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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #194859
Title: HAS MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM SUBSP. PARATUBERCULOSIS ACQUIRED VIRULENCE FACTORS TO COMPENSATE FOR THE ABSENCE OF PE/PGRS/PPE GENES?

Author
item MARRI, PRADEEP - MCMASTER UNIV., ONTARIO
item Bannantine, John
item GOLDING, G - MCMASTER UNIV., ONTARIO

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/24/2006
Publication Date: 5/24/2006
Citation: Marri, P.R., Bannantine, J.P., Golding, G.B. 2006. Has Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis acquired virulence factors to compensate for the absence of PE/PGRS/PPE genes? [abstract]. Molecular Biology and Evolution Conference.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Bacterial genomes are constantly evolving to increase adaptability to their changing surroundings and generate evolutionary novelty. Comparison of the five sequenced mycobacterial genomes reveals that while Mycobacterium lepare has evolved by retaining a minimal gene set, Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) has evolved by the expansion of lipid metabolism gene families and loss of most of the acidic glycine rich proteins (PE/PGRS/PPE) present in M.tuberculosis. Comparative genomics of MAP with M.tuberculosis, M.bovis and M.leprae identified 804 genes that are specific to MAP. The analysis of these 804 genes identifed a set of 275 genes that have been recently acquired by lateral gene transfer. The presence of three large pathogenicity islands among the 275 genes indicates that MAP has probably evolved by acquiring some virulence factors to compensate the loss of acidic glycine rich proteins.