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Virulence Evolution of the Human Pathogen Neisseria meningitidis by Recombination in the Core and Accessory Genome

Please always quote using this URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-137960
  • Background Neisseria meningitidis is a naturally transformable, facultative pathogen colonizing the human nasopharynx. Here, we analyze on a genome-wide level the impact of recombination on gene-complement diversity and virulence evolution in N. meningitidis. We combined comparative genome hybridization using microarrays (mCGH) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of 29 meningococcal isolates with computational comparison of a subset of seven meningococcal genome sequences. Principal Findings We found that lateral gene transfer of minimalBackground Neisseria meningitidis is a naturally transformable, facultative pathogen colonizing the human nasopharynx. Here, we analyze on a genome-wide level the impact of recombination on gene-complement diversity and virulence evolution in N. meningitidis. We combined comparative genome hybridization using microarrays (mCGH) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of 29 meningococcal isolates with computational comparison of a subset of seven meningococcal genome sequences. Principal Findings We found that lateral gene transfer of minimal mobile elements as well as prophages are major forces shaping meningococcal population structure. Extensive gene content comparison revealed novel associations of virulence with genetic elements besides the recently discovered meningococcal disease associated (MDA) island. In particular, we identified an association of virulence with a recently described canonical genomic island termed IHT-E and a differential distribution of genes encoding RTX toxin- and two-partner secretion systems among hyperinvasive and non-hyperinvasive lineages. By computationally screening also the core genome for signs of recombination, we provided evidence that about 40% of the meningococcal core genes are affected by recombination primarily within metabolic genes as well as genes involved in DNA replication and repair. By comparison with the results of previous mCGH studies, our data indicated that genetic structuring as revealed by mCGH is stable over time and highly similar for isolates from different geographic origins. Conclusions Recombination comprising lateral transfer of entire genes as well as homologous intragenic recombination has a profound impact on meningococcal population structure and genome composition. Our data support the hypothesis that meningococcal virulence is polygenic in nature and that differences in metabolism might contribute to virulence.show moreshow less

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Metadaten
Author: Joseph Biju, Roland Schwarz, Burkhard Linke, Jochen Blom, Anke Becker, Heike Claus, Alexander Goesmann, Matthias Frosch, Tobias Müller, Ulrich Vogel, Christoph Schoen
URN:urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-137960
Document Type:Journal article
Faculties:Medizinische Fakultät / Institut für Hygiene und Mikrobiologie
Fakultät für Biologie / Theodor-Boveri-Institut für Biowissenschaften
Language:English
Parent Title (English):PLoS One
Year of Completion:2011
Volume:6
Issue:4
Pagenumber:e18441
Source:PLoS ONE 6(4): e18441. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0018441
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0018441
Dewey Decimal Classification:5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 57 Biowissenschaften; Biologie / 579 Mikroorganismen, Pilze, Algen
Tag:DNA recombination; comparative genomics; genomic databases; homologous recombination; meningococcal disease; neisseria meningitidis; population genetics; recombinant proteins
Release Date:2016/08/29
Collections:Open-Access-Publikationsfonds / Förderzeitraum 2011
Licence (German):License LogoCC BY: Creative-Commons-Lizenz: Namensnennung