Draft Genome Sequences of Two South African Bacillus anthracis Strains

Lekota, Kgaugelo Edward; Mafofo, Joseph; Madoroba, Evelyn; Rees, D. J. G.; Heerden, Henriëtte van; Muchadeyi, Farai C.

doi:10.1128/genomea.01313-15

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…While cluster 4 ( n = 18; Fig. 4B ) contained only isolates classified in the NCBI database as B. anthracis , it contained assemblies from several strains with attenuated virulence, including several vaccine strains ( 62 – 64 ). Cluster 22 ( n = 5; Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid, High-Throughput Identification of Anthrax-Causing and Emetic Bacillus cereus Group Genome Assemblies via BTyper, a Computational Tool for Virulence-Based Classification of Bacillus cereus Group Isolates by Using Nucleotide Sequencing Data

Carroll

Kovač

Miller

et al. 2017

Appl Environ Microbiol

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The Bacillus cereus group comprises nine species, several of which are pathogenic. Differentiating between isolates that may cause disease and those that do not is a matter of public health and economic importance, but it can be particularly challenging due to the high genomic similarity within the group. To this end, we have developed BTyper, a computational tool that employs a combination of (i) virulence gene-based typing, (ii) multilocus sequence typing (MLST), (iii) panC clade typing, and (iv) rpoB allelic typing to rapidly classify B. cereus group isolates using nucleotide sequencing data. BTyper was applied to a set of 662 B. cereus group genome assemblies to (i) identify anthrax-associated genes in non-B. anthracis members of the B. cereus group, and (ii) identify assemblies from B. cereus group strains with emetic potential. With BTyper, the anthrax toxin genes cya, lef, and pagA were detected in 8 genomes classified by the NCBI as B. cereus that clustered into two distinct groups using k-medoids clustering, while either the B. anthracis poly-␥-D-glutamate capsule biosynthesis genes capABCDE or the hyaluronic acid capsule hasA gene was detected in an additional 16 assemblies classified as either B. cereus or Bacillus thuringiensis isolated from clinical, environmental, and food sources. The emetic toxin genes cesABCD were detected in 24 assemblies belonging to panC clades III and VI that had been isolated from food, clinical, and environmental settings. The command line version of BTyper is available at https://github.com/lmc297/BTyper. In addition, BMiner, a companion application for analyzing multiple BTyper output files in aggregate, can be found at https://github.com/lmc297/BMiner. IMPORTANCE Bacillus cereus is a foodborne pathogen that is estimated to cause tens of thousands of illnesses each year in the United States alone. Even with molecular methods, it can be difficult to distinguish nonpathogenic B. cereus group isolates from their pathogenic counterparts, including the human pathogen Bacillus anthracis, which is responsible for anthrax, as well as the insect pathogen B. thuringiensis. By using the variety of typing schemes employed by BTyper, users can rapidly classify, characterize, and assess the virulence potential of any isolate using its nucleotide sequencing data.KEYWORDS Bacillus cereus group, taxonomy, virulence genes, whole-genome sequencing

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid, High-Throughput Identification of Anthrax-Causing and Emetic Bacillus cereus Group Genome Assemblies via BTyper, a Computational Tool for Virulence-Based Classification of Bacillus cereus Group Isolates by Using Nucleotide Sequencing Data

Carroll

Kovač

Miller

et al. 2017

Appl Environ Microbiol

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“…Lethal challenge studies were conducted at a remote site in an endemic area of the Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa. Animal experiments and clinical score sheets for monitoring experimental animals were drawn up according to the guidelines of the National Research Council of the USA (Clark et al, 1996, 21-34) plasmids, pXO1 and pXO2, was confirmed using real time PCR and sequencing (Lekota et al, 2015(Lekota et al, , 10.1128.…”

Section: Animalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative analysis of the immunologic response induced by the Sterne 34F2 live spore Bacillus anthracis vaccine in a ruminant model

Ndumnego

Köhler

Crafford

et al. 2016

Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology

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Highlights Anti-BclA IgG absent in goats immunized with the Sterne 34F2 live spore vaccine  Booster vaccinations with Sterne vaccine induced robust humoral immunity in goats  Preliminary challenge studies indicate infective dose of 36 spores in naive goats  Anthrax infection was peracute in naïve goats with incubation period of 2-3days  Four in five goats protected against anthrax a year after single Sterne vaccination AbstractThe Sterne 34F2 live spore vaccine (SLSV) developed in 1937 is the most widely used veterinary vaccine against anthrax. However, literature on the immunogenicity of this vaccine in a target ruminant host is scarce. In this study, we evaluated the humoral response to the booster vaccination following the first immunization is suggested in order to achieve a robust immunity. Results from this study indicate that this crucial second vaccination can be administered as early as 3 months after the initial vaccination.

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“…In B. endophyticus 2102, no prophage sequence regions were identified. Comparative analysis of prophages between B. anthracis strains 3631_1C and 20SD [ 14 ] and B. endophyticus sequenced in this study indicated that the four Lambda Ba prophages remain unique to B. anthracis .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

“… a The strains that were subjected for sequencing b Draft genome from previous study [ 14 ] c Kudu 1, kudu 2, sheep 1 etc. refer to different animal carcasses with B. endophyticus (3617_2C) and B. anthracis (3617_1C) isolated from the same kudu carcass (kudu 1) …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Whole genome sequencing and identification of Bacillus endophyticus and B. anthracis isolated from anthrax outbreaks in South Africa

et al. 2018

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BackgroundBacillus endophyticus is a soil plant-endophytic bacterium, while B. anthracis is the causative agent of anthrax. The virulence factors of B. anthracis are the plasmid encoded tripartite toxins (pXO1) and poly-γ-glutamic acid (PGA) capsule (pXO2). B. endophyticus isolated alongside B. anthracis from animals that died of anthrax in Northern Cape Province (NCP), South Africa, harbored polyglutamate genes. The study compared the characteristics of B. anthracis and B. endophyticus with other Bacillus species with a focus on the presence of the PGA capsule or/and unbound PGA. The morphology and whole genome sequence analysis of B. endophyticus strains and B. anthracis were compared.ResultsIn conventional microbiology, B. endophyticus showed gram-positive round-shaped rods in single/short chains, which were endospore-forming, non-motile, non-haemolytic with white and dry colonies, and γ-phage resistant. B. anthracis was differentiated from B. endophyticus based on the latter’s box-shaped rods in pairs/long chains, white-grey and slimy colonies, encapsulated and γ-phage susceptible. The study identified a PGA polyglutamate synthase operon that consisted of pgsBCA, γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (ggt) and pgsE in B. endophyticus genomes.ConclusionsPGA regions of B. anthracis contain capBCADE genes located in the pXO2 required for capsulation formation, while B. endophyticus contain the pgsBCAE genes in the chromosome. Whole genome and microbiology analysis identified B. endophyticus, as a non-capsuled endospore-forming bacterium that consists of PGA required for biosynthesis. B. endophyticus strains do not synthesize surface associated PGA, therefore capsule visualization of B. anthracis is a key diagnostic characteristic. The study highlights the significance of using whole genome shotgun sequencing to identify virulence and other important genes that might be present amongst unknown samples from natural outbreaks. None of the B. anthracis related plasmids or virulence genes were found in the B. endophyticus genomes.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12866-018-1205-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Draft Genome Sequences of Two South African Bacillus anthracis Strains

Cited by 7 publications

References 11 publications

Rapid, High-Throughput Identification of Anthrax-Causing and Emetic Bacillus cereus Group Genome Assemblies via BTyper, a Computational Tool for Virulence-Based Classification of Bacillus cereus Group Isolates by Using Nucleotide Sequencing Data

Rapid, High-Throughput Identification of Anthrax-Causing and Emetic Bacillus cereus Group Genome Assemblies via BTyper, a Computational Tool for Virulence-Based Classification of Bacillus cereus Group Isolates by Using Nucleotide Sequencing Data

Comparative analysis of the immunologic response induced by the Sterne 34F2 live spore Bacillus anthracis vaccine in a ruminant model

Whole genome sequencing and identification of Bacillus endophyticus and B. anthracis isolated from anthrax outbreaks in South Africa

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