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Comparative genomic analysis reveals distinct genotypic features of the emerging pathogen Haemophilus influenzae type f

Su, Yu-Ching LU ; Resman, Fredrik LU ; Horhold, Franziska and Riesbeck, Kristian LU orcid (2014) In BMC Genomics 15(38).
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
The incidence of invasive disease caused by encapsulated Haemophilus influenzae type f (Hif) has increased in the post-H. influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine era. We previously annotated the first complete Hif genome from a clinical isolate (KR494) that caused septic shock and necrotizing myositis. Here, the full genome of Hif KR494 was compared to sequenced reference strains Hib 10810, capsule type d (Hid) Rd Kw20, and finally nontypeable H. influenzae 3655. The goal was to identify possible genomic characteristics that may shed light upon the pathogenesis of Hif.

RESULTS:
The Hif KR494 genome exhibited large regions of synteny with other H. influenzae, but also distinct genome rearrangements. A predicted Hif core... (More)
BACKGROUND:
The incidence of invasive disease caused by encapsulated Haemophilus influenzae type f (Hif) has increased in the post-H. influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine era. We previously annotated the first complete Hif genome from a clinical isolate (KR494) that caused septic shock and necrotizing myositis. Here, the full genome of Hif KR494 was compared to sequenced reference strains Hib 10810, capsule type d (Hid) Rd Kw20, and finally nontypeable H. influenzae 3655. The goal was to identify possible genomic characteristics that may shed light upon the pathogenesis of Hif.

RESULTS:
The Hif KR494 genome exhibited large regions of synteny with other H. influenzae, but also distinct genome rearrangements. A predicted Hif core genome of 1390 genes was shared with the reference strains, and 6 unique genomic regions comprising half of the 191 unique coding sequences were revealed. The majority of these regions were inserted genetic fragments, most likely derived from the closely-related Haemophilus spp. including H. aegyptius, H. haemolyticus and H. parainfluenzae. Importantly, the KR494 genome possessed several putative virulence genes that were distinct from non-type f strains. These included the sap2 operon, aef3 fimbriae, and genes for kanamycin nucleotidyltranserase, iron-utilization proteins, and putative YadA-like trimeric autotransporters that may increase the bacterial virulence. Furthermore, Hif KR494 lacked a hisABCDEFGH operon for de novo histidine biosynthesis, hmg locus for lipooligosaccharide biosynthesis and biofilm formation, the Haemophilus antibiotic resistance island and a Haemophilus secondary molybdate transport system. We confirmed the histidine auxotrophy and kanamycin resistance in Hif by functional experiments. Moreover, the pattern of unique or missing genes of Hif KR494 was similar in 20 Hif clinical isolates obtained from different years and geographical areas. A cross-species comparison revealed that the Hif genome shared more characteristics with H. aegyptius than Hid and NTHi.

CONCLUSIONS:
The genomic comparative analyses facilitated identification of genotypic characteristics that may be related to the specific virulence of Hif. In relation to non-type f H. influenzae strains, the Hif genome contains differences in components involved in metabolism and survival that may contribute to its invasiveness.

PMID: 24438474 PMCID: PMC3928620 DOI: 10.1186/1 (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Comparative genomics, Haemophilus influenzae serotype f, Invasive, Pathogen, Synteny, Virulence factor
in
BMC Genomics
volume
15
issue
38
article number
38
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • wos:000332568600001
  • pmid:24438474
  • scopus:84892472848
ISSN
1471-2164
DOI
10.1186/1471-2164-15-38
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
60d38ac1-b75f-412f-bd99-80d49af8ece4 (old id 4417453)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:43:42
date last changed
2022-03-29 22:30:44
@article{60d38ac1-b75f-412f-bd99-80d49af8ece4,
  abstract     = {{BACKGROUND:<br/>The incidence of invasive disease caused by encapsulated Haemophilus influenzae type f (Hif) has increased in the post-H. influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine era. We previously annotated the first complete Hif genome from a clinical isolate (KR494) that caused septic shock and necrotizing myositis. Here, the full genome of Hif KR494 was compared to sequenced reference strains Hib 10810, capsule type d (Hid) Rd Kw20, and finally nontypeable H. influenzae 3655. The goal was to identify possible genomic characteristics that may shed light upon the pathogenesis of Hif.<br/><br/>RESULTS:<br/>The Hif KR494 genome exhibited large regions of synteny with other H. influenzae, but also distinct genome rearrangements. A predicted Hif core genome of 1390 genes was shared with the reference strains, and 6 unique genomic regions comprising half of the 191 unique coding sequences were revealed. The majority of these regions were inserted genetic fragments, most likely derived from the closely-related Haemophilus spp. including H. aegyptius, H. haemolyticus and H. parainfluenzae. Importantly, the KR494 genome possessed several putative virulence genes that were distinct from non-type f strains. These included the sap2 operon, aef3 fimbriae, and genes for kanamycin nucleotidyltranserase, iron-utilization proteins, and putative YadA-like trimeric autotransporters that may increase the bacterial virulence. Furthermore, Hif KR494 lacked a hisABCDEFGH operon for de novo histidine biosynthesis, hmg locus for lipooligosaccharide biosynthesis and biofilm formation, the Haemophilus antibiotic resistance island and a Haemophilus secondary molybdate transport system. We confirmed the histidine auxotrophy and kanamycin resistance in Hif by functional experiments. Moreover, the pattern of unique or missing genes of Hif KR494 was similar in 20 Hif clinical isolates obtained from different years and geographical areas. A cross-species comparison revealed that the Hif genome shared more characteristics with H. aegyptius than Hid and NTHi.<br/><br/>CONCLUSIONS:<br/>The genomic comparative analyses facilitated identification of genotypic characteristics that may be related to the specific virulence of Hif. In relation to non-type f H. influenzae strains, the Hif genome contains differences in components involved in metabolism and survival that may contribute to its invasiveness.<br/><br/>PMID: 24438474 PMCID: PMC3928620 DOI: 10.1186/1}},
  author       = {{Su, Yu-Ching and Resman, Fredrik and Horhold, Franziska and Riesbeck, Kristian}},
  issn         = {{1471-2164}},
  keywords     = {{Comparative genomics; Haemophilus influenzae serotype f; Invasive; Pathogen; Synteny; Virulence factor}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{38}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{BMC Genomics}},
  title        = {{Comparative genomic analysis reveals distinct genotypic features of the emerging pathogen Haemophilus influenzae type f}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/4130566/4762097}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/1471-2164-15-38}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}