Background
Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by the Gram-positive bacterium
Bacillus anthracis
. In Russia, there are more than 35 thousand anthrax stationary unfavourable sites. At the same time, there is very little published information about the isolates of
B. anthracis
from the territory of Russia. In this study, we report the use of whole genome sequencing (WGS) and bioinformatics analysis to characterize
B. anthracis
81/1 strain isolated in Russia in 1969 from a person during an outbreak of the disease in the Stavropol region.
Results
We used 232
B. anthracis
genomes, which are currently available in the GenBank database, to determine the place of the Russian isolate in the global phylogeny of
B. anthracis
. The studied strain was characterized by PCR-based genetic methods, such as Multiple-Locus Variable-Number Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA), canonical single nucleotide polymorphisms (canSNP), as well as the method of full-genomic analysis of nucleotide polymorphisms (wgSNP). The results indicate that the Russian
B. anthracis
81/1 strain belongs to Trans-Eurasion (TEA) group, the most representative in the world.
Conclusions
In this study, the full genomic sequence of virulent
B. anthracis
strain from Russia was characterized for the first time. As a result of complex phylogenetic analysis, the place of this isolate was determined in the global phylogenetic structure of the
B. anthracis
population, expanding our knowledge of anthrax phylogeography in Russia.
Electronic supplementary material
The online version of this article (10.1186/s12866-019-1542-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Background
Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by the gram-positive bacterium
Bacillus anthracis
. The most anthrax-endemic regions of Russia are Siberia and North Caucasus. Previously, genotyping of Russian
B.anthracis
isolates was carried out using canSNP and MLVA data; these methods yield lower resolution results compared to whole genome SNP analysis (wgSNP). In this research, we have used wgSNP method for genotyping of 10
B.anthracis
isolates, obtained during 1961–2016 in Russia on territory of Western Siberia.
Results
We have analyzed 185
B.anthracis
genomes available in GenBank database and genomes of 10 isolates obtained in this study to determine the place of Russian isolates in the global phylogeny of
B.anthracis
. For the studied genomes we have detected 7203 SNPs, which were used for building a phylogenetic reconstruction with Maximum Likelihood Method. Results of the phylogenetic analysis indicate that Russian strains belong to three different genetic groups. Three strains belong to genetic group “Ames”, two strains – to “STI” group. Five strains belong to the main genetic line B, and four of them form a subcluster, described for the first time, which we have named “Siberia”.
Conclusions
In this study, the data on genetic diversity of
B.anthracis
strains on the territory of Western Siberia is presented for the first time. As a result of complex phylogenetic analysis, the place of these isolates was determined in the global phylogenetic structure of the
B.anthracis
population. We describe a new cluster in the main genetic line B for the first time.
Electronic supplementary material
The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-019-6060-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Brucellosis is one of the most pressing global zoonotic diseases, which is endemic in many regions of the world. It is believed that Brucella melitensis is the most pathogenic species of Brucella genus for humans. However, the processes underlying the pathogenicity of this pathogen remain not fully understood. In our study, we report on the first complete genome of the clinical B. melitensis strain isolated in Russia, perform structural and functional analysis of the genomic sequence, and evaluate the expression level of genes associated with virulence based on Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) data. The obtained information on the genetic similarities and differences between B. melitensis strains can be used to study the mechanisms responsible for the pathogenicity of Brucella spp., as well as in the process of developing new therapeutic and preventive strategies for controlling brucellosis.
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