The genome of potato, a major global food crop, was recently sequenced. The work presented here details the integration of the potato reference genome (DM) with a new sequence-tagged site marker−based linkage map and other physical and genetic maps of potato and the closely related species tomato. Primary anchoring of the DM genome assembly was accomplished by the use of a diploid segregating population, which was genotyped with several types of molecular genetic markers to construct a new ~936 cM linkage map comprising 2469 marker loci. In silico anchoring approaches used genetic and physical maps from the diploid potato genotype RH89-039-16 (RH) and tomato. This combined approach has allowed 951 superscaffolds to be ordered into pseudomolecules corresponding to the 12 potato chromosomes. These pseudomolecules represent 674 Mb (~93%) of the 723 Mb genome assembly and 37,482 (~96%) of the 39,031 predicted genes. The superscaffold order and orientation within the pseudomolecules are closely collinear with independently constructed high density linkage maps. Comparisons between marker distribution and physical location reveal regions of greater and lesser recombination, as well as regions exhibiting significant segregation distortion. The work presented here has led to a greatly improved ordering of the potato reference genome superscaffolds into chromosomal “pseudomolecules”.

In spite of its immutable susceptibility to penicillin, Treponema pallidum (T. pallidum) subsp. pallidum continues to cause millions of cases of syphilis each year worldwide, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality and underscoring the urgency of developing an effective vaccine to curtail the spread of the infection. Several technical challenges, including absence of an in vitro culture system until very recently, have hampered efforts to catalog the diversity of strains collected worldwide. Here, we provide near-complete genomes from 196 T. pallidum strains–including 191 T. pallidum subsp. pallidum–sequenced directly from patient samples collected from 8 countries and 6 continents. Maximum likelihood phylogeny revealed that samples from most sites were predominantly SS14 clade. However, 99% (84/85) of the samples from Madagascar formed two of the five distinct Nichols subclades. Although recombination was uncommon in the evolution of modern circulating strains, we found multiple putative recombination events between T. pallidum subsp. pallidum and subsp. endemicum, shaping the genomes of several subclades. Temporal analysis dated the most recent common ancestor of Nichols and SS14 clades to 1717 (95% HPD: 1543–1869), in agreement with other recent studies. Rates of SNP accumulation varied significantly among subclades, particularly among different Nichols subclades, and was associated in the Nichols A subclade with a C394F substitution in TP0380, a ERCC3-like DNA repair helicase. Our data highlight the role played by variation in genes encoding putative surface-exposed outer membrane proteins in defining separate lineages, and provide a critical resource for the design of broadly protective syphilis vaccines targeting surface antigens.

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BackgroundInfections with Taenia solium are the most common cause of adult acquired seizures worldwide, and are the leading cause of epilepsy in developing countries. A better understanding of the genetic diversity of T. solium will improve parasite diagnostics and transmission pathways in endemic areas thereby facilitating the design of future control measures and interventions. Microsatellite markers are useful genome features, which enable strain typing and identification in complex pathogen genomes. Here we describe microsatellite identification and characterization in T. solium, providing information that will assist in global efforts to control this important pathogen.MethodsFor genome sequencing, T. solium cysts and proglottids were collected from Huancayo and Puno in Peru, respectively. Using next generation sequencing (NGS) and de novo assembly, we assembled two draft genomes and one hybrid genome. Microsatellite sequences were identified and 36 of them were selected for further analysis. Twenty T. solium isolates were collected from Tumbes in the northern region, and twenty from Puno in the southern region of Peru. The size-polymorphism of the selected microsatellites was determined with multi-capillary electrophoresis. We analyzed the association between microsatellite polymorphism and the geographic origin of the samples.ResultsThe predicted size of the hybrid (proglottid genome combined with cyst genome) T. solium genome was 111 MB with a GC content of 42.54%. A total of 7,979 contigs (>1,000 nt) were obtained. We identified 9,129 microsatellites in the Puno-proglottid genome and 9,936 in the Huancayo-cyst genome, with 5 or more repeats, ranging from mono- to hexa-nucleotide. Seven microsatellites were polymorphic and 29 were monomorphic within the analyzed isolates. T. solium tapeworms were classified into two genetic groups that correlated with the North/South geographic origin of the parasites.Conclusions/SignificanceThe availability of draft genomes for T. solium represents a significant step towards the understanding the biology of the parasite. We report here a set of T. solium polymorphic microsatellite markers that appear promising for genetic epidemiology studies.

Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogenic microorganism in humans and is frequently transmitted by food. Methods to control the presence of Listeria in foods are necessary. In the present study, transcriptomics of L. monocytogenes grown in the presence of essential oil extracted from Baccharis psiadioides were studied by RNA sequencing and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) experiments. The results obtained indicate that essential oil of B. psiadioides has potential bacteriostatic activity at the concentration tested, affecting Listeria cells functioning and development. Responses of the microorganism included upregulation of stress genes and downregulation of virulence genes, such as actA, hly and prfA, indicating a decrease in virulence and in the capacity of the microorganism to cause infection. Thus, the results presented here allow us to conclude that B. psiadioides essential oil may be an alternative means of controlling microorganisms proliferating in foods.