Whole-Genome Characterization of Bacillus cereus Associated with Specific Disease Manifestations

Abstract

remains an important cause of infections, particularly in immunocompromised hosts. While typically associated with enteric infections, disease manifestations can be quite diverse and include skin infections, bacteremia, pneumonia, and meningitis. Whether there are any genetic correlates of bacterial strains with particular clinical manifestations remains unknown. To address this gap in understanding we undertook whole genome analysis of strains isolated from patients with a range of disease manifestations, including non-invasive colonizing disease, superficial skin infections, and invasive bacteremia. Interestingly, strains involved in skin infection tended to form a distinct genetic cluster compared to isolates associated with invasive disease. Other disease manifestations, despite not being exclusively clustered, nonetheless had unique genetic features. The unique features associated with the specific types of infections ranged from traditional virulence determinants, metabolic pathways, and gene regulators. These data represent the largest genetic analysis to-date of pathogenic isolates with associated clinical parameters.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Bacillus cereus sensu lato Isolates from Commercial Bee Pollen Using tRNACys-PCR

“…This strain has been linked to Bombyx mori black chest septicemia [49], but additional comparative genomic studies of isolate D13 are necessary to understand its metabolic capabilities. Consistent with other studies demonstrating insertions and deletions in the genomes of various B. cereus strains [13][14][15]20,21], our studies provide evidence for recombination events leading to insertions and deletions which may be relevant both to the potential pathogenicity of these species as contaminants of bee pollen and to the evolutionary history of these lineages within the B. cereus group.…”

“…Several B. cereus strains have been identified as opportunistic food-borne pathogens, and several different toxins have been associated with food poisoning outbreaks caused by these strains, viz. cereulide, cytotoxin K, hemolysin BL (HBL), and non-hemolytic enterotoxin (NHE) [10,13,17,45,46]. In this regard, and in accord with other reports, bacterial members of the B. cereus group have been isolated and identified using phenotypic characteristics or molecular approaches based on 16S rRNA or MALDI-TOFF MS in bee pollen obtained from hives or commercial sources [25,47,48].…”

“…It must be noted that the existing literature suggests a high degree of genetic diversity between the various species examined here, and questions related to the taxonomy of B. anthracis, B. cereus, and B. thuringiensis continue to be argued among researchers in this field [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]. Additional insight into these taxonomic questions will no doubt be provided by comparative genomics, as well as by molecular discrimination analyses using prominent biomarkers such as the chaperonin protein (GroEL) and the topoisomerase (gyrB) [50].…”

Infectious Pseudochromhidrosis: A Case Report and Literature Review

“…B. cereus is an occasional pathogen that can cause various infections mostly associated with its secreted toxins (52)(53)(54)(55). The B. cereus found in the current case report colonizes hu- man skin and the intestinal tract (54), yet infections in immunocompetent patients are rare (56). Corynebacterium species -brown/black IPCH (44,49,50): Corynebacterium is a genus of Gram-positive and (mostly) aerobic rods that is widely distributed in nature.…”

Pangenomic Approach To Understanding Microbial Adaptations within a Model Built Environment, the International Space Station, Relative to Human Hosts and Soil

“…B. cereus is ubiquitous in nature (primarily soilborne) and forms endospores (31). It is an opportunistic pathogen involved in foodborne illness (enterotoxin production) and is sometimes associated with infectious disease in immunocompromised individuals (32).…”