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Title: Whole-genome Sequencing of the Saprophyte L. biflexa and Comparative Genomics of Pathogoenic and Saprophytic Leptospira Species

Author
item PICARDEAU, MATHIEU - INSTITUT PASTEUR
item BULACH, DIETER - MONASH UNIV.
item BOUCHIER, CHRISTIANE - INSTITUT PASTEUR
item Zuerner, Richard
item ZIDANE, NORA - INSTITUT PASTEUR
item WILSON, PETER - AUSTRALIAN GENOME RES. F.
item CRENO, SOPHIE - INSTITUTE PASTEUR
item KUCZEK, ELIZABETH - AUSTRALIAN GENOME RES. F.
item BOMMEZZADRI, SIMONA - INSTITUTE PASTEUR
item DAVIS, JOHN - AUSTRALIAN GENOME RES. F.
item MCGRATH, ANNETTE - AUSTRALIAN GENOME RES. F.
item ROCHE, DAVID - GENOSCOPE
item JOHNSON, MATTHEW - AUSTRALIAN GENOME RES. F.
item BOURSAUX-ETUDE, CAROLINE - INSTITUT PASTEUR
item SEEMANN, TORSTEN - MONASH UNIV.
item ROUY, ZOE - GENOSCOPE
item COPPEL, ROSS - MONASH UNIV.
item ROOD, JULIAN - MONASH UNIV.
item LAJUS, AURELIE - GENOSCOPE
item DAVIES, JOHN - MONASH UNIV.
item MEDIGUE, CLAUDINE - GENOSCOPE
item ADLER, BEN - MONASH UNIV.

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/2007
Publication Date: 9/16/2007
Citation: Picardeau, M., Bulach, D.M., Bouchier, C., Zuerner, R.L., Zidane, N., Wilson, P.J., Creno, S., Kuczek, E.S., Bommezzadri, S., Davis, J.C., Mcgrath, A., Roche, D., Johnson, M.J., Boursaux-Etude, C., Seemann, T., Rouy, Z., Coppel, R.L., Rood, J.I., Lajus, A., Davies, J.K., Medigue, C., Adler, B. 2007. Whole-genome Sequencing of the Saprophyte L. biflexa and Comparative Genomics of Pathogoenic and Saprophytic Leptospira Species [abstract]. International Leptospirosis Society. p. 114.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: We present the complete genome sequences of Leptospira biflexa, a saprophyte that is used as a model for gene functional analysis in Leptospira spp. The L. biflexa genome has 3,730 protein-coding genes distributed across three circular replicons: two of which are chromosomes (3,600- and 278-kb in size), and a third 74-kb replicon of unknown function. Comparative sequence analysis suggests that L. biflexa is an appropriate and useful model to understand divergent evolution of saprophytic and pathogenic Leptospira species. By using L. biflexa as a reference, we provide insight into genetic changes leading to the evolution and divergence of pathogenic Leptospira species. Moreover, differences in gene content helped identify potential virulence genes possessed by pathogens that are lacking in the saprophyte genome. Analysis of these genetic differences among three Leptospira species revealed the presence of genes with a putative role in bacterial survival in water environments, thereby facilitating disease transmission.