Association of Campylobacter jejuni Metabolic Traits with Multilocus Sequence Types

Abstract

In this study, we describe the association of three Campylobacter jejuni metabolism-related traits, ␥-glutamyl-transpeptidase (GGT), fucose permease (fucP), and secreted L-asparaginase [ansB(s)], with multilocus sequence types (STs). A total of 710 C. jejuni isolates with known STs were selected and originated from humans, poultry, bovines, and the environment. Among these isolates, we found 31.1% to produce GGT and 49.3% and 30.3% to be positive for ansB(s) and fucP, respectively. The combination of GGT production, the presence of ansB(s), and the absence of fucP was associated with ST-22, ST-586, and the ST-45 and ST-283 clonal complexes (CCs), which were the main STs and CCs found among the human and chicken isolates. The ST-21 CC was associated with the presence of fucP and was the major CC among the bovine isolates. Although the ST-61 CC was the second major CC among the bovine isolates, these isolates did not have any of the markers studied, making the role of fucP in bovine gut colonization questionable. The ST-45 CC was subdivided into three groups that were attributed solely to ST-45. One group showed a marker combination described previously, another group was found to be positive for ansB(s) only, and the third group did not have any of the markers studied. These results suggest that the host association of these markers seems to be indirect and may arise as a consequence of host-ST and -CC associations. Thus, a representative collection of STs should be tested to draw sensible conclusions in similar studies.

Genome analysis of Campylobacter jejuni strains isolated from a waterborne outbreak

“…A total of 1,697 coding DNA sequences (CDSs) were identified in a coding area of 94.28% and function was predicted for ~73%. The strain belongs to ST-45 and, as previously observed in certain strains of the ST-45 complex, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, fucose permease and a secreted L-asparaginase were not detected [20]. The lipooligosaccharide (LOS) locus resembles class P of C. jejuni GB4 [21, 22], which is associated with a non-sialylated LOS outer core structure without ganglioside mimicry [22].…”

Genomic Variation between Campylobacter jejuni Isolates Associated with Milk-Borne-Disease Outbreaks

“…jejuni strains belonging to the ST-21 complex are regarded as generalists because they can colonize a multiplicity of hosts and because they are one of the most common clonal complexes that infect humans (2,11,23). A previous genomic study of ST-21 strains (the same clonal complex as ST-50) revealed an overall conservation of the genome synteny for this clonal complex, even though some interstrain diversity was observed (23).…”

“…The transmission of this disease is mostly through food or water, but the sources of infections remain mostly unrecognized because most cases are registered from single patients. However, epidemiological studies performed in different countries have shown that eating and handling of chickens are important risk factors for the acquisition of the illness (2,3). Epidemics associated with drinking unpasteurized milk are frequently reported (4).…”

Glucose Metabolism via the Entner-Doudoroff Pathway in Campylobacter: A Rare Trait that Enhances Survival and Promotes Biofilm Formation in Some Isolates

“…L -fucose is abundantly present in the mucosal layer of intestinal epithelial cells, originating from fucosylated mucin glycoproteins, and is taken up via the fucose permease FucP (Stahl et al, 2011). The fucP gene was found in 30.3% of 710 C. jejuni isolates by de Haan et al (2012) and 57.9% of 266 C. jejuni isolates by Zautner et al (2012), indicating that the ability to utilize L -fucose is quite common but not universal. The genes for L -fucose catabolism are encoded on a genomic island (Stahl et al, 2011) and in C. coli isolates, there is evidence that these genes have been introgressed from C. jejuni (Sheppard et al, 2013).…”