María Victoria Ortega-García
- Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Defence Systems Department, Campus La Marañosa, Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial “Esteban Terradas” (INTA), 28330 San Martín de la Vega, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Jesús Ortega-Sánchez
- Laboratorio Central de Sanidad Animal (LCSA), Ministerio de Agricultura Pesca y Alimentación (MAPA), 18320 Santa Fe, Granada, Spain
| | - José Antonio Bouzada
- Laboratorio Central de Veterinaria, Ministerio de Agricultura Pesca y Alimentación (MAPA), 28110 Algete, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Carlos Cabria-Ramos
- Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Defence Systems Department, Campus La Marañosa, Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial “Esteban Terradas” (INTA), 28330 San Martín de la Vega, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gregor Grass
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology (IMB), 80937 Munich, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-992692-3981
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Nana SD, Caffin JH, Duboz R, Antoine-Moussiaux N, Binot A, Diagbouga PS, Hendrikx P, Bordier M. Towards an integrated surveillance of zoonotic diseases in Burkina Faso: the case of anthrax. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:1535. [PMID: 35962327 PMCID: PMC9372945 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13878-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Anthrax is a zoonotic disease that causes frequent outbreaks in livestock and fatal human cases in Burkina Faso. Effective surveillance of this disease calls for the establishment of an integrated surveillance system, in line with the One Health concept. However, despite a strong technical and financial support from international partners, surveillance is still poorly conducted within an integrated approach. Based on stakeholder perspectives, the study has for objective to deepen our understanding of the anthrax surveillance system and to identify the obstacles and levers towards a more integrated approach to anthrax surveillance in Burkina Faso. Methods The data was collected from a literature review and interviews with surveillance stakeholders. We first conducted a qualitative descriptive analysis of the data to characterize the surveillance system (programmes, actors, collaboration). In a second step, we conducted a thematic analysis of the informants' discourse in order to identify what represents an obstacle or, conversely, a lever for a more integrated approach to anthrax surveillance. Results The surveillance system of anthrax in Burkina Faso includes three programmes (in the livestock, wildlife and human sectors), which involves 30 actors. These sectoral programmes operate almost independently from one another, although some collaborations are existing for the governance and implementation of surveillance activities. Analysis of the discourse of key stakeholders led to the identification of four categories of factors that may influence the implementation of an integrated surveillance system in the country: knowledge; technical, organizational and social capacities; motivation; intersectoral governance. Conclusions This study highlights the difficulty of translating One Health governance to the national level and the need to better articulate the visions of all categories of stakeholders. This study also reveals the need to develop specific evaluation systems for integrated policies in order to provide credible evidence of their added value for a better management of zoonotic diseases. Finally, our study underlines the need to act upstream the emergence of zoonoses and allocate more resources to the prevention of zoonoses than to their control. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13878-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sougrenoma Désiré Nana
- ASTRE, University of Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France.,CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Raphaël Duboz
- ASTRE, University of Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France.,CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Dakar, Senegal.,IRD, Sorbonne University, UMMISCO, Bondy, France.,National Laboratory for Livestock and Veterinary Research, Senegalese Institute of Research in Agriculture, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Nicolas Antoine-Moussiaux
- Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals and Health Research Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | - Aurélie Binot
- ASTRE, University of Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France.,CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Montpellier, France
| | - Potiandi Serge Diagbouga
- Research Institute of Health Sciences, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.,Etudes Formation Et Recherches Développement en Santé, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Pascal Hendrikx
- High Council for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas, Paris, France
| | - Marion Bordier
- ASTRE, University of Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Montpellier, France. .,CIRAD, UMR ASTRE, Dakar, Senegal. .,National Laboratory for Livestock and Veterinary Research, Senegalese Institute of Research in Agriculture, Dakar, Senegal.
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Yudianingtyas DW, Sumiarto B, Susetya H, Salman M, Djatmikowati TF, Haeriah H, Rahman A, Mangidi R. Identification of the molecular characteristics of Bacillus anthracis (1982-2020) isolates in East Indonesia using multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis. Vet World 2022; 15:953-961. [PMID: 35698492 PMCID: PMC9178602 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2022.953-961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim: Anthrax is one of the endemic strategic diseases in East Indonesia, particularly in the provinces of South Sulawesi, West Sulawesi, Gorontalo, East Nusa Tenggara, and West Nusa Tenggara. Anthrax is an important disease due to its zoonotic and economic impact on the livestock industry. This study aimed to identify the molecular characteristics of Bacillus anthracis in East Indonesia using multilocus variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA). Materials and Methods: Isolates were obtained from an investigation of anthrax outbreaks in five provinces of East Indonesia from 1982 to 2020. Conventional polymerase chain reaction for B. anthracis was used to identify MLVA-8. Deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing analysis was based on MLVA-8 primers for VNTR identification of the phylogenetic relationship among 24 isolates of B. anthracis obtained from 17 distinct districts/cities in East Indonesia. Tandem Repeats Finder was used for VNTR identification, and Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis X was used to construct phylogenetic analysis. Results: In this study, 24 isolates were classified as genotype or lineage A. There were four subgroups of B. anthracis circulating in East Indonesia based on eight molecular marker loci sequence results. Conclusion: The findings of this study show that MLVA-8 typing might be useful as a subtyping tool for the epidemiological investigation of identical genotypes and low genetic diversity of B. anthracis. No other lineage of B. anthracis was circulating in East Indonesia. Other molecular methods are needed, such as extended MLVA, whole-genome sequencing, and canonical single-nucleotide polymorphism, for a more precise study of B. anthracis genetic diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. W. Yudianingtyas
- Doctoral Study Program, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia; Department of Epidemiology and Veterinary Information, Disease Investigation Centre Maros, Directorate General of Livestock Services and Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture, The Republic of Indonesia, Indonesia
| | - B. Sumiarto
- Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - H. Susetya
- Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Mo Salman
- Department of of Clinical Sciences, Animal Population Health Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, United States of America
| | - T. F. Djatmikowati
- Bacteriology laboratory, Disease Investigation Centre Maros, Directorate General of Livestock Services and Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia, The Republic of Indonesia, Indonesia
| | - Haeriah Haeriah
- Bacteriology laboratory, Disease Investigation Centre Maros, Directorate General of Livestock Services and Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia, The Republic of Indonesia, Indonesia
| | - Abdul Rahman
- Bacteriology laboratory, Disease Investigation Centre Maros, Directorate General of Livestock Services and Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia, The Republic of Indonesia, Indonesia
| | - R. Mangidi
- Disease Investigation Centre Maros, Directorate General of Livestock Services and Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture, The Republic of Indonesia, Indonesia
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Ochai SO, Crafford JE, Hassim A, Byaruhanga C, Huang YH, Hartmann A, Dekker EH, van Schalkwyk OL, Kamath PL, Turner WC, van Heerden H. Immunological Evidence of Variation in Exposure and Immune Response to Bacillus anthracis in Herbivores of Kruger and Etosha National Parks. Front Immunol 2022; 13:814031. [PMID: 35237267 PMCID: PMC8882864 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.814031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure and immunity to generalist pathogens differ among host species and vary across spatial scales. Anthrax, caused by a multi-host bacterial pathogen, Bacillus anthracis, is enzootic in Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa and Etosha National Park (ENP), Namibia. These parks share many of the same potential host species, yet the main anthrax host in one (greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) in KNP and plains zebra (Equus quagga) in ENP) is only a minor host in the other. We investigated species and spatial patterns in anthrax mortalities, B. anthracis exposure, and the ability to neutralize the anthrax lethal toxin to determine if observed host mortality differences between locations could be attributed to population-level variation in pathogen exposure and/or immune response. Using serum collected from zebra and kudu in high and low incidence areas of each park (18- 20 samples/species/area), we estimated pathogen exposure from anti-protective antigen (PA) antibody response using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and lethal toxin neutralization with a toxin neutralization assay (TNA). Serological evidence of pathogen exposure followed mortality patterns within each system (kudus: 95% positive in KNP versus 40% in ENP; zebras: 83% positive in ENP versus 63% in KNP). Animals in the high-incidence area of KNP had higher anti-PA responses than those in the low-incidence area, but there were no significant differences in exposure by area within ENP. Toxin neutralizing ability was higher for host populations with lower exposure prevalence, i.e., higher in ENP kudus and KNP zebras than their conspecifics in the other park. These results indicate that host species differ in their exposure to and adaptive immunity against B. anthracis in the two parks. These patterns may be due to environmental differences such as vegetation, rainfall patterns, landscape or forage availability between these systems and their interplay with host behavior (foraging or other risky behaviors), resulting in differences in exposure frequency and dose, and hence immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunday O. Ochai
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Jan E. Crafford
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Ayesha Hassim
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Charles Byaruhanga
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Yen-Hua Huang
- Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Axel Hartmann
- Etosha Ecological Institute, Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Okaukuejo, Namibia
| | - Edgar H. Dekker
- Office of the State Veterinarian, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Government of South Africa, Skukuza, South Africa
| | - O. Louis van Schalkwyk
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Office of the State Veterinarian, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Government of South Africa, Skukuza, South Africa
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Pauline L. Kamath
- School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, Orono, ME, United States
| | - Wendy C. Turner
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wisconsin Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Henriette van Heerden
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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Chang JD, Vaughan EE, Liu CG, Jelinski JW, Terwilliger AL, Maresso AW. Metabolic profiling reveals nutrient preferences during carbon utilization in Bacillus species. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23917. [PMID: 34903830 PMCID: PMC8669014 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03420-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Bacillus includes species with diverse natural histories, including free-living nonpathogenic heterotrophs such as B. subtilis and host-dependent pathogens such as B. anthracis (the etiological agent of the disease anthrax) and B. cereus, a cause of food poisoning. Although highly similar genotypically, the ecological niches of these three species are mutually exclusive, which raises the untested hypothesis that their metabolism has speciated along a nutritional tract. Here, we developed a pipeline for quantitative total assessment of the use of diverse sources of carbon for general metabolism to better appreciate the "culinary preferences" of three distinct Bacillus species, as well as related Staphylococcus aureus. We show that each species has widely varying metabolic ability to utilize diverse sources of carbon that correlated to their ecological niches. This approach was applied to the growth and survival of B. anthracis in a blood-like environment and find metabolism shifts from sugar to amino acids as the preferred source of energy. Finally, various nutrients in broth and host-like environments are identified that may promote or interfere with bacterial metabolism during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D Chang
- The Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ellen E Vaughan
- The Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Carmen Gu Liu
- The Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Joseph W Jelinski
- The Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Austen L Terwilliger
- The Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Anthony W Maresso
- The Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.
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8
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Maison RM, Pierce CF, Ragan IK, Brown VR, Bodenchuk MJ, Bowen RA, Bosco-Lauth AM. Potential Use for Serosurveillance of Feral Swine to Map Risk for Anthrax Exposure, Texas, USA. Emerg Infect Dis 2021; 27:3103-3110. [PMID: 34808089 PMCID: PMC8632180 DOI: 10.3201/eid2712.211482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthrax is a disease of concern in many mammals, including humans. Management primarily consists of prevention through vaccination and tracking clinical-level observations because environmental isolation is laborious and bacterial distribution across large geographic areas difficult to confirm. Feral swine (Sus scrofa) are an invasive species with an extensive range in the southern United States that rarely succumbs to anthrax. We present evidence that feral swine might serve as biosentinels based on comparative seroprevalence in swine from historically defined anthrax-endemic and non–anthrax-endemic regions of Texas. Overall seropositivity was 43.7% (n = 478), and logistic regression revealed county endemicity status, age-class, sex, latitude, and longitude were informative for predicting antibody status. However, of these covariates, only latitude was statistically significant (β = –0.153, p = 0.047). These results suggests anthrax exposure in swine, when paired with continuous location data, could serve as a proxy for bacterial presence in specific areas.
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9
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Choate LA, Barshad G, McMahon PW, Said I, Rice EJ, Munn PR, Lewis JJ, Danko CG. Multiple stages of evolutionary change in anthrax toxin receptor expression in humans. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6590. [PMID: 34782625 PMCID: PMC8592990 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26854-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The advent of animal husbandry and hunting increased human exposure to zoonotic pathogens. To understand how a zoonotic disease may have influenced human evolution, we study changes in human expression of anthrax toxin receptor 2 (ANTXR2), which encodes a cell surface protein necessary for Bacillus anthracis virulence toxins to cause anthrax disease. In immune cells, ANTXR2 is 8-fold down-regulated in all available human samples compared to non-human primates, indicating regulatory changes early in the evolution of modern humans. We also observe multiple genetic signatures consistent with recent positive selection driving a European-specific decrease in ANTXR2 expression in multiple tissues affected by anthrax toxins. Our observations fit a model in which humans adapted to anthrax disease following early ecological changes associated with hunting and scavenging, as well as a second period of adaptation after the rise of modern agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Choate
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Gilad Barshad
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Pierce W McMahon
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Iskander Said
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Edward J Rice
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Paul R Munn
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - James J Lewis
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| | - Charles G Danko
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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10
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Li S, Ma Q, Chen H, Liu Y, Yao G, Tang G, Wang D. Epidemiological Investigation and Etiological Analysis of a Cutaneous Anthrax Epidemic Caused by Butchering Sick Cattle in Guizhou, China. Front Public Health 2020; 8:65. [PMID: 32269982 PMCID: PMC7109284 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A suspected human cutaneous anthrax epidemic caused by butchering sick cattle occurred in Zhijin County of Guizhou Province, Southwest of China, in 2016. Epidemiological investigation and etiological analysis were performed to provide a scientific basis for the source tracking of the epidemic. The epidemic was epidemiologically investigated, and skin blister samples collected from patients and soil samples collected from the butchering spots were used for Bacillus anthracis isolation. The suspicious B. anthracis isolates were identified using conventional methods and PCR, followed by genotyping using multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeats (VNTRs) analysis (MLVA-15) and canonical single-nucleotide polymorphism (canSNP). The genetic relationship of epidemic strains and isolates collected from other regions was analyzed. Epidemiological investigation results showed that the patients may be infected by B. anthracis during butchering sick cattle. Two suspected B. anthracis strains were isolated from blood samples and blister fluids, respectively. Conventional methods identified the two suspected isolates as B. anthracis, while PCR results showed that anti-protective antigen (PA) and capsule (CAP) gene were positive in the two isolates. MLVA-15 showed that the MLVA profiles of the two isolates were 9-20-12-53-16-2-8-8-8-4-4-4-4-10-4, which is different from the MLVA profiles of representative strains from other regions. CanSNP analysis showed that the two strains belonged to cluster A.Br.001/002. Clustering analysis and minimum spanning tree (MST) demonstrated that the two isolates were clustered with strains previously isolated from Guizhou Province. The results indicated that B. anthracis was the pathogen for this epidemic, and the patients were infected during butchering the sick. The genetic characteristics and the relationship of the B. anthracis isolates to strains from other regions indicated that the epidemic was a local occurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shijun Li
- Laboratory of Bacterial Disease, Experiment Center, Guizhou Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guiyang, China
| | - Qing Ma
- Laboratory of Bacterial Disease, Experiment Center, Guizhou Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guiyang, China
| | - Hong Chen
- Guiyang Centre for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Guiyang, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Laboratory of Bacterial Disease, Experiment Center, Guizhou Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guiyang, China
| | - Guanghai Yao
- Guizhou Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Guiyang, China
| | - Guangpeng Tang
- Guizhou Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Guiyang, China
| | - Dingming Wang
- Guizhou Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Guiyang, China
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11
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Bishop AH. The signatures of microorganisms and of human and environmental biomes can now be used to provide evidence in legal cases. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2019; 366:5303725. [PMID: 30689874 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnz021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The microorganisms with which we share our world go largely unnoticed. We are, however, beginning to be able to exploit their apparently silent presence as witnesses to events that are of legal concern. This information can be used to link forensic samples to criminal events and even perpetrators. Once dead, our bodies are rapidly colonised, internally and externally. The progress of these events can be charted to inform how long and even by what means a person has died. A small number of microbial species could actually be the cause of such deaths as a result of biocrime or bioterrorism. The procedures and techniques to respond to such attacks have matured in the last 20 years. The capability now exists to identify malicious intent, characterise the threat agent to isolate level and potentially link it to perpetrators with a high level of confidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- A H Bishop
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Devon, PL4 8AA, UK
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12
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Gargis AS, McLaughlin HP, Conley AB, Lascols C, Michel PA, Gee JE, Marston CK, Kolton CB, Rodriguez-R LM, Hoffmaster AR, Weigel LM, Sue D. Analysis of Whole-Genome Sequences for the Prediction of Penicillin Resistance and β-Lactamase Activity in Bacillus anthracis. mSystems 2018; 3:e00154-18. [PMID: 30574557 PMCID: PMC6290263 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00154-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Penicillin (PEN) is a low-cost option for anthrax treatment, but naturally occurring resistance has been reported. β-Lactamase expression (bla1, bla2) in Bacillus anthracis is regulated by a sigma factor (SigP) and its cognate anti-sigma factor (RsiP). Mutations leading to truncation of RsiP were previously described as a basis for PEN resistance. Here, we analyze whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data and compare the chromosomal sigP-bla1 regions from 374 B. anthracis strains to determine the frequency of mutations, identify mutations associated with PEN resistance, and evaluate the usefulness of WGS for predicting PEN resistance. Few (3.5%) strains contained at least 1 of 11 different mutations in sigP, rsiP, or bla1. Nine of these mutations have not been previously associated with PEN resistance. Four strains showed PEN resistance (PEN-R) by conventional broth microdilution, including 1 strain with a novel frameshift in rsiP. One strain that carries the same rsiP frameshift mutation as that found previously in a PEN-R strain showed a PEN-susceptible (PEN-S) phenotype and exhibited decreased bla1 and bla2 transcription. An unexpectedly small colony size, a reduced growth rate, and undetectable β-lactamase activity levels (culture supernatant and cell lysate) were observed in this PEN-S strain. Sequence analysis revealed mutations in genes associated with growth defects that may contribute to this phenotype. While B. anthracis rsiP mutations cannot be exclusively used to predict resistance, four of the five strains with rsiP mutations were PEN-R. Therefore, the B. anthracis sigP-bla1 region is a useful locus for WGS-based PEN resistance prediction, but phenotypic testing remains essential. IMPORTANCE Determination of antimicrobial susceptibility of B. anthracis is essential for the appropriate distribution of antimicrobial agents for postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) and treatment of anthrax. Analysis of WGS data allows for the rapid detection of mutations in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes in an isolate, but the presence of a mutation in an AMR gene does not always accurately predict resistance. As mutations in the anti-sigma factor RsiP have been previously associated with high-level penicillin resistance in a limited number of strains, we investigated WGS assemblies from 374 strains to determine the frequency of mutations and performed functional antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Of the five strains that contained mutations in rsiP, only four were PEN-R by functional antimicrobial susceptibility testing. We conclude that while sequence analysis of this region is useful for AMR prediction in B. anthracis, genetic analysis should not be used exclusively and phenotypic susceptibility testing remains essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. S. Gargis
- Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - H. P. McLaughlin
- Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - A. B. Conley
- IHRC-Georgia Tech Applied Bioinformatics Laboratory, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - C. Lascols
- Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - P. A. Michel
- Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - J. E. Gee
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - C. K. Marston
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - C. B. Kolton
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - L. M. Rodriguez-R
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - A. R. Hoffmaster
- Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - L. M. Weigel
- Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - D. Sue
- Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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13
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Loss of Bacitracin Resistance Due to a Large Genomic Deletion among Bacillus anthracis Strains. mSystems 2018; 3:mSystems00182-18. [PMID: 30417107 PMCID: PMC6208641 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00182-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthrax is caused by Bacillus anthracis, an endospore-forming soil bacterium. The genetic diversity of B. anthracis is known to be low compared with that of Bacillus species. In this study, we performed whole-genome sequencing of Zambian isolates of B. anthracis to understand the genetic diversity between closely related strains. Comparison of genomic sequences revealed that closely related strains were separated into three groups based on single nucleotide polymorphisms distributed throughout the genome. A large genomic deletion was detected in the region containing a bacitracin resistance gene cluster flanked by rRNA operons, resulting in the loss of bacitracin resistance. The structure of the deleted region, which was also conserved among species of the Bacillus cereus group, has the potential for both deletion and amplification and thus might be enabling the species to flexibly control the level of bacitracin resistance for adaptive evolution. Bacillus anthracis is a Gram-positive endospore-forming bacterial species that causes anthrax in both humans and animals. In Zambia, anthrax cases are frequently reported in both livestock and wildlife, with occasional transmission to humans, causing serious public health problems in the country. To understand the genetic diversity of B. anthracis strains in Zambia, we sequenced and compared the genomic DNA of B. anthracis strains isolated across the country. Single nucleotide polymorphisms clustered these strains into three groups. Genome sequence comparisons revealed a large deletion in strains belonging to one of the groups, possibly due to unequal crossing over between a pair of rRNA operons. The deleted genomic region included genes conferring resistance to bacitracin, and the strains with the deletion were confirmed with loss of bacitracin resistance. Similar deletions between rRNA operons were also observed in a few B. anthracis strains phylogenetically distant from Zambian strains. The structure of bacitracin resistance genes flanked by rRNA operons was conserved only in members of the Bacillus cereus group. The diversity and genomic characteristics of B. anthracis strains determined in this study would help in the development of genetic markers and treatment of anthrax in Zambia. IMPORTANCE Anthrax is caused by Bacillus anthracis, an endospore-forming soil bacterium. The genetic diversity of B. anthracis is known to be low compared with that of Bacillus species. In this study, we performed whole-genome sequencing of Zambian isolates of B. anthracis to understand the genetic diversity between closely related strains. Comparison of genomic sequences revealed that closely related strains were separated into three groups based on single nucleotide polymorphisms distributed throughout the genome. A large genomic deletion was detected in the region containing a bacitracin resistance gene cluster flanked by rRNA operons, resulting in the loss of bacitracin resistance. The structure of the deleted region, which was also conserved among species of the Bacillus cereus group, has the potential for both deletion and amplification and thus might be enabling the species to flexibly control the level of bacitracin resistance for adaptive evolution.
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14
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Pilo P, Frey J. Pathogenicity, population genetics and dissemination of Bacillus anthracis. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2018; 64:115-125. [PMID: 29935338 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2018.06.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Revised: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Bacillus anthracis, the etiological agent of anthrax, procures its particular virulence by a capsule and two AB type toxins: the lethal factor LF and the edema factor EF. These toxins primarily disable immune cells. Both toxins are translocated to the host cell by the adhesin-internalin subunit called protective antigen PA. PA enables LF to reach intra-luminal vesicles, where it remains active for long periods. Subsequently, LF translocates to non-infected cells, leading to inefficient late therapy of anthrax. B. anthracis undergoes slow evolution because it alternates between vegetative and long spore phases. Full genome sequence analysis of a large number of worldwide strains resulted in a robust evolutionary reconstruction of this bacterium, showing that B. anthracis is split in three main clades: A, B and C. Clade A efficiently disseminated worldwide underpinned by human activities including heavy intercontinental trade of goat and sheep hair. Subclade A.Br.WNA, which is widespread in the Northern American continent, is estimated to have split from clade A reaching the Northern American continent in the late Pleistocene epoch via the former Bering Land Bridge and further spread from Northwest southwards. An alternative hypothesis is that subclade A.Br.WNA. evolved from clade A.Br.TEA tracing it back to strains from Northern France that were assumingly dispatched by European explorers that settled along the St. Lawrence River. Clade B established mostly in Europe along the alpine axis where it evolved in association with local cattle breeds and hence displays specific geographic subclusters. Sequencing technologies are also used for forensic applications to trace unintended or criminal acts of release of B. anthracis. Under natural conditions, B. anthracis generally affects domesticated and wild ruminants in arid ecosystems. The more recently discovered B. cereus biovar anthracis spreads in tropical forests, where it threatens particularly endangered primate populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Pilo
- Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, Vetsuisse, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Joachim Frey
- Dean's Office, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
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15
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Kim Y, Koh I, Young Lim M, Chung WH, Rho M. Pan-genome analysis of Bacillus for microbiome profiling. Sci Rep 2017; 7:10984. [PMID: 28887527 PMCID: PMC5591210 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11385-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing technology allow for in-depth studies on microbial genomes and their communities. While multiple strains of the same species could display genomic variations with different gene contents in diverse habitats and hosts, the essential functions for a specific species are conserved as core genes that are shared among strains. We have comprehensively analyzed 238 strains of five different Bacillus species to identify the properties of core and strain-specific genes. Core and strain-specific genes in each Bacillus species show significant differences in their functions and genomic signatures. Using the core genes defined in this study, we have precisely identified the Bacillus species that exist in food microbiomes. Without resorting to culture-based whole genome sequencing, an unexpectedly large portion of the core genes, 98.22% of core genes in B. amyloliquefaciens and 97.77% of B. subtilis, were reconstructed from the microbiome. We have performed a pan-genome analysis on the core gene data of multiple Bacillus species to investigate the Bacillus species in food microbiome. Our findings provide a comprehensive genetic landscape of the Bacillus species, which is also consistent with previous studies on a limited number of strains and species. Analysis based on comprehensive core genes should thus serve as a powerful profiling tool to better understand major constituents in fermented food microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihwan Kim
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - InSong Koh
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.,Department of Physiology, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Mi Young Lim
- Research Group of Gut Microbiome, Korea Food Research Institute, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
| | - Won-Hyong Chung
- Research Group of Gut Microbiome, Korea Food Research Institute, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
| | - Mina Rho
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea. .,Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
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16
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McLaughlin HP, Gargis AS, Michel P, Sue D, Weigel LM. Optical Screening for Rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing and for Observation of Phenotypic Diversity among Strains of the Genetically Clonal Species Bacillus anthracis. J Clin Microbiol 2017; 55:959-970. [PMID: 28053211 PMCID: PMC5328465 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.02209-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 12/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
During high-impact events involving Bacillus anthracis, such as the Amerithrax incident of 2001 or the anthrax outbreaks in Russia and Sweden in 2016, critical decisions to reduce morbidity and mortality include rapid selection and distribution of effective antimicrobial agents for treatment and postexposure prophylaxis. Detection of antimicrobial resistance currently relies on a conventional broth microdilution method that requires a 16- to 20-h incubation time for B. anthracis Advances in high-resolution optical screening offer a new technology to more rapidly evaluate antimicrobial susceptibility and to simultaneously assess the growth characteristics of an isolate. Herein, we describe a new method developed and evaluated as a rapid antimicrobial susceptibility test for B. anthracis This method is based on automated digital time-lapse microscopy to observe the growth and morphological effects of relevant antibiotics with an optical screening instrument, the oCelloScope. B. anthracis strains were monitored over time in the presence or absence of penicillin, ciprofloxacin, or doxycycline. Susceptibility to each antibiotic was determined in ≤4 h, 75 to 80% less than the time required for conventional methods. Time-lapse video imaging compiled from the optical screening images revealed unexpected differences in growth characteristics among strains of B. anthracis, which is considered to be a clonal organism. This technology provides a new approach for rapidly detecting phenotypic antimicrobial resistance and for documenting growth attributes that may be beneficial in the further characterization of individual strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather P McLaughlin
- Biodefense Research and Development Laboratory, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Amy S Gargis
- Biodefense Research and Development Laboratory, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Pierre Michel
- Biodefense Research and Development Laboratory, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - David Sue
- Biodefense Research and Development Laboratory, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Linda M Weigel
- Biodefense Research and Development Laboratory, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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17
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
The three main species of the
Bacillus cereus sensu lato
,
B. cereus
,
B. thuringiensis
, and
B. anthracis
, were recognized and established by the early 1900s because they each exhibited distinct phenotypic traits.
B. thuringiensis
isolates and their parasporal crystal proteins have long been established as a natural pesticide and insect pathogen.
B. anthracis
, the etiological agent for anthrax, was used by Robert Koch in the 19th century as a model to develop the germ theory of disease, and
B. cereus
, a common soil organism, is also an occasional opportunistic pathogen of humans. In addition to these three historical species designations, are three less-recognized and -understood species:
B. mycoides
,
B. weihenstephanensis
, and
B. pseudomycoides
. All of these “species” combined comprise the
Bacillus cereus sensu lato
group. Despite these apparently clear phenotypic definitions, early molecular approaches to separate the first three by various DNA hybridization and 16S/23S ribosomal sequence analyses led to some “confusion” because there were limited differences to differentiate between these species. These and other results have led to frequent suggestions that a taxonomic change was warranted to reclassify this group to a single species. But the pathogenic properties of
B. anthracis
and the biopesticide applications of
B. thuringiensis
appear to “have outweighed pure taxonomic considerations” and the separate species categories are still being maintained.
B. cereus sensu lato
represents a classic example of a now common bacterial species taxonomic quandary.
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18
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Turner WC, Kausrud KL, Krishnappa YS, Cromsigt JPGM, Ganz HH, Mapaure I, Cloete CC, Havarua Z, Küsters M, Getz WM, Stenseth NC. Fatal attraction: vegetation responses to nutrient inputs attract herbivores to infectious anthrax carcass sites. Proc Biol Sci 2015; 281:rspb.2014.1785. [PMID: 25274365 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.1785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasites can shape the foraging behaviour of their hosts through cues indicating risk of infection. When cues for risk co-occur with desired traits such as forage quality, individuals face a trade-off between nutrient acquisition and parasite exposure. We evaluated how this trade-off may influence disease transmission in a 3-year experimental study of anthrax in a guild of mammalian herbivores in Etosha National Park, Namibia. At plains zebra (Equus quagga) carcass sites we assessed (i) carcass nutrient effects on soils and grasses, (ii) concentrations of Bacillus anthracis (BA) on grasses and in soils, and (iii) herbivore grazing behaviour, compared with control sites, using motion-sensing camera traps. We found that carcass-mediated nutrient pulses improved soil and vegetation, and that BA is found on grasses up to 2 years after death. Host foraging responses to carcass sites shifted from avoidance to attraction, and ultimately to no preference, with the strength and duration of these behavioural responses varying among herbivore species. Our results demonstrate that animal carcasses alter the environment and attract grazing hosts to parasite aggregations. This attraction may enhance transmission rates, suggesting that hosts are limited in their ability to trade off nutrient intake with parasite avoidance when relying on indirect cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy C Turner
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066 Blindern, Oslo 0361, Norway Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, 137 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-3112, USA
| | - Kyrre L Kausrud
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066 Blindern, Oslo 0361, Norway
| | - Yathin S Krishnappa
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066 Blindern, Oslo 0361, Norway
| | - Joris P G M Cromsigt
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skogsmarksgränd, Umeå 90183, Sweden Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, PO Box 77000, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Holly H Ganz
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, 137 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-3112, USA Genome Center and Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Isaac Mapaure
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Namibia, Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Claudine C Cloete
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Namibia, Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, Namibia Etosha Ecological Institute, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Etosha National Park, PO Box 6, Okaukuejo, Namibia
| | - Zepee Havarua
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Namibia, Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, Namibia
| | - Martina Küsters
- Berkeley Etosha Anthrax Research Project, Swakopmund, Namibia
| | - Wayne M Getz
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, 137 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720-3112, USA School of Mathematical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa
| | - Nils Chr Stenseth
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066 Blindern, Oslo 0361, Norway
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19
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Liu Y, Lai Q, Göker M, Meier-Kolthoff JP, Wang M, Sun Y, Wang L, Shao Z. Genomic insights into the taxonomic status of the Bacillus cereus group. Sci Rep 2015; 5:14082. [PMID: 26373441 PMCID: PMC4571650 DOI: 10.1038/srep14082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The identification and phylogenetic relationships of bacteria within the Bacillus cereus group are controversial. This study aimed at determining the taxonomic affiliations of these strains using the whole-genome sequence-based Genome BLAST Distance Phylogeny (GBDP) approach. The GBDP analysis clearly separated 224 strains into 30 clusters, representing eleven known, partially merged species and accordingly 19–20 putative novel species. Additionally, 16S rRNA gene analysis, a novel variant of multi-locus sequence analysis (nMLSA) and screening of virulence genes were performed. The 16S rRNA gene sequence was not sufficient to differentiate the bacteria within this group due to its high conservation. The nMLSA results were consistent with GBDP. Moreover, a fast typing method was proposed using the pycA gene, and where necessary, the ccpA gene. The pXO plasmids and cry genes were widely distributed, suggesting little correlation with the phylogenetic positions of the host bacteria. This might explain why classifications based on virulence characteristics proved unsatisfactory in the past. In summary, this is the first large-scale and systematic study of the taxonomic status of the bacteria within the B. cereus group using whole-genome sequences, and is likely to contribute to further insights into their pathogenicity, phylogeny and adaptation to diverse environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Marine Genetic Resources; Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, SOA; South China Sea Bio-Resource Exploitation and Utilization Collaborative Innovation Centre; Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological Resources; Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Qiliang Lai
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Marine Genetic Resources; Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, SOA; South China Sea Bio-Resource Exploitation and Utilization Collaborative Innovation Centre; Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological Resources; Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Markus Göker
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH, Inhoffenstraβe 7B, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jan P Meier-Kolthoff
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH, Inhoffenstraβe 7B, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Meng Wang
- TEDA School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yamin Sun
- TEDA School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Lei Wang
- TEDA School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zongze Shao
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Marine Genetic Resources; Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, SOA; South China Sea Bio-Resource Exploitation and Utilization Collaborative Innovation Centre; Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological Resources; Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Xiamen 361005, China
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20
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Abstract
Fifty complete Bacillus genome sequences and associated plasmids were compared using the “feature frequency profile” (FFP) method. The resulting whole-genome phylogeny supports the placement of three Bacillus species (B. thuringiensis, B. anthracis and B. cereus) as a single clade. The monophyletic status of B. anthracis was strongly supported by the analysis. FFP proved to be more effective in inferring the phylogeny of Bacillus than methods based on single gene sequences [16s rRNA gene, GryB (gyrase subunit B) and AroE (shikimate-5-dehydrogenase)] analyses. The findings of FFP analysis were verified using kSNP v2 (alignment-free sequence analysis method) and Harvest suite (core genome sequence alignment method).
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Zhou W, Sun Y, Zhu L, Zhou B, Liu J, Ji X, Wang X, Wang N, Gu G, Feng S, Qian J, Guo X. Investigation of Anthrax Cases in North-East China, 2010-2014. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0135777. [PMID: 26308449 PMCID: PMC4550413 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Accepted: 07/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
We determined the genotypes of seven Bacillus anthracis strains that were recovered from nine anthrax outbreaks in North-East China from 2010 to 2014, and two approved vaccine strains that are currently in use in China. The causes of these cases were partly due to local farmers being unaware of the presence of anthrax, and butchers with open wounds having direct contact with anthrax-contaminated meat products. The genotype of five of the seven recovered strains was A.Br.001/002 sub-lineage, which was concordant with previously published research. The remaining two cases belongs to the A.Br.Ames sub-lineage. Both of these strains displayed an identical SNR pattern, which was the first time that this genotype was identified in North-East China. Strengthening education in remote villages of rural China is an important activity aimed at fostering attempts to prevent and control anthrax. The genotype of the vaccine strain Anthrax Spore Vaccine No.II was A.Br.008/009 and A.Br.001/002 for the vaccine strain Anthrax Spore Vaccine Non-capsulated. Further studies of their characteristics are clearly warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhou
- Institute of Military Veterinary, AMMS, Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Yang Sun
- Institute of Military Veterinary, AMMS, Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Lingwei Zhu
- Institute of Military Veterinary, AMMS, Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Bo Zhou
- Institute of Military Veterinary, AMMS, Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Institute of Military Veterinary, AMMS, Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Xue Ji
- Institute of Military Veterinary, AMMS, Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Xiaofeng Wang
- Animal Diseases Control and Prevention Centre of Jilin Province, Jilin, China
| | - Nan Wang
- Animal Diseases Control and Prevention Centre of Jilin Province, Jilin, China
| | - Guibo Gu
- Animal Diseases Control and Prevention Centre of Liaoning Province, Liaoning, China
| | - Shuzhang Feng
- Institute of Military Veterinary, AMMS, Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Jun Qian
- Institute of Military Veterinary, AMMS, Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Xuejun Guo
- Institute of Military Veterinary, AMMS, Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Changchun, Jilin, China
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Li S, Ma Q, Chen H, Wang D, Liu Y, Wei X, You L, Yao G, Tian K, Tang G. Genetic characterization of Bacillus anthracis in Guizhou Province, Southwest of China. BMC Microbiol 2015; 15:77. [PMID: 25887647 PMCID: PMC4391296 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-015-0414-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Accepted: 03/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bacillus (B.) anthracis is the pathogen that causes fatal anthrax. Guizhou Province is an old foci of anthrax in the southwest of China. Human anthrax has also been frequently reported in Guizhou in recent year. However, there is limited information on the genetic background of local B. anthracis isolates in Guizhou Province. Strain-specific detection of this bacterium using molecular approaches has enhanced our knowledge of microbial genetics. In the present study, we employed Multiple Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeats (VNTR) Analysis (MLVA) assay to analyze the genetic characteristics of B. anthracis strains isolated in Guizhou Province and their relationships to worldwide distributed isolates. Results A total of 32 isolates of B. anthracis from soil, human, cattle, dog and water of different anthrax epidemics in Guizhou Province from 2006 to 2011 were confirmed with phage lysis test, penicillin inhibition test and PCR. MLVA-8 discriminated them into 28 unique MLVA types (MT G1 - G28), which were novel MTs compared with the previous reports. Cluster tree based on 32 isolates from Guizhou Province and 76 worldwide distributed isolates (30 MTs) showed they were divided into three clusters, designated A, B and C. All the 32 isolates were distributed in cluster A, which were further grouped into A1, A2, A3 and A4 sub-clusters. 32 isolates from Guizhou Province were closely grouped in each of the sub-clusters, respectively. Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) based on the MLVA data showed that the 28 MLVA profiles of isolates from Guizhou Province and 30 MLVA profiles of worldwide distributed isolates formed three clonal complexes (CCs) and ten singletons. Conclusions 28 novel MTs of B. anthracis from Guizhou were revealed and their relationships to worldwide isolates were showed. The results will provide important information for prevention of anthrax and also enhances our understanding of genetic characteristics of B. anthracis in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shijun Li
- Institute of communicable disease control and prevention, Guizhou Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 101 Bageyan Road, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qing Ma
- Institute of communicable disease control and prevention, Guizhou Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 101 Bageyan Road, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong Chen
- Guiyang Centre for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Guiyang, China
| | - Dingming Wang
- Institute of communicable disease control and prevention, Guizhou Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 101 Bageyan Road, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Liu
- Institute of communicable disease control and prevention, Guizhou Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 101 Bageyan Road, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyu Wei
- Institute of communicable disease control and prevention, Guizhou Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 101 Bageyan Road, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Lv You
- Institute of communicable disease control and prevention, Guizhou Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 101 Bageyan Road, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Guanghai Yao
- Institute of communicable disease control and prevention, Guizhou Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 101 Bageyan Road, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Kecheng Tian
- Institute of communicable disease control and prevention, Guizhou Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 101 Bageyan Road, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Guangpeng Tang
- Institute of communicable disease control and prevention, Guizhou Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 101 Bageyan Road, Guiyang, 550004, Guizhou, People's Republic of China
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Kingston JJ, Majumder S, Uppalapati SR, Makam SS, Urs RM, Murali HS, Batra HV. Anthrax Outbreak Among Cattle and its Detection by Extractable Antigen 1 (EA1) Based Sandwich ELISA and Immuno PCR. Indian J Microbiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s12088-014-0494-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
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Complete Genome Sequence of Bacillus anthracis HYU01, Isolated from Soil Samples in the Korean Peninsula. GENOME ANNOUNCEMENTS 2014; 2:2/4/e00769-14. [PMID: 25103761 PMCID: PMC4125772 DOI: 10.1128/genomea.00769-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Bacillus anthracis is a Gram-positive endospore-forming bacterium that causes the zoonotic disease anthrax. We report a complete genome sequence of B. anthracis strain HYU01, isolated from Changnyung, which belongs to the B branch (B.Br.) 001/002 canonical single nucleotide polymorphism (canSNP) group.
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Source tracking of an anthrax outbreak in northeastern China using complete genome analysis and MLVA genotyping. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2014; 34:89-100. [DOI: 10.1007/s10096-014-2195-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2014] [Accepted: 06/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Budowle B, Connell ND, Bielecka-Oder A, Colwell RR, Corbett CR, Fletcher J, Forsman M, Kadavy DR, Markotic A, Morse SA, Murch RS, Sajantila A, Schmedes SE, Ternus KL, Turner SD, Minot S. Validation of high throughput sequencing and microbial forensics applications. INVESTIGATIVE GENETICS 2014; 5:9. [PMID: 25101166 PMCID: PMC4123828 DOI: 10.1186/2041-2223-5-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2014] [Accepted: 07/09/2014] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
High throughput sequencing (HTS) generates large amounts of high quality sequence data for microbial genomics. The value of HTS for microbial forensics is the speed at which evidence can be collected and the power to characterize microbial-related evidence to solve biocrimes and bioterrorist events. As HTS technologies continue to improve, they provide increasingly powerful sets of tools to support the entire field of microbial forensics. Accurate, credible results allow analysis and interpretation, significantly influencing the course and/or focus of an investigation, and can impact the response of the government to an attack having individual, political, economic or military consequences. Interpretation of the results of microbial forensic analyses relies on understanding the performance and limitations of HTS methods, including analytical processes, assays and data interpretation. The utility of HTS must be defined carefully within established operating conditions and tolerances. Validation is essential in the development and implementation of microbial forensics methods used for formulating investigative leads attribution. HTS strategies vary, requiring guiding principles for HTS system validation. Three initial aspects of HTS, irrespective of chemistry, instrumentation or software are: 1) sample preparation, 2) sequencing, and 3) data analysis. Criteria that should be considered for HTS validation for microbial forensics are presented here. Validation should be defined in terms of specific application and the criteria described here comprise a foundation for investigators to establish, validate and implement HTS as a tool in microbial forensics, enhancing public safety and national security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce Budowle
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Institute of Applied Genetics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research (CEGMR), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nancy D Connell
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Center for Biodefense, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Anna Bielecka-Oder
- Department of Epidemiology, The General K. Kaczkowski Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Rita R Colwell
- CosmosID®, 387 Technology Dr, College Park, MD, USA
- Maryland Pathogen Research Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Cindi R Corbett
- Bioforensics Assay Development and DiagnosticsSection, Science Technology and Core Services Division, National Microbiology Laboratory, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Jacqueline Fletcher
- National Institute for Microbial Forensics & Food and Agricultural Biosecurity, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Mats Forsman
- Division of CBRN Defence and Security, Swedish Defence Research Agency, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | - Alemka Markotic
- University Hospital for Infectious Diseases “Fran Mihaljevic” and Medical School University of Rijeka, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Stephen A Morse
- Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Antti Sajantila
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Institute of Applied Genetics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Hjelt Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sarah E Schmedes
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Institute of Applied Genetics, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
| | | | - Stephen D Turner
- Public Health Sciences, Bioinformatics Core Director, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, USA
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Adewumi GA, Oguntoyinbo FA, Romi W, Singh TA, Jeyaram K. Genome Subtyping of AutochthonousBacillusSpecies Isolated fromIru, a FermentedParkiabiglobosaSeed. FOOD BIOTECHNOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/08905436.2014.931866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Derzelle S, Thierry S. Genetic diversity of Bacillus anthracis in Europe: genotyping methods in forensic and epidemiologic investigations. Biosecur Bioterror 2014; 11 Suppl 1:S166-76. [PMID: 23971802 DOI: 10.1089/bsp.2013.0003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Bacillus anthracis, the etiological agent of anthrax, a zoonosis relatively common throughout the world, can be used as an agent of bioterrorism. In naturally occurring outbreaks and in criminal release of this pathogen, a fast and accurate diagnosis is crucial to an effective response. Microbiological forensics and epidemiologic investigations increasingly rely on molecular markers, such as polymorphisms in DNA sequence, to obtain reliable information regarding the identification or source of a suspicious strain. Over the past decade, significant research efforts have been undertaken to develop genotyping methods with increased power to differentiate B. anthracis strains. A growing number of DNA signatures have been identified and used to survey B. anthracis diversity in nature, leading to rapid advances in our understanding of the global population of this pathogen. This article provides an overview of the different phylogenetic subgroups distributed across the world, with a particular focus on Europe. Updated information on the anthrax situation in Europe is reported. A brief description of some of the work in progress in the work package 5.1 of the AniBioThreat project is also presented, including (1) the development of a robust typing tool based on a suspension array technology and multiplexed single nucleotide polymorphisms scoring and (2) the typing of a collection of DNA from European isolates exchanged between the partners of the project. The know-how acquired will contribute to improving the EU's ability to react rapidly when the identity and real origin of a strain need to be established.
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Amar C. Fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (fAFLP) analysis of Listeria monocytogenes. Methods Mol Biol 2014; 1157:95-101. [PMID: 24792551 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-0703-8_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (fAFLP) is based on the selective PCR amplification of restriction fragments from a digest of total genomic DNA. Genomic DNA extracted from a purified bacterial isolate is completely digested with two endonucleases generating fragments which are ligated to specific double-stranded adaptors. The ligated fragments are then amplified by PCR using fluorescently labelled primers. Fluorescent amplified fragments are separated by size on an automated sequencer with a size standard. fAFLP is a rapid, highly reproducible technique which can be used to discriminate and subtype Listeria monocytogenes strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne Amar
- Gastrointestinal Bacteria Reference Unit, Public Health England, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK,
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30
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Kim SH, Jung KH, Kim SK, Kim SJ, Kim JC, Cho SY, Chai JC, Lee YS, Kim YK, Hwang HC, Ryu SG, Chai YG. Genetic diversity of Korean Bacillus anthracis isolates from soil evaluated with a single nucleotide repeat analysis. J Vet Sci 2013; 14:457-65. [PMID: 23820210 PMCID: PMC3885740 DOI: 10.4142/jvs.2013.14.4.457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2012] [Accepted: 02/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacillus (B.) anthracis, the etiological agent of anthrax, is one of the most genetically monomorphic bacteria species in the world. Due to the very limited genetic diversity of this species, classification of isolates of this bacterium requires methods with high discriminatory power. Single nucleotide repeat (SNR) analysis is a type of variable-number tandem repeat assay that evaluates regions with very high mutation rates. To subtype a collection of 21 isolates that were obtained during a B. anthracis outbreak in Korea, we analyzed four SNR marker loci using nucleotide sequencing analysis. These isolates were obtained from soil samples and the Korean Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The SNR analysis was able to detect 13 subgenotypes, which allowed a detailed evaluation of the Korean isolates. Our study demonstrated that the SNR analysis was able to discriminate between strains with the same multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis genotypes. In summary, we obtained SNR results for four SNR marker loci of newly acquired strains from Korea. Our findings will be helpful for creating marker systems and help identify markers that could be used for future forensic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Hoon Kim
- Division of Molecular and Life Sciences, Hanyang University, Ansan 426-791, Korea
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Jung KH, Kim SH, Kim SK, Cho SY, Chai JC, Lee YS, Kim JC, Kim SJ, Oh HB, Chai YG. Genetic populations of Bacillus anthracis isolates from Korea. J Vet Sci 2013; 13:385-93. [PMID: 23271180 PMCID: PMC3539124 DOI: 10.4142/jvs.2012.13.4.385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacillus (B.) anthracis is the pathogen that causes fatal anthrax. Strain-specific detection of this bacterium using molecular approaches has enhanced our knowledge of microbial population genetics. In the present study, we employed molecular approaches including multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) and canonical single-nucleotide polymorphism (canSNP) analysis to perform molecular typing of B. anthracis strains isolated in Korea. According to the MLVA, 17 B. anthracis isolates were classified into A3a, A3b, and B1 clusters. The canSNP analyses subdivided the B. anthracis isolates into two of the three previously recognized major lineages (A and B). B. anthracis isolates from Korea were found to belong to four canSNP sub-groups (B.Br.001/2, A.Br.005/006, A.Br.001/002, and A.Br.Ames). The A.Br.001/002 and A.Br.Ames sub-lineages are closely related genotypes frequently found in central Asia and most isolates were. On the other hand, B. anthracis CH isolates were analyzed that belonged to the B.Br.001/002 sub-group which found in southern Africa, Europe and California (USA). B.Br.001/002 genotype is new lineage of B. anthracis in Korea that was not found before. This discovery will be helpful for the creation of marker systems and might be the result of human activity through the development of agriculture and increased international trade in Korea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyoung Hwa Jung
- Institute of Natural Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan 426-791, Korea
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Turingan RS, Thomann HU, Zolotova A, Tan E, Selden RF. Rapid focused sequencing: a multiplexed assay for simultaneous detection and strain typing of Bacillus anthracis, Francisella tularensis, and Yersinia pestis. PLoS One 2013; 8:e56093. [PMID: 23418519 PMCID: PMC3572037 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2012] [Accepted: 01/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The intentional release of Bacillus anthracis in the United States in 2001 has heightened concern about the use of pathogenic microorganisms in bioterrorism attacks. Many of the deadliest bacteria, including the Class A Select Agents Bacillus anthracis, Francisella tularensis, and Yersinia pestis, are highly infectious via the pulmonary route when released in aerosolized form. Hence, rapid, sensitive, and reliable methods for detection of these biothreats and characterization of their potential impact on the exposed population are of critical importance to initiate and support rapid military, public health, and clinical responses. Methodology/Principal Findings We have developed microfluidic multiplexed PCR and sequencing assays based on the simultaneous interrogation of three pathogens per assay and ten loci per pathogen. Microfluidic separation of amplified fluorescently labeled fragments generated characteristic electrophoretic signatures for identification of each agent. The three sets of primers allowed significant strain typing and discrimination from non-pathogenic closely-related species and environmental background strains based on amplicon sizes alone. Furthermore, sequencing of the 10 amplicons per pathogen, termed “Rapid Focused Sequencing,” allowed an even greater degree of strain discrimination and, in some cases, can be used to determine virulence. Both amplification and sequencing assays were performed in microfluidic biochips developed for fast thermal cycling and requiring 7 µL per reaction. The 30-plex sequencing assay resulted in genotypic resolution of 84 representative strains belonging to each of the three biothreat species. Conclusions/Significance The microfluidic multiplexed assays allowed identification and strain differentiation of the biothreat agents Bacillus anthracis, Francisella tularensis, and Yersinia pestis and clear discrimination from closely-related species and several environmental background strains. The assays may be extended to detect a large number of pathogens, are applicable to the evaluation of both environmental and clinical samples, and have the potential to be applied in military, public health, and clinical diagnostic settings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anna Zolotova
- NetBio, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Eugene Tan
- NetBio, Waltham, Massachusetts, United States of America
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Punina NV, Zotov VS, Parkhomenko AL, Parkhomenko TU, Topunov AF. Genetic Diversity of Bacillus thuringiensis from Different Geo-Ecological Regions of Ukraine by Analyzing the 16S rRNA and gyrB Genes and by AP-PCR and saAFLP. Acta Naturae 2013; 5:90-100. [PMID: 23556134 PMCID: PMC3612829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The Bacillus cereus group consists of closely related species of bacteria and is of interest to researchers due to its importance in industry and medicine. However, it remains difficult to distinguish these bacteria at the intra- and inter-species level. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a member of the B. cereus group. In this work, we studied the inter-species structure of five entomopathogenic strains and 20 isolates of Bt, which were collected from different geo-ecological regions of Ukraine, using various methods: physiological and biochemical analyses, analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the 16S rRNA and gyrB genes, by AP-PCR (BOX and ERIC), and by saAFLP. The analysis of the 16S rRNA and gyrB genes revealed the existence of six subgroups within theB.cereus group: B anthracis, B. cereus I and II, Bt I and II, and Bt III, and confirmed that these isolates belong to the genus Bacillus. All strains were subdivided into 3 groups. Seventeen strains belong to the group Bt II of commercial, industrial strains. The AP-PCR (BOX and ERIC) and saAFLP results were in good agreement and with the results obtained for the 16S rRNA and gyrB genes. Based on the derived patterns, all strains were reliably combined into 5 groups. Interestingly, a specific pattern was revealed by the saAFLP analysis for the industrial strain Bt 0376 р.о., which is used to produce the entomopathogenic preparation "STAR-t".
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Affiliation(s)
- N. V. Punina
- Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prospect, 33, bld. 2, Moscow, Russia, 119071,Research Centre for Medical Genetics, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moskvorechje str.,1, Moscow, Russia, 115478
| | - V. S. Zotov
- Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prospect, 33, bld. 2, Moscow, Russia, 119071
| | - A. L. Parkhomenko
- Institute of Agriculture of Crimea, National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, Kievskaya str., 150, Simferopol, Ukraine, 95453
| | - T. U. Parkhomenko
- Institute of Agriculture of Crimea, National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, Kievskaya str., 150, Simferopol, Ukraine, 95453
| | - A. F. Topunov
- Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prospect, 33, bld. 2, Moscow, Russia, 119071
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Chikerema SM, Pfukenyi DM, Hang'ombe BM, L'Abee-Lund TM, Matope G. Isolation of Bacillus anthracis from soil in selected high-risk areas of Zimbabwe. J Appl Microbiol 2012; 113:1389-95. [PMID: 22984812 DOI: 10.1111/jam.12006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2012] [Revised: 08/27/2012] [Accepted: 08/31/2012] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To isolate Bacillus anthracis from cattle carcass burial sites from high-risk districts in Zimbabwe. METHODS AND RESULTS Soil samples were collected from carcass burial sites from seven areas, including two national game parks. Samples were collected from top 5-10 cm, and for spore extraction, 25 g of soil was suspended in sterile distilled water overnight. Supernatants were filtered through 0.45-μm pore cellulose nitrate, deposits suspended in 5 ml phosphate-buffered saline, aliquoted and heated at temperature regimen of 65, 70, 75 and 80 °C for 15 min. Samples were plated onto PLET agar. B. anthracis isolates were identified using growth morphology and PCR detecting pXO1 and pXO2 virulence plasmids. From samples heated at 75 °C for 15 min, B. anthracis were isolated from 9 of 81 (11.1%) soil samples representing five of the seven sampled areas. CONCLUSIONS We isolated B. anthracis from soil collected from carcass burial sites. PCR targeting virulence plasmids provided a rapid confirmation of B. anthracis. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY The positive isolation indicated that some carcass burial sites may retain viable spores for at least 12 months after the previous outbreak, which suggests that they may be important sources of B. anthracis and new disease outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Chikerema
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
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Genetic diversity among Bacillus anthracis soil isolates at fine geographic scales. Appl Environ Microbiol 2012; 78:6433-7. [PMID: 22773624 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01036-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental samples were collected from carcass sites during and after anthrax outbreaks in 2000 and 2001 in the bison (Bison bison) population within Wood Buffalo National Park and the Hook Lake Region north of Wood Buffalo National Park. Bacillus anthracis spores were isolated from these samples and confirmed using phenotypic characterization and real-time PCR. Confirmed B. anthracis isolates were typed using multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA15) and single-nucleotide-repeat analysis (SNRA). B. anthracis isolates split into two clades based on MLVA15, while SNRA allowed some isolates between carcass sites to be distinguished from each other. SNRA polymorphisms were also present within a single carcass site. Some isolates from different carcass sites having the same SNRA type had divergent MLVA types; this finding leads to questions about hierarchical typing methods and the robustness of the fine-scale typing of Bacillus anthracis.
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Steiner I, Račić I, Spičić S, Habrun B. Genotyping of Bacillus anthracis isolated from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Zoonoses Public Health 2012; 60:202-8. [PMID: 22726272 DOI: 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2012.01513.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Anthrax is a serious disease caused by Bacillus anthracis. Humans can become infected by handling products from infected animals, by breathing spores and rarely by eating undercooked meat from infected animals. The genome of B. anthracis is highly monomorphic and thus shows very low DNA sequence variation. We analysed the molecular characteristics of 12 B. anthracis isolates from outbreaks in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which have occurred during the past 10 years along with two vaccine strains. Genotyping system based on variable-number tandem repeat analysis at six loci revealed that six isolates belong to genotype from the A1.a cluster whilst six isolates relate to the B2 cluster, compared to 89 previously described genotypes. The distribution of two evolutionarily distant clusters suggests an introduction of B. anthracis to this area in at least two separate events.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Steiner
- Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
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Mikami K, Kimura M, Takahashi H. Influence of maternal bifidobacteria on the development of gut bifidobacteria in infants. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2012; 5:629-42. [PMID: 24281665 PMCID: PMC3763658 DOI: 10.3390/ph5060629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2012] [Revised: 05/29/2012] [Accepted: 06/05/2012] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Intestinal microbiota plays an important role in human health by influencing metabolic activities that result in the creation of energy and absorbable nutrients, a barrier to the colonization of pathogens, and stimulation of the immune system. The development of fecal microbiota in neonates is crucial because those bacteria are the first to colonize the sterile intestine of the neonates and, thus, have a significant effect on the host. Initial colonization is also relevant to the final composition of the permanent microbiota in adults. Bifidobacteria are predominant in the fecal microbiota of infants, and, therefore, they are important to an understanding of how commensal bifidobacteria is established in the intestine of infants. While the mother's bifidobacteria are considered to significantly influence the infant's bifidobacteria, it is not clear whether a specific bifidobacterial strain transmits vertically from mother to infant and what factors of the mother before delivery influence the establishment of intestinal bifidobacteria in infants. This review focuses on the impact of maternal bifidobacteria on the development of gut bifidobacteria in the infant and suggests that there is cumulative evidence regarding bifidobacterial transfer from the maternal gut or breast milk to the infant gut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsunaka Mikami
- Deparment of Psychiatry, Tokai University School of Medicine, 143 Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa 259-1193, Japan.
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Rapid detection methods for Bacillus anthracis in environmental samples: a review. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2012; 93:1411-22. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-011-3845-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2011] [Revised: 12/12/2011] [Accepted: 12/14/2011] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Li D, Truong TV, Bills TM, Holt BC, VanDerwerken DN, Williams JR, Acharya A, Robison RA, Tolley HD, Lee ML. GC/MS Method for Positive Detection of Bacillus anthracis Endospores. Anal Chem 2012; 84:1637-44. [DOI: 10.1021/ac202606x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- Department
of Chemistry and
Biochemistry, Brigham Young University,
Provo, Utah 84602, United States
| | - Tai V. Truong
- Department
of Chemistry and
Biochemistry, Brigham Young University,
Provo, Utah 84602, United States
| | - Teri M. Bills
- Department of Microbiology and
Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602, United States
| | - Brian C. Holt
- Department of Statistics, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602, United
States
| | | | - John R. Williams
- Department
of Chemistry and
Biochemistry, Brigham Young University,
Provo, Utah 84602, United States
| | - Abhilasha Acharya
- Department
of Chemistry and
Biochemistry, Brigham Young University,
Provo, Utah 84602, United States
| | - Richard A. Robison
- Department of Microbiology and
Molecular Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602, United States
| | - H. Dennis Tolley
- Department of Statistics, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602, United
States
| | - Milton L. Lee
- Department
of Chemistry and
Biochemistry, Brigham Young University,
Provo, Utah 84602, United States
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Bacillus anthracis: Molecular taxonomy, population genetics, phylogeny and patho-evolution. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2011; 11:1218-24. [DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2011.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2011] [Revised: 05/18/2011] [Accepted: 05/18/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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41
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Bacillus anthracis comparative genome analysis in support of the Amerithrax investigation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011; 108:5027-32. [PMID: 21383169 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1016657108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Before the anthrax letter attacks of 2001, the developing field of microbial forensics relied on microbial genotyping schemes based on a small portion of a genome sequence. Amerithrax, the investigation into the anthrax letter attacks, applied high-resolution whole-genome sequencing and comparative genomics to identify key genetic features of the letters' Bacillus anthracis Ames strain. During systematic microbiological analysis of the spore material from the letters, we identified a number of morphological variants based on phenotypic characteristics and the ability to sporulate. The genomes of these morphological variants were sequenced and compared with that of the B. anthracis Ames ancestor, the progenitor of all B. anthracis Ames strains. Through comparative genomics, we identified four distinct loci with verifiable genetic mutations. Three of the four mutations could be directly linked to sporulation pathways in B. anthracis and more specifically to the regulation of the phosphorylation state of Spo0F, a key regulatory protein in the initiation of the sporulation cascade, thus linking phenotype to genotype. None of these variant genotypes were identified in single-colony environmental B. anthracis Ames isolates associated with the investigation. These genotypes were identified only in B. anthracis morphotypes isolated from the letters, indicating that the variants were not prevalent in the environment, not even the environments associated with the investigation. This study demonstrates the forensic value of systematic microbiological analysis combined with whole-genome sequencing and comparative genomics.
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MLVA and SNP analysis identified a unique genetic cluster in Bulgarian Bacillus anthracis strains. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2011; 30:923-30. [PMID: 21279731 DOI: 10.1007/s10096-011-1177-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2010] [Accepted: 01/13/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
A collection of 40 Bacillus anthracis strains mostly isolated from soil in Bulgaria between 1960 and 1980 were investigated. All strains were proven to be B. anthracis by culture and amplification of a B. anthracis-specific chromosomal marker. PCR demonstrated that in nine strains both virulence plasmids (pX01+/pX02+) and in four strains only one plasmid (pX02+) were present, whereas the majority of strains (n = 27) lacked both plasmids (pX01-/pX02-). Multi-locus-variable number of tandem repeat-analysis (MLVA) using 15 markers differentiated three genotypes. Comparison with typing data of more than 1,000 different B. anthracis strains revealed that Bulgarian genotypes affiliated with the A1.a cluster and form their own unique cluster different from clusters containing strains isolated in geographical proximity, e.g., Turkey, Georgia, Hungary, Albania or Italy. In addition, a new allele of one marker (vrrC2) was identified. Canonical single nucleotide polymorphisms analysis allocated 31 Bulgarian strains into the A.Br.008/009 and nine strains into the A.Br.WNA group, which is the first description of B. anthracis strains of the A.Br.WNA group on the Eurasian continent.
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Greenberg DL, Busch JD, Keim P, Wagner DM. Identifying experimental surrogates for Bacillus anthracis spores: a review. INVESTIGATIVE GENETICS 2010; 1:4. [PMID: 21092338 PMCID: PMC2988482 DOI: 10.1186/2041-2223-1-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2010] [Accepted: 09/01/2010] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, is a proven biological weapon. In order to study this threat, a number of experimental surrogates have been used over the past 70 years. However, not all surrogates are appropriate for B. anthracis, especially when investigating transport, fate and survival. Although B. atrophaeus has been widely used as a B. anthracis surrogate, the two species do not always behave identically in transport and survival models. Therefore, we devised a scheme to identify a more appropriate surrogate for B. anthracis. Our selection criteria included risk of use (pathogenicity), phylogenetic relationship, morphology and comparative survivability when challenged with biocides. Although our knowledge of certain parameters remains incomplete, especially with regards to comparisons of spore longevity under natural conditions, we found that B. thuringiensis provided the best overall fit as a non-pathogenic surrogate for B. anthracis. Thus, we suggest focusing on this surrogate in future experiments of spore fate and transport modelling.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L Greenberg
- Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-4073, USA
| | - Joseph D Busch
- Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-4073, USA
| | | | - David M Wagner
- Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-4073, USA
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Noda T, Murakami K, Ishiguro Y, Asai T. Chicken meat is an infection source of Salmonella serovar Infantis for humans in Japan. Foodborne Pathog Dis 2010; 7:727-35. [PMID: 20141347 DOI: 10.1089/fpd.2009.0438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The study sets out to either confirm or refute a recent study's findings that chicken meat is an unlikely source of Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Infantis (Salmonella Infantis) in humans in the Kyushu-Okinawa region, Japan. METHODS A total of 74 Salmonella Infantis isolates (30 from human and 44 from other sources), mainly from the Kyushu-Okinawa region in south-western Japan, were analyzed using a molecular-epidemiological approach combining two fingerprinting methods, namely pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), a novel polymerase chain reaction-based technique. RESULTS The resulting pulsed-field profiles showed that 17 of 30 human isolates were similar to those found in chicken meat, whereas there were no common pulsed-field profiles between human and chicken egg isolates. Overall, 3 of 18 AFLP profiles included 7 human isolates and 14 chicken egg isolates. In addition, the combined results of the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and AFLP analyses showed that 8 human Salmonella Infantis and 13 chicken meat isolates belonged to the same clonal lines. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that chicken meat is an infection source of Salmonella Infantis for humans in the Kyushu-Okinawa region, Japan. The results also showed the relatively high suitability of AFLP for application to epidemiological studies of Salmonella Infantis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamie Noda
- Division of Pathology and Bacteriology, Fukuoka Institute of Health and Environmental Sciences, Dazaifu, Japan.
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Alam SI, Bansod S, Goel AK, Singh L. Characterization of an environmental strain of Bacillus thuringiensis from a hot spring in Western Himalayas. Curr Microbiol 2010; 62:547-56. [PMID: 20737272 DOI: 10.1007/s00284-010-9743-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2010] [Accepted: 08/10/2010] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Bacillus anthracis, the etiological agent of anthrax, is responsible for a serious and often fatal disease of mammalian livestock and humans and is an important biological warfare agent. Bacillus sp. AKG was isolated from a hot spring in western Himalayas and species-specific primers targeting gyrB gene identified the strain as B. anthracis within cereus-group. Cloning, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis of the partial gyrB sequence from strain AKG indicated a close affiliation with B. anthracis and a few recently isolated strains of B. thuringiensis (e.g., strain Al Hakam and serovar konkukian). Phylogenetic analysis of two other housekeeping genes, clpC and gdpD yielded similar results. This observation is further substantiated by phylogenetic reconstruction using concatenated sequences (1680 bases) of the three genes (gyrB, clpC, and gdpD). Phenotypic features indicated a non-anthracis affiliation for the strain AKG. A novel strategy to distinguish among strains of B. anthracis, B. cereus, and B. thuringiensis based on whole proteome comparison was developed and tested for the identification of this environmental strain. Proteome comparison was used to establish the identity of this unknown environmental strain. Group of replicate 2DE gels for whole cell proteome were generated for each of the three species and strain AKG. Protein spots unique to each group and those showing match between the groups, in a pair-wise comparison, indicated strain AKG as a member of B. thuringiensis. This strategy can be used to assign strains of B. cereus group to their respective species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed Imteyaz Alam
- Biotechnology Division, Defence Research and Development Establishment, Gwalior, India,
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46
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Detection technologies for Bacillus anthracis: Prospects and challenges. J Microbiol Methods 2010; 82:1-10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2010.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2010] [Revised: 04/09/2010] [Accepted: 04/12/2010] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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47
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Beyer W, Turnbull P. Anthrax in animals. Mol Aspects Med 2009; 30:481-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2009.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2009] [Accepted: 08/26/2009] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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48
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Okutani A, Sekizuka T, Boldbaatar B, Yamada A, Kuroda M, Inoue S. Phylogenetic typing of Bacillus anthracis isolated in Japan by multiple locus variable-number tandem repeats and the comprehensive single nucleotide polymorphism. J Vet Med Sci 2009; 72:93-7. [PMID: 19915334 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.09-0213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Twelve strains of Bacillus anthracis isolated in Japan were subjected to multiple locus variable-number tandem repeats analysis using 25 marker loci (MLVA25). The results showed that Japanese strains could be divided into two distinct genetic clusters, A3a and A3b. By using newly devised comprehensive single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) analysis, Japanese strains were also divided into two groups. The results obtained by the MLVA25 and plasmids SNP analysis well coincided, indicating that both methods were highly sensitive to discriminate B. anthracis strains. These results suggested that MLVA25 had sufficient discrimination power to identify B. anthracis at the strain level, and that MLVA25 as well as comprehensive SNPs analysis could facilitate further studies of B. anthracis strains including Japanese and other Asian strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Okutani
- Department of Veterinary Science, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan.
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49
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Bacillus anthracis, Francisella tularensis and Yersinia pestis. The most important bacterial warfare agents — review. Folia Microbiol (Praha) 2009; 54:263-72. [DOI: 10.1007/s12223-009-0046-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2008] [Revised: 04/30/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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50
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Humans and evolutionary and ecological forces shaped the phylogeography of recently emerged diseases. Nat Rev Microbiol 2009; 7:813-21. [PMID: 19820723 DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro2219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The development of human civilizations and global commerce has led to the emergence and worldwide circulation of many infectious diseases. Anthrax, plague and tularaemia are three zoonotic diseases that have been intensely studied through genome characterization of the causative species and phylogeographical analyses. A few highly fit genotypes in each species represent the causative agents for most of the observed disease cases. Together, mutational and selective forces create highly adapted pathogens, but this must be coupled with ecological opportunities for global expansion. This Review describes the distributions of the bacteria that cause anthrax, plague and tularaemia and investigates the forces that created clonal structures in these species.
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