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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
immunology and microbiology
Twenty-eight divergent polysaccharide loci specifying within- and amongst-strain capsule diversity in three strains of Bacteroides fragilis
Microbiology, Volume 156, No. 11, Year 2010
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Description
Comparison of the complete genome sequence of Bacteroides fragilis 638R, originally isolated in the USA, was made with two previously sequenced strains isolated in the UK (NCTC 9343) and Japan (YCH46). The presence of 10 loci containing genes associated with polysaccharide (PS) biosynthesis, each including a putative Wzx flippase and Wzy polymerase, was confirmed in all three strains, despite a lack of cross-reactivity between NCTC 9343 and 638R surface PSspecific antibodies by immunolabelling and microscopy. Genomic comparisons revealed an exceptional level of PS biosynthesis locus diversity. Of the 10 divergent PS-associated loci apparent in each strain, none is similar between NCTC 9343 and 638R. YCH46 shares one locus with NCTC 9343, confirmed by mAb labelling, and a second different locus with 638R, making a total of 28 divergent PS biosynthesis loci amongst the three strains. The lack of expression of the phase-variable large capsule (LC) in strain 638R, observed in NCTC 9343, is likely to be due to a point mutation that generates a stop codon within a putative initiating glycosyltransferase, necessary for the expression of the LC in NCTC 9343. Other major sequence differences were observed to arise from different numbers and variety of inserted extra-chromosomal elements, in particular prophages. Extensive horizontal gene transfer has occurred within these strains, despite the presence of a significant number of divergent DNA restriction and modification systems that act to prevent acquisition of foreign DNA. The level of amongst-strain diversity in PS biosynthesis loci is unprecedented. © 2010 SGM.
Authors & Co-Authors
Patrick, Sheila
United Kingdom, Belfast
School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences
Blakely, Garry
United Kingdom, Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh
Houston, Simon
United Kingdom, Belfast
School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences
Moore, Jane
United Kingdom, Belfast
School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences
Abratt, Valerie R.
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
Bertalan, Marcelo
United Kingdom, Hinxton
Wellcome Sanger Institute
Cerdeño-Tárraga, Ana M.
United Kingdom, Hinxton
Wellcome Sanger Institute
Quail, Michael A.
United Kingdom, Hinxton
Wellcome Sanger Institute
Corton, Nicola
United Kingdom, Hinxton
Wellcome Sanger Institute
Corton, Craig H.
United Kingdom, Hinxton
Wellcome Sanger Institute
Bignell, Alexandra
United Kingdom, Hinxton
Wellcome Sanger Institute
Barron, Andrew J.
United Kingdom, Hinxton
Wellcome Sanger Institute
Clark, Louise N.
United Kingdom, Hinxton
Wellcome Sanger Institute
Bentley, Stephen D.
United Kingdom, Hinxton
Wellcome Sanger Institute
Parkhill, Julian
United Kingdom, Hinxton
Wellcome Sanger Institute
Statistics
Citations: 72
Authors: 15
Affiliations: 4
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1099/mic.0.042978-0
ISSN:
13500872
Research Areas
Cancer
Genetics And Genomics