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July 7, 2019

Complete genome sequences of two strains of the meat spoilage bacterium Brochothrix thermosphacta isolated from ground chicken.

Brochothrix thermosphacta is an important meat spoilage bacterium. Here we report the genome sequences of two strains of B. thermosphacta isolated from ground chicken. The genome sequences were determined using long-read PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) technology and are the first complete genome sequences reported for B. thermosphacta.


July 7, 2019

Scaffolding of long read assemblies using long range contact information.

Long read technologies have revolutionized de novo genome assembly by generating contigs orders of magnitude longer than that of short read assemblies. Although assembly contiguity has increased, it usually does not reconstruct a full chromosome or an arm of the chromosome, resulting in an unfinished chromosome level assembly. To increase the contiguity of the assembly to the chromosome level, different strategies are used which exploit long range contact information between chromosomes in the genome.We develop a scalable and computationally efficient scaffolding method that can boost the assembly contiguity to a large extent using genome-wide chromatin interaction data such as Hi-C.we demonstrate an algorithm that uses Hi-C data for longer-range scaffolding of de novo long read genome assemblies. We tested our methods on the human and goat genome assemblies. We compare our scaffolds with the scaffolds generated by LACHESIS based on various metrics.Our new algorithm SALSA produces more accurate scaffolds compared to the existing state of the art method LACHESIS.


July 7, 2019

Automation of PacBio SMRTbell NGS library preparation for bacterial genome sequencing.

The PacBio RS II provides for single molecule, real-time DNA technology to sequence genomes and detect DNA modifications. The starting point for high-quality sequence production is high molecular weight genomic DNA. To automate the library preparation process, there must be high-throughput methods in place to assess the genomic DNA, to ensure the size and amounts of the sheared DNA fragments and final library.The library construction automation was accomplished using the Agilent NGS workstation with Bravo accessories for heating, shaking, cooling, and magnetic bead manipulations for template purification. The quality control methods from gDNA input to final library using the Agilent Bioanalyzer System and Agilent TapeStation System were evaluated.Automated protocols of PacBio 10 kb library preparation produced libraries with similar technical performance to those generated manually. The TapeStation System proved to be a reliable method that could be used in a 96-well plate format to QC the DNA equivalent to the standard Bioanalyzer System results. The DNA Integrity Number that is calculated in the TapeStation System software upon analysis of genomic DNA is quite helpful to assure that the starting genomic DNA is not degraded. In this respect, the gDNA assay on the TapeStation System is preferable to the DNA 12000 assay on the Bioanalyzer System, which cannot run genomic DNA, nor can the Bioanalyzer work directly from the 96-well plates.


July 7, 2019

Complete genome sequence of Bacillus velezensis YJ11-1-4, a strain with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, isolated from traditional Korean fermented soybean paste.

Bacillus velezensis YJ11-1-4 is a strain that exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against various pathogens. It was isolated from doenjang, a traditional Korean fermented soybean paste. The genome comprises a single circular chromosome of 4,006,637 bp with 46.42% G+C content without plasmids. Copyright © 2017 Lee et al.


July 7, 2019

Complete genome sequence of Acetobacter pomorum Oregon-R-modENCODE strain BDGP5, an acetic acid bacterium found in the Drosophila melanogaster gut.

Acetobacter pomorum Oregon-R-modENCODE strain BDGP5 was isolated from Drosophila melanogaster for functional host-microbe interaction studies. The complete genome is composed of a single chromosomal circle of 2,848,089 bp, with a G+C content of 53% and three plasmids of 131,455 bp, 19,216 bp, and 9,160 bp. Copyright © 2017 Wan et al.


July 7, 2019

Complete genome sequence of Bacillus vallismortis NBIF-001, a novel strain from Shangri-La, China, that has high activity against Fusarium oxysporum.

Bacillus vallismortis NBIF-001, a Gram-positive bacterium, was isolated from soil in Shangri-La, China. Here, we provide the complete genome sequence of this bacterium, which has a 3,929,787-bp-long genome, including 4,030 protein-coding genes and 195 RNA genes. This strain possesses a number of genes encoding virulence factors of pathogens. Copyright © 2017 Liu et al.


July 7, 2019

Closed genome sequence of Chryseobacterium piperi strain CTMT/ATCC BAA-1782, a Gram-negative bacterium with clostridial neurotoxin-like coding sequences.

Clostridial neurotoxins, including botulinum and tetanus neurotoxins, are among the deadliest known bacterial toxins. Until recently, the horizontal mobility of this toxin gene family appeared to be limited to the genusClostridiumWe report here the closed genome sequence ofChryseobacterium piperi, a Gram-negative bacterium containing coding sequences with homology to clostridial neurotoxin family proteins. Copyright © 2017 Wentz et al.


July 7, 2019

Complete genome sequence of Bacillus velezensis L-1, which has antagonistic activity against pear diseases.

Bacillus velezensis L-1 is an effective biocontrol agent against pear diseases. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of B. velezensis L-1 in which clusters related to the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites were predicted. This genome provides insights into the possible biocontrol mechanisms and furthers application of this specific bacterium. Copyright © 2017 Sun et al.


July 7, 2019

Phenotypic and genotypic features of a Salmonella Heidelberg strain isolated in broilers in Brazil and their possible association to antibiotics and short-chain organic acids resistance and susceptibility.

Salmonella enterica serovar Heidelberg is a human pathogen also found in broilers. A strain (UFPR1) has been associated with field reports of resistance to short-chain organic acids (SCOA) in broilers in the South of Brazil, but was susceptible to aBacillus subtilis-based probiotic added in feed in a related study. This work aimed to (i) report clinical symptoms caused by SH UFPR1 in broilers, (ii) study its susceptibility to some antibioticsin vitro, and (iii) SCOAin vivo; and (iv) relate these phenotypic observations with its genome characteristics. Twoin vivotrials used 1-day-old chicks housed for 21?days in 8 sterilized isolated negative pressure rooms with 4 battery cages of 12 birds each. Birds were challenged or not with 107?CFU/bird of SH UFPR1 orally and exposed or not to SCOA in a 2?×?2 factorial design. Zootechnical parameters were unaffected (P?>?0.05), no clinical signs were observed, and few cecal and hepatic histologic and immune-related alterations were seen, in birds challenged with SH. Formic and propionic acids added together in drinking water, fumaric and benzoic acid in feed (Trial 1), and coated calcium butyrate in feed (Trial 2) did not reduce the SH isolation frequencies seen in cecum and liver in broilers after SH challenge (P?>?0.05). SH UFPR1 was susceptible to amikacin, amoxicillin?+?clavulanate, ceftiofur, cephalexin, doxycycline and oxytetracycline; and mildly susceptible to ampicillin?+?sulbactam, cephalothin, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, and gentamycin in anin vitrominimum inhibitory concentration model using Mueller-Hinton agar. The whole genome of SH UFPR1 was sequenced and consisted of a circular chromosome, spanning 4,760,321?bp with 52.18% of GC-content encoding 84 tRNA, 22 rRNA, and 4,427 protein-coding genes. The comparison between SH UFPR1 genome and a multidrug-resistant SL476 strain revealed 11 missing genomic fragments and 5 insertions related tobgt, bgr, andrpoSgenes. The deleted genes codify proteins associated with cell cycle regulation, virulence, drug resistance, cellular adhesion, and salt efflux which collectively reveal key aspects of the evolution and adaptation of SH strains such as organic acids resistance and antibiotic sensitivity and provide information relevant to the control of SH in poultry.


July 7, 2019

Genomic analysis of a pathogenic bacterium, Paeniclostridium sordellii CBA7122 containing the highest number of rRNA operons, isolated from a human stool sample.

Paeniclostridium sordellii was first isolated by Alfredo Sordelli in 1922 under the proposed name Bacillus oedematis, and was then renamed Bacillus sordellii in 1927 (Hall and Scott, 1927). Two years later, it was classified as Clostridium sordellii (Hall et al., 1929). Recently, this bacterium was reclassified as a species of the genus Paeniclostridium, named P. sordellii comb. nov. (Sasi Jyothsna et al., 2016). P. sordellii is an anaerobic, Gram-stain-positive, spore-forming rod bacterium with flagella. Most strains are non-pathogenic, but some strains have been associated with severe infections of humans and animals. In humans, P. sordellii is mainly associated with trauma, toxic shock, soft tissue skin infections, and gynecologic infections. Despite the serious consequences of infection with P. sordellii, treatment is difficult because of the rapid progression from recognition of the first symptoms to death (Aldape et al., 2006).


July 7, 2019

Comparative genomics reveals specific genetic architectures in nicotine metabolism of Pseudomonassp. JY-Q.

Microbial degradation of nicotine is an important process to control nicotine residues in the aqueous environment. In this study, a high active nicotine degradation strain namedPseudomonassp. JY-Q was isolated from tobacco waste extract (TWE). This strain could completely degrade 5.0 g l-1nicotine in 24 h under optimal culture conditions, and it showed some tolerance even at higher concentrations (10.0 g l-1) of nicotine. The complete genome of JY-Q was sequenced to understand the mechanism by which JY-Q could degrade nicotine and tolerate such high nicotine concentrations. Comparative genomic analysis indicated that JY-Q degrades nicotine through putative novel mechanisms. Two candidate gene cluster duplications located separately at distant loci were predicted to be responsible for nicotine degradation. These two nicotine (Nic) degradation-related loci (AA098_21325-AA098_21340, AA098_03885-AA098_03900) exhibit nearly completely consistent gene organization and component synteny. The nicotinic acid(NA)degradation gene cluster (AA098_17770-AA098_17790) andNic-like clusters were both predicted to be flanked by mobile genetic elements (MGE). Furthermore, we analyzed the regions of genomic plasticity (RGP) in the JY-Q strain and found a dynamic genome carrying a type VI secretion system (T6SS) that promotes nicotine metabolism and tolerance based on transcriptomics and usedin silicomethods to identify the T6SS effector protein. Thus, a novel nicotine degradation mechanism was elucidated forPseudomonassp. JY-Q, suggesting its potential application in the bioremediation of nicotine-contaminated environments, such as TWEs.


July 7, 2019

Comparative genomic analysis of two clonally related multidrug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis by Single Molecule Real Time Sequencing.

Background: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is posing a major threat to global TB control. In this study, we focused on two consecutive MDR-TB isolated from the same patient before and after the initiation of anti-TB treatment. To better understand the genomic characteristics of MDR-TB, Single Molecule Real-Time (SMRT) Sequencing and comparative genomic analyses was performed to identify mutations that contributed to the stepwise development of drug resistance and growth fitness in MDR-TB underin vivochallenge of anti-TB drugs.Result:Both pre-treatment and post-treatment strain demonstrated concordant phenotypic and genotypic susceptibility profiles toward rifampicin, pyrazinamide, streptomycin, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, cycloserine, ethionamide, and para-aminosalicylic acid. However, although both strains carried identical missense mutations atrpoBS531L,inhAC-15T, andembBM306V, MYCOTB Sensititre assay showed that the post-treatment strain had 16-, 8-, and 4-fold elevation in the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) toward rifabutin, isoniazid, and ethambutol respectively. The results have indicated the presence of additional resistant-related mutations governing the stepwise development of MDR-TB. Further comparative genomic analyses have identified three additional polymorphisms between the clinical isolates. These include a single nucleotide deletion at nucleotide position 360 ofrv0888in pre-treatment strain, and a missense mutation atrv3303c(lpdA)V44I and a 6-bp inframe deletion at codon 67-68 inrv2071c(cobM)in the post-treatment strain. Multiple sequence alignment showed that these mutations were occurring at highly conserved regions among pathogenic mycobacteria. Using structural-based and sequence-based algorithms, we further predicted that the mutations potentially have deleterious effect on protein function.Conclusion:This is the first study that compared the full genomes of two clonally-related MDR-TB clinical isolates during the course of anti-TB treatment. Our work has demonstrated the robustness of SMRT Sequencing in identifying mutations among MDR-TB clinical isolates. Comparative genome analysis also suggested novel mutations atrv0888, lpdA, andcobMthat might explain the difference in antibiotic resistance and growth pattern between the two MDR-TB strains.


July 7, 2019

The genome of an intranuclear parasite, Paramicrosporidium saccamoebae, reveals alternative adaptations to obligate intracellular parasitism.

Intracellular parasitism often results in gene loss, genome reduction, and dependence upon the host for cellular functioning. Rozellomycota is a clade comprising many such parasites and is related to the diverse, highly reduced, animal parasites, Microsporidia. We sequenced the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes ofParamicrosporidium saccamoebae[Rozellomycota], an intranuclear parasite of amoebae. A canonical fungal mitochondrial genome was recovered fromP. saccamoebaethat encodes genes necessary for the complete oxidative phosphorylation pathway including Complex I, differentiating it from most endoparasites including its sequenced relatives in Rozellomycota and Microsporidia. Comparative analysis revealed thatP. saccamoebaeshares more gene content with distantly related Fungi than with its closest relatives, suggesting that genome evolution in Rozellomycota and Microsporidia has been affected by repeated and independent gene losses, possibly as a result of variation in parasitic strategies (e.g. host and subcellular localization) or due to multiple transitions to parasitism.


July 7, 2019

Post genomics era for orchid research.

Among 300,000 species in angiosperms, Orchidaceae containing 30,000 species is one of the largest families. Almost every habitats on earth have orchid plants successfully colonized, and it indicates that orchids are among the plants with significant ecological and evolutionary importance. So far, four orchid genomes have been sequenced, including Phalaenopsis equestris, Dendrobium catenatum, Dendrobium officinale, and Apostaceae shengen. Here, we review the current progress and the direction of orchid research in the post genomics era. These include the orchid genome evolution, genome mapping (genome-wide association analysis, genetic map, physical map), comparative genomics (especially receptor-like kinase and terpene synthase), secondary metabolomics, and genome editing.


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