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Kasimov V, White RT, Jelocnik M. Draft genomes of novel avian Chlamydia abortus strains from Australian Torresian crows ( Corvus orru) shed light on possible reservoir hosts and evolutionary pathways. Microb Genom 2023; 9. [PMID: 37991482 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia abortus, an obligate intracellular bacterium, is a major causative agent of reproductive loss in ruminants, with zoonotic potential. Though this pathogen is primarily known to infect livestock, recent studies have detected and isolated genetically distinct avian strains of C. abortus from wild birds globally. Before this study, only five avian C. abortus genomes were publicly available. Therefore, we performed culture-independent probe-based whole-genome sequencing on clinical swabs positive for avian C. abortus obtained from Australian Torresian crows (Corvus orru) in 2019 and 2020. We successfully obtained draft genomes for three avian C. abortus strains (C1, C2 and C3), each comprising draft chromosomes with lengths of 1 115 667, 1 120 231 and 1 082 115 bp, and associated 7 553 bp plasmids, with a genome completeness exceeding 92 %. Molecular characterization revealed that these three strains comprise a novel sequence type (ST333), whilst phylogenetic analyses placed all three strains in a cluster with other avian C. abortus genomes. Interestingly, these three strains share a distant genomic relation (2693 single nucleotide variants) with the reference strain 15-58d/44 (ST152), isolated from a Eurasian magpie (Pica pica) in Poland, highlighting the need for more publicly available genomes. Broad comparative analyses with other avian C. abortus genomes revealed that the three draft genomes contain conserved Chlamydia genomic features, including genes coding for type III secretion system and polymorphic membrane proteins, and potential virulence factors such as the large chlamydial cytotoxin, warranting further studies. This research provides the first avian C. abortus draft genomes from Australian birds, highlighting Torresian crows as novel reservoir hosts for these potential pathogens, and demonstrates a practical methodology for sequencing novel Chlamydia genomes without relying on traditional cell culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasilli Kasimov
- University of the Sunshine Coast, School of Science, Engineering and Technology, Sippy Downs, Sunshine Coast, QLD 4556, Australia
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Sunshine Coast, QLD 4557, Australia
| | - Rhys T White
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Martina Jelocnik
- University of the Sunshine Coast, School of Science, Engineering and Technology, Sippy Downs, Sunshine Coast, QLD 4556, Australia
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Sunshine Coast, QLD 4557, Australia
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2
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Feodorova VA, Zaitsev SS, Lyapina AM, Kichemazova NV, Saltykov YV, Khizhnyakova MA, Evstifeev VV, Larionova OS. Whole genome sequencing characteristics of Chlamydia psittaci caprine AMK-16 strain, a promising killed whole cell veterinary vaccine candidate against chlamydia infection. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0293612. [PMID: 37903115 PMCID: PMC10615304 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia psittaci is a primary zoonotic pathogen with a broad host range causing severe respiratory and reproductive system infection in animals and humans. To reduce the global burden of C. psittaci-associated diseases on animal welfare and health and to control the pathogen spread in husbandry, effective vaccines based on promising vaccine candidate(s) are required. Recently, the caprine C. psittaci AMK-16 strain (AMK-16) demonstrated a high level of protection (up to 80-100%) in outbred mice and pregnant rabbits immunized with these formaldehyde-inactivated bacteria against experimental chlamydial wild-type infection. This study investigated the molecular characteristics of AMK-16 by whole-genome sequencing followed by molecular typing, phylogenetic analysis and detection of main immunodominant protein(s) eliciting the immune response in mouse model. Similarly to other C. psittaci, AMK-16 harbored an extrachromosomal plasmid. The whole-genome phylogenetic analysis proved that AMK-16 strain belonging to ST28 clustered with only C. psittaci but not with Chlamydia abortus strains. However, AMK-16 possessed the insert which resulted from the recombination event as the additional single chromosome region of a 23,100 bp size with higher homology to C. abortus (98.38-99.94%) rather than to C. psittaci (92.06-92.55%). At least six of 16 CDSs were absent in AMK-16 plasticity zone and 41 CDSs in other loci compared with the reference C. psittaci 6BC strain. Two SNPs identified in the AMK-16 ompA sequence resulted in MOMP polymorphism followed by the formation of a novel genotype/subtype including three other C. psittaci strains else. AMK-16 MOMP provided marked specific cellular and humoral immune response in 100% of mice immunized with the inactivated AMK-16 bacteria. Both DnaK and GrpE encoded by the recombination region genes were less immunoreactive, inducing only a negligible T-cell murine immune response, while homologous antibodies could be detected in 50% and 30% of immunized mice, respectively. Thus, AMK-16 could be a promising vaccine candidate for the development of a killed whole cell vaccine against chlamydiosis in livestock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina A. Feodorova
- Laboratory for Fundamental and Applied Research, Department for Microbiology and Biotechnology, Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering Named After N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
| | - Sergey S. Zaitsev
- Laboratory for Fundamental and Applied Research, Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering Named After N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
| | - Anna M. Lyapina
- Laboratory for Fundamental and Applied Research, Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering Named After N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
| | - Natalya V. Kichemazova
- Laboratory for Fundamental and Applied Research, Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering Named After N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
| | - Yury V. Saltykov
- Laboratory for Fundamental and Applied Research, Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering Named After N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
| | - Mariya A. Khizhnyakova
- Laboratory for Fundamental and Applied Research, Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering Named After N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
| | - Vitaliy V. Evstifeev
- Laboratory of Viral and Chlamydial Infections, Federal Center for Toxicological, Radiation and Biological Safety, Kazan, Russia
- Department of Microbiology, Virology and Immunology, Kazan State Academy of Veterinary Medicine by N.E. Bauman, Kazan City, Russia
| | - Olga S. Larionova
- Laboratory for Fundamental and Applied Research, Department for Microbiology and Biotechnology, Saratov State University of Genetics, Biotechnology and Engineering Named After N.I. Vavilov, Saratov, Russia
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Sachse K, Hölzer M, Vorimore F, Barf LM, Sachse C, Laroucau K, Marz M, Lamkiewicz K. Genomic analysis of 61 Chlamydia psittaci strains reveals extensive divergence associated with host preference. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:288. [PMID: 37248517 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09370-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chlamydia (C.) psittaci, the causative agent of avian chlamydiosis and human psittacosis, is a genetically heterogeneous species. Its broad host range includes parrots and many other birds, but occasionally also humans (via zoonotic transmission), ruminants, horses, swine and rodents. To assess whether there are genetic markers associated with host tropism we comparatively analyzed whole-genome sequences of 61 C. psittaci strains, 47 of which carrying a 7.6-kbp plasmid. RESULTS Following clean-up, reassembly and polishing of poorly assembled genomes from public databases, phylogenetic analyses using C. psittaci whole-genome sequence alignment revealed four major clades within this species. Clade 1 represents the most recent lineage comprising 40/61 strains and contains 9/10 of the psittacine strains, including type strain 6BC, and 10/13 of human isolates. Strains from different non-psittacine hosts clustered in Clades 2- 4. We found that clade membership correlates with typing schemes based on SNP types, ompA genotypes, multilocus sequence types as well as plasticity zone (PZ) structure and host preference. Genome analysis also revealed that i) sequence variation in the major outer membrane porin MOMP can result in 3D structural changes of immunogenic domains, ii) past host change of Clade 3 and 4 strains could be associated with loss of MAC/perforin in the PZ, rather than the large cytotoxin, iii) the distinct phylogeny of atypical strains (Clades 3 and 4) is also reflected in their repertoire of inclusion proteins (Inc family) and polymorphic membrane proteins (Pmps). CONCLUSIONS Our study identified a number of genomic features that can be correlated with the phylogeny and host preference of C. psittaci strains. Our data show that intra-species genomic divergence is associated with past host change and includes deletions in the plasticity zone, structural variations in immunogenic domains and distinct repertoires of virulence factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konrad Sachse
- RNA Bioinformatics and High-Throughput Analysis, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743, Jena, Germany.
| | - Martin Hölzer
- Methodology and Research Infrastructure, Bioinformatics, Robert Koch Institute, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Fabien Vorimore
- Laboratory for Animal Health, Identypath, ANSES Maisons-Alfort, Paris-Est University, 94706, Paris, France
| | - Lisa-Marie Barf
- RNA Bioinformatics and High-Throughput Analysis, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Carsten Sachse
- Ernst-Ruska Centre 3 / Structural Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52425, Jülich, Germany
- Institute for Biological Information Processing 6 / Structural Cellular Biology, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52425, Jülich, Germany
- Department of Biology, Heinrich Heine University, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Karine Laroucau
- Laboratory for Animal Health, Bacterial Zoonosis Unit, ANSES Maisons-Alfort, Paris-Est University, 94706, Paris, France
| | - Manja Marz
- RNA Bioinformatics and High-Throughput Analysis, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Kevin Lamkiewicz
- RNA Bioinformatics and High-Throughput Analysis, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743, Jena, Germany
- JRG Analytical MicroBioinformatics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743, Jena, Germany
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Luu LDW, Kasimov V, Phillips S, Myers GSA, Jelocnik M. Genome organization and genomics in Chlamydia: whole genome sequencing increases understanding of chlamydial virulence, evolution, and phylogeny. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1178736. [PMID: 37287464 PMCID: PMC10242142 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1178736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The genus Chlamydia contains important obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens to humans and animals, including C. trachomatis and C. pneumoniae. Since 1998, when the first Chlamydia genome was published, our understanding of how these microbes interact, evolved and adapted to different intracellular host environments has been transformed due to the expansion of chlamydial genomes. This review explores the current state of knowledge in Chlamydia genomics and how whole genome sequencing has revolutionised our understanding of Chlamydia virulence, evolution, and phylogeny over the past two and a half decades. This review will also highlight developments in multi-omics and other approaches that have complemented whole genome sequencing to advance knowledge of Chlamydia pathogenesis and future directions for chlamydial genomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurence Don Wai Luu
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Vasilli Kasimov
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
- School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
| | - Samuel Phillips
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
| | - Garry S. A. Myers
- Australian Institute for Microbiology and Infection, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Martina Jelocnik
- Centre for Bioinnovation, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, Australia
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5
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Cheng A, Wan D, Ghatak A, Wang C, Feng D, Fondell JD, Ebright RH, Fan H. Identification and Structural Modeling of the RNA Polymerase Omega Subunits in Chlamydiae and Other Obligate Intracellular Bacteria. mBio 2023; 14:e0349922. [PMID: 36719197 PMCID: PMC9973325 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03499-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene transcription in bacteria is carried out by the multisubunit RNA polymerase (RNAP), which is composed of a catalytic core enzyme and a promoter-recognizing σ factor. The core enzyme comprises two α subunits, one β subunit, one β' subunit, and one ω subunit. The ω subunit plays critical roles in the assembly of the core enzyme and other cellular functions, including the regulation of bacterial growth, the stress response, and biofilm formation. However, the identity of an ω subunit for the obligate intracellular bacterium Chlamydia has not previously been determined. Here, we report the identification of the hypothetical protein CTL0286 as the probable chlamydial ω subunit based on sequence, synteny, and AlphaFold and AlphaFold-Multimer three-dimensional-structure predictions. Our findings indicate that CTL0286 functions as the missing ω subunit of chlamydial RNAP. Our extended analysis also indicates that all obligate intracellular bacteria have ω orthologs. IMPORTANCE Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular bacteria that replicate only inside eukaryotic cells. Previously, it has not been possible to identify a candidate gene encoding the chlamydial RNA polymerase ω subunit, and it has been hypothesized that the chlamydial RNA polymerase ω subunit was lost in the evolutionary process through which Chlamydiae reduced their genome size and proteome sizes to adapt to an obligate intracellular lifestyle. Here, we report the identification of the chlamydial RNA polymerase ω subunit, based on conserved sequence, conserved synteny, AlphaFold-predicted conserved three-dimensional structure, and AlfaFold-Multimer-predicted conserved interactions. Our identification of the previously elusive chlamydial RNA polymerase ω subunit sets the stage for investigation of its roles in regulation of gene expression during chlamydial growth, development, and stress responses, and sets the stage for preparation and study of the intact chlamydial RNA polymerase and its interactions with inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Cheng
- Department of Pharmacology, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Danny Wan
- Department of Pharmacology, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Graduate Program in Physiology and Integrative Biology, Rutgers School of Graduate Studies, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Arkaprabha Ghatak
- Department of Pharmacology, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Chengyuan Wang
- Center for Microbes, Development and Health, CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Deyu Feng
- Center for Microbes, Development and Health, CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Joseph D. Fondell
- Department of Pharmacology, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Richard H. Ebright
- Waksman Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Huizhou Fan
- Department of Pharmacology, Rutgers-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
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6
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Chlamydia abortus Isolation and Identification in Aborted Ovine Fetus in Mari El Republic of Russia. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11121408. [PMID: 36558742 PMCID: PMC9784139 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11121408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Reproductive disorders, presumably caused by Chlamydia abortus, are common among the ovine population of the Mari El Republic, Russia. C. abortus infection was determined by serologic testing or isolation and detection of the organism by PCR and direct immunofluorescence in tissue samples. Rams, ewes, and lambs (10 individuals each) were randomly chosen for serological testing by the complement fixation test and 7 of 30 (23%) animals tested were positive. Tissue samples were collected from ewes and aborted fetuses for isolation by inoculating chicken embryo yolk sacs (n = 41). The same samples were analyzed by PCR using commercial and in-house PCR kits and by direct immunofluorescence. C. abortus was detected in 58.5% of samples using PCR and in 60.9% of the samples by direct immunofluorescence. Five Chlamydia isolates were cultured in egg yolk sacs and adapted for growth in cell cultures. Phylogenetic analysis showed no substantial difference between Russian isolates and those from other parts of the world. The results of the study further demonstrate the usefulness of PCR for detection of C. abortus as a faster, simpler, and more reliable approach in comparison to culturing the organism and underscoring the necessity of screening for chlamydiosis as a cause of ovine abortion.
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7
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Diop A, Torrance EL, Stott CM, Bobay LM. Gene flow and introgression are pervasive forces shaping the evolution of bacterial species. Genome Biol 2022; 23:239. [PMID: 36357919 PMCID: PMC9650840 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-022-02809-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although originally thought to evolve clonally, studies have revealed that most bacteria exchange DNA. However, it remains unclear to what extent gene flow shapes the evolution of bacterial genomes and maintains the cohesion of species. RESULTS Here, we analyze the patterns of gene flow within and between >2600 bacterial species. Our results show that fewer than 10% of bacterial species are truly clonal, indicating that purely asexual species are rare in nature. We further demonstrate that the taxonomic criterion of ~95% genome sequence identity routinely used to define bacterial species does not accurately represent a level of divergence that imposes an effective barrier to gene flow across bacterial species. Interruption of gene flow can occur at various sequence identities across lineages, generally from 90 to 98% genome identity. This likely explains why a ~95% genome sequence identity threshold has empirically been judged as a good approximation to define bacterial species. Our results support a universal mechanism where the availability of identical genomic DNA segments required to initiate homologous recombination is the primary determinant of gene flow and species boundaries in bacteria. We show that these barriers of gene flow remain porous since many distinct species maintain some level of gene flow, similar to introgression in sexual organisms. CONCLUSIONS Overall, bacterial evolution and speciation are likely shaped by similar forces driving the evolution of sexual organisms. Our findings support a model where the interruption of gene flow-although not necessarily the initial cause of speciation-leads to the establishment of permanent and irreversible species borders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Awa Diop
- grid.266860.c0000 0001 0671 255XDepartment of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, 321 McIver Street, PO Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402 USA
| | - Ellis L. Torrance
- grid.266860.c0000 0001 0671 255XDepartment of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, 321 McIver Street, PO Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402 USA
| | - Caroline M. Stott
- grid.266860.c0000 0001 0671 255XDepartment of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, 321 McIver Street, PO Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402 USA
| | - Louis-Marie Bobay
- grid.266860.c0000 0001 0671 255XDepartment of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, North Carolina, 321 McIver Street, PO Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402 USA
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8
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White RT, Anstey SI, Kasimov V, Jenkins C, Devlin J, El-Hage C, Pannekoek Y, Legione AR, Jelocnik M. One clone to rule them all: Culture-independent genomics of Chlamydia psittaci from equine and avian hosts in Australia. Microb Genom 2022; 8. [PMID: 36269227 PMCID: PMC9676050 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.000888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia psittaci is an avian pathogen with zoonotic potential. In Australia, C. psittaci has been well reported as a cause of reproductive loss in mares which subsequently have been the source of infection and illness in some in-contact humans. To date, molecular typing studies describe the predominant and clonal C. psittaci sequence type (ST)24 strains in horse, psittacine, and human infections. We sought to assess the clonality between ST24 strains and the emergence of equine ST24 with a comprehensive genomics approach. We used culture-independent probe-based and metagenomic whole-genome sequencing to investigate 13 C. psittaci genomes from horses, psittacines, and a pigeon from Australia. Published genomes of 36 C. psittaci strains were also used to contextualise our Australian dataset and investigate lineage diversity. We utilised a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) based clustering and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) approach. C. psittaci has four major phylogenetic groups (PG1-4) based on core-genome SNP-based phylogeny. PG1 contained clonal global and Australian equine, psittacine, and human ST24 genomes, with a median pairwise SNP distance of 68 SNPs. PG2, PG3, and PG4 had greater genomic diversity, including diverse STs collected from birds, livestock, human, and horse hosts from Europe and North America and a racing pigeon from Australia. We show that the clustering of C. psittaci by MLST was congruent with SNP-based phylogeny. The monophyletic ST24 clade has four major sub-lineages. The genomes of 17 Australian human, equine, and psittacine strains collected between 2008 and 2021 formed the predominant ST24 sub-lineage 1 (emerged circa 1979). Despite a temporal distribution of 13 years, the genomes within sub-lineage 1 had a median pairwise SNP distance of 32 SNPs, suggesting a recent population expansion or potential cross-host transmission. However, two C. psittaci genomes collected in 2015 from Victorian parrots clustered into distinct ST24 sub-lineage 4 (emerged circa 1965) with ovine strain C19/98 from Germany. This work describes a comprehensive phylogenomic characterisation of ST24 and identifies a timeline of potential bird-to-equine spillover events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhys T White
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Centre for Bioinnovation, Sippy Downs, Sunshine Coast, Queensland 4557, Australia.,The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.,The University of Queensland, Australian Centre for Ecogenomics, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Susan I Anstey
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Centre for Bioinnovation, Sippy Downs, Sunshine Coast, Queensland 4557, Australia
| | - Vasilli Kasimov
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Centre for Bioinnovation, Sippy Downs, Sunshine Coast, Queensland 4557, Australia
| | - Cheryl Jenkins
- NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Menangle, New South Wales 2568, Australia
| | - Joanne Devlin
- The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Veterinary School, Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Charles El-Hage
- The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Veterinary School, Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Yvonne Pannekoek
- University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Amsterdam 1105, The Netherlands
| | - Alistair R Legione
- The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Veterinary School, Asia Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Martina Jelocnik
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Centre for Bioinnovation, Sippy Downs, Sunshine Coast, Queensland 4557, Australia
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9
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Thomas KM, Kibona T, Claxton JR, de Glanville WA, Lankester F, Amani N, Buza JJ, Carter RW, Chapman GE, Crump JA, Dagleish MP, Halliday JEB, Hamilton CM, Innes EA, Katzer F, Livingstone M, Longbottom D, Millins C, Mmbaga BT, Mosha V, Nyarobi J, Nyasebwa OM, Russell GC, Sanka PN, Semango G, Wheelhouse N, Willett BJ, Cleaveland S, Allan KJ. Prospective cohort study reveals unexpected aetiologies of livestock abortion in northern Tanzania. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11669. [PMID: 35803982 PMCID: PMC9270399 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15517-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Livestock abortion is an important cause of productivity losses worldwide and many infectious causes of abortion are zoonotic pathogens that impact on human health. Little is known about the relative importance of infectious causes of livestock abortion in Africa, including in subsistence farming communities that are critically dependent on livestock for food, income, and wellbeing. We conducted a prospective cohort study of livestock abortion, supported by cross-sectional serosurveillance, to determine aetiologies of livestock abortions in livestock in Tanzania. This approach generated several important findings including detection of a Rift Valley fever virus outbreak in cattle; high prevalence of C. burnetii infection in livestock; and the first report of Neospora caninum, Toxoplasma gondii, and pestiviruses associated with livestock abortion in Tanzania. Our approach provides a model for abortion surveillance in resource-limited settings. Our findings add substantially to current knowledge in sub-Saharan Africa, providing important evidence from which to prioritise disease interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate M Thomas
- Centre for International Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
- Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute, Good Samaritan Foundation, Moshi, United Republic of Tanzania.
- Ministry for Primary Industries, New Zealand Food Safety, Wellington, New Zealand.
| | - Tito Kibona
- Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Tengeru, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - John R Claxton
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - William A de Glanville
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Felix Lankester
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
- Global Animal Health Tanzania, Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Nelson Amani
- Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute, Good Samaritan Foundation, Moshi, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Joram J Buza
- Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Tengeru, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Ryan W Carter
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Gail E Chapman
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - John A Crump
- Centre for International Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Moshi, United Republic of Tanzania
| | | | - Jo E B Halliday
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Caroline Millins
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Blandina T Mmbaga
- Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute, Good Samaritan Foundation, Moshi, United Republic of Tanzania
- Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Moshi, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Victor Mosha
- Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute, Good Samaritan Foundation, Moshi, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - James Nyarobi
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Obed M Nyasebwa
- Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Zonal Veterinary Centre-Arusha, Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania
| | | | - Paul N Sanka
- Tanzania Veterinary Laboratory Agency, Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - George Semango
- Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Tengeru, United Republic of Tanzania
| | - Nick Wheelhouse
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Brian J Willett
- Medical Research Council, University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Sarah Cleaveland
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Kathryn J Allan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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Marti H, Suchland RJ, Rockey DD. The Impact of Lateral Gene Transfer in Chlamydia. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:861899. [PMID: 35321311 PMCID: PMC8936141 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.861899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Lateral gene transfer (LGT) facilitates many processes in bacterial ecology and pathogenesis, especially regarding pathogen evolution and the spread of antibiotic resistance across species. The obligate intracellular chlamydiae, which cause a range of diseases in humans and animals, were historically thought to be highly deficient in this process. However, research over the past few decades has demonstrated that this was not the case. The first reports of homologous recombination in the Chlamydiaceae family were published in the early 1990s. Later, the advent of whole-genome sequencing uncovered clear evidence for LGT in the evolution of the Chlamydiaceae, although the acquisition of tetracycline resistance in Chlamydia (C.) suis is the only recent instance of interphylum LGT. In contrast, genome and in vitro studies have shown that intraspecies DNA exchange occurs frequently and can even cross species barriers between closely related chlamydiae, such as between C. trachomatis, C. muridarum, and C. suis. Additionally, whole-genome analysis led to the identification of various DNA repair and recombination systems in C. trachomatis, but the exact machinery of DNA uptake and homologous recombination in the chlamydiae has yet to be fully elucidated. Here, we reviewed the current state of knowledge concerning LGT in Chlamydia by focusing on the effect of homologous recombination on the chlamydial genome, the recombination machinery, and its potential as a genetic tool for Chlamydia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Marti
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Hanna Marti,
| | - Robert J. Suchland
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Daniel D. Rockey
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, United States
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11
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Barati S, Bakhtiari NM, Shokoohizadeh L, Ghorbanpoor M, Momtaz H. Genotyping of Chlamydia abortus using multiple loci variable number of tandem repeats analysis technique. BMC Vet Res 2022; 18:54. [PMID: 35073930 PMCID: PMC8785486 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-022-03142-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The correlation between various factors (geographical region, clinical incidence, and host type) and the genomic heterogeneity has been shown in several bacterial strains including Chlamydia abortus. Methods The aim of this study was to survey the predominant types of C. abortus strains isolated from ruminants in Iran by the multiple loci variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) method. C. abortus infection was evaluated in a total of 117 aborted fetuses by real-time PCR. The isolation was done via the inoculation of the positive samples in chicken embryo and the L929 cell line. Genotyping was carried out by MLVA typing technique. Results Forty samples (34.2%) were detected with C. abortus infection; however, chlamydial infection in ruminants of Charmahal/Bakhtiari (3 bovines and 35 sheep) was higher than that of Khuzestan (2 sheep). All MLVA types (MT1-MT8) were detected in the collected samples from Charmahal/Bakhtiari but only 2 types (MT1 and MT3) were reported in samples from Khuzestan. The main MT type was MT1 (32% of aborted fetuses). Although in this study only 9 cow samples were investigated, they possessed similar clusters to those obtained from sheep (MT1 and MT6). Variation of type in sheep samples (MT1 to MT8) was more than that of bovine samples (MT1, and MT6). Conclusion By this research revealed that C.abortus was responsible for a significant percentage of ruminant abortion in two studied regions. The main MT type was MT1 (32% of aborted fetuses) and also 7 different genotypes were involved in infections. So it is concluded that diversity in C.abortus genotyping is high in two regions.
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12
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Occurrence of Chlamydiaceae and Chlamydia felis pmp9 Typing in Conjunctival and Rectal Samples of Swiss Stray and Pet Cats. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10080951. [PMID: 34451415 PMCID: PMC8400119 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10080951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia (C.) felis primarily replicates in feline conjunctival epithelial cells and is an important cause of conjunctivitis in cats. Data on C. felis infection rates in stray cats in Switzerland has been missing so far. We performed a qPCR-based Chlamydiaceae-screening on 565 conjunctival and 387 rectal samples from 309 stray and 86 pet cats followed by Chlamydia species identification and C. felis typing using the gene pmp9, which encodes a polymorphic membrane protein. Overall, 19.1% of the stray and 11.6% of the pet cats were Chlamydiaceae-positive with significantly higher rates in cats displaying signs of conjunctivitis (37.1%) compared to healthy animals (6.9%). Rectal shedding of Chlamydiaceae occurred in 25.0% of infected cats and was mostly associated with concurrent ocular positivity (87.5%). In 92.2% of positive conjunctival and rectal samples, the Chlamydia species was identified as C. felis and in 2.6% as C. abortus. The C. felis pmp9 gene was very conserved in the sampled population with only one single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in one conjunctival sample. In conclusion, C. felis strains are circulating in Swiss cats, are associated with conjunctivitis, have a low pmp9 genetic variability, and are rectally shed in about 16% of positive cases.
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Longbottom D, Livingstone M, Ribeca P, Beeckman DSA, van der Ende A, Pannekoek Y, Vanrompay D. Whole genome de novo sequencing and comparative genomic analyses suggests that Chlamydia psittaci strain 84/2334 should be reclassified as Chlamydia abortus species. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:159. [PMID: 33676404 PMCID: PMC7937271 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07477-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chlamydia abortus and Chlamydia psittaci are important pathogens of livestock and avian species, respectively. While C. abortus is recognized as descended from C. psittaci species, there is emerging evidence of strains that are intermediary between the two species, suggesting they are recent evolutionary ancestors of C. abortus. Such strains include C. psittaci strain 84/2334 that was isolated from a parrot. Our aim was to classify this strain by sequencing its genome and explore its evolutionary relationship to both C. abortus and C. psittaci. RESULTS In this study, methods based on multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) of seven housekeeping genes and on typing of five species discriminant proteins showed that strain 84/2334 clustered with C. abortus species. Furthermore, whole genome de novo sequencing of the strain revealed greater similarity to C. abortus in terms of GC content, while 16S rRNA and whole genome phylogenetic analysis, as well as network and recombination analysis showed that the strain clusters more closely with C. abortus strains. The analysis also suggested a closer evolutionary relationship between this strain and the major C. abortus clade, than to two other intermediary avian C. abortus strains or C. psittaci strains. Molecular analyses of genes (polymorphic membrane protein and transmembrane head protein genes) and loci (plasticity zone), found in key virulence-associated regions that exhibit greatest diversity within and between chlamydial species, reveal greater diversity than present in sequenced C. abortus genomes as well as similar features to both C. abortus and C. psittaci species. The strain also possesses an extrachromosomal plasmid, as found in most C. psittaci species but absent from all sequenced classical C. abortus strains. CONCLUSION Overall, the results show that C. psittaci strain 84/2334 clusters very closely with C. abortus strains, and are consistent with the strain being a recent C. abortus ancestral species. This suggests that the strain should be reclassified as C. abortus. Furthermore, the identification of a C. abortus strain bearing an extra-chromosomal plasmid has implications for plasmid-based transformation studies to investigate gene function as well as providing a potential route for the development of a next generation vaccine to protect livestock from C. abortus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Longbottom
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ, UK.
| | - Morag Livingstone
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ, UK
| | - Paolo Ribeca
- Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3FD, UK
| | - Delphine Sylvie Anne Beeckman
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium.,Current address: BASF Belgium Coordination Center CommV - Innovation Center Gent, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Arie van der Ende
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Yvonne Pannekoek
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Daisy Vanrompay
- Department of Animal Science and Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium
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14
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Arif ED, Saeed NM, Rachid SK. Isolation and Identification of Chlamydia abortus from Aborted Ewes in Sulaimani Province, Northern Iraq. Pol J Microbiol 2020; 69:1-7. [PMID: 32108450 PMCID: PMC7256821 DOI: 10.33073/pjm-2020-009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Abortion in small ruminants is a significant problem in Iraq and causes severe economic losses in sheep farms. Chlamydia abortus causes enzootic abortion in ewes and is associated with reproductive problems in sheep in Sulaimani province – Northern Iraq. During a lambing season in 2017, abortion was widespread among several sheep flocks in different regions of Sulaimani (Kalar, Said Sadiq, and Chamchamal), and C. abortus was one of the causes. Accordingly, we carried out this study to isolate and identify C. abortus in aborted ewes in these regions. We collected 30 samples of aborted fetuses from five herds in which abortions had been observed. The pathogen isolation was done by inoculation into embryonated chicken eggs and conventional PCR was used to identify C. abortus in clinical specimens. C. abortus was identified in one of the 30 aborted fetuses (3.33%) from the Kalar district, and all the remaining 29 samples (96.66%) were found positive to Brucella abortus. The gene ompA encoding the outer membrane protein of C. abortus was sequenced and got the accession number MK643153 in NCBI GenBank. The sequence was named C. abortus strain Sul/2017. Our isolate showed 99.79% homology with Sul/014 (accession No. KY399850) and differed from the latter by two amino acid substitutions at E115K and K259N. The topology of the phylogenetic tree based on the ompA gene showed that the isolate belongs to C. abortus and has a common ancestor with isolates of sheep in Iraq and Tunisia with accession numbers KY399850 and HQ62243, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eman Dhahir Arif
- Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sulaimani , New Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region , Northern Iraq
| | - Nahla Muhammad Saeed
- Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sulaimani , New Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region , Northern Iraq
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15
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Selim A, Manaa EA, Waheed RM, Alanazi AD. Seroprevalence, associated risk factors analysis and first molecular characterization of chlamydia abortus among Egyptian sheep. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2020; 74:101600. [PMID: 33260020 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2020.101600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Chlamydia abortus is one of the most common abortive agents worldwide in sheep. Few studies have been reported C. abortus infection among sheep in Egypt but the available data is scarce. The objective of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence of C. abortus among sheep, the associated risk factors and its molecular characterization. The present study was conducted on 675 sheep in six Governorates at Northern Egypt. Data analysis confirmed the presence of antibodies against C. abortus in 93 out of 675 sheep. The logistic regression model was fitted to identify the associated risk factors with C. abortus infection. The results revealed that C. abortus increased significantly in ewes (OR = 4.04, 95 %CI: 1.44-11.28) during autumn season (OR = 3.6, 95 %CI: 1.64-8.28), in ewes with a history of abortion (OR = 1.4, 95 %CI: 0.87-2.50) and in farm where no lambing pen (OR = 2.2, 95 %CI: 1.30-3.94) or abscence of post abortion measures (OR = 1.96, 95%CI: 1.23-3.12). In addition, age, flock size and exchange of breeding ram had no significant effect on prevalence of chlamydiosis. Also, PCR assay was confirmed presence of C. abortus as accusative pathogen in aborted ewe and the genetic characterization of Egyptian C. abortus strain revealed 100 % identity with another strain from Iraq. A control program should be applied to reduce economic losses and risk of human infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelfattah Selim
- Department of Animal Medicine (Infectious Diseases), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Toukh, 13736, Egypt.
| | - Eman A Manaa
- Animal and Poultry Production, Department of Animal Wealth Development, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Egypt
| | - Rania M Waheed
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Toukh, 13736, Egypt
| | - Abdullah D Alanazi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Humanities, Shaqra University, P.O. Box 1040 Ad-Dawadimi, 11911, Saudi Arabia
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Hölzer M, Barf LM, Lamkiewicz K, Vorimore F, Lataretu M, Favaroni A, Schnee C, Laroucau K, Marz M, Sachse K. Comparative Genome Analysis of 33 Chlamydia Strains Reveals Characteristic Features of Chlamydia Psittaci and Closely Related Species. Pathogens 2020; 9:E899. [PMID: 33126635 PMCID: PMC7694038 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9110899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
To identify genome-based features characteristic of the avian and human pathogen Chlamydia(C.) psittaci and related chlamydiae, we analyzed whole-genome sequences of 33 strains belonging to 12 species. Using a novel genome analysis tool termed Roary ILP Bacterial Annotation Pipeline (RIBAP), this panel of strains was shown to share a large core genome comprising 784 genes and representing approximately 80% of individual genomes. Analyzing the most variable genomic sites, we identified a set of features of C. psittaci that in its entirety is characteristic of this species: (i) a relatively short plasticity zone of less than 30,000 nt without a tryptophan operon (also in C. abortus, C. avium, C. gallinacea, C. pneumoniae), (ii) a characteristic set of of Inc proteins comprising IncA, B, C, V, X, Y (with homologs in C. abortus, C. caviae and C. felis as closest relatives), (iii) a 502-aa SinC protein, the largest among Chlamydia spp., and (iv) an elevated number of Pmp proteins of subtype G (14 in C. psittaci, 14 in Cand. C. ibidis). In combination with future functional studies, the common and distinctive criteria revealed in this study provide important clues for understanding the complexity of host-specific behavior of individual Chlamydia spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Hölzer
- RNA Bioinformatics and High-Throughput Analysis, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany; (M.H.); (L.-M.B.); (K.L.); (M.L.); (M.M.)
| | - Lisa-Marie Barf
- RNA Bioinformatics and High-Throughput Analysis, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany; (M.H.); (L.-M.B.); (K.L.); (M.L.); (M.M.)
| | - Kevin Lamkiewicz
- RNA Bioinformatics and High-Throughput Analysis, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany; (M.H.); (L.-M.B.); (K.L.); (M.L.); (M.M.)
| | - Fabien Vorimore
- Animal Health Laboratory, Bacterial Zoonoses Unit, University Paris-Est, Anses, 94706 Maisons-Alfort, France; (F.V.); (K.L.)
| | - Marie Lataretu
- RNA Bioinformatics and High-Throughput Analysis, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany; (M.H.); (L.-M.B.); (K.L.); (M.L.); (M.M.)
| | - Alison Favaroni
- Institute of Molecular Pathogenesis, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health), 07743 Jena, Germany; (A.F.); (C.S.)
| | - Christiane Schnee
- Institute of Molecular Pathogenesis, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (Federal Research Institute for Animal Health), 07743 Jena, Germany; (A.F.); (C.S.)
| | - Karine Laroucau
- Animal Health Laboratory, Bacterial Zoonoses Unit, University Paris-Est, Anses, 94706 Maisons-Alfort, France; (F.V.); (K.L.)
| | - Manja Marz
- RNA Bioinformatics and High-Throughput Analysis, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany; (M.H.); (L.-M.B.); (K.L.); (M.L.); (M.M.)
| | - Konrad Sachse
- RNA Bioinformatics and High-Throughput Analysis, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany; (M.H.); (L.-M.B.); (K.L.); (M.L.); (M.M.)
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Sun LX, Liang QL, Hu XH, Li Z, Yang JF, Zou FC, Zhu XQ. First Report of Chlamydia Seroprevalence and Risk Factors in Domestic Black-Boned Sheep and Goats in China. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:363. [PMID: 32766288 PMCID: PMC7380085 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The Gram-negative bacteria of the genus Chlamydia cause a wide range of diseases in humans and animals. The seroprevalence of Chlamydia in domestic black-boned sheep and goats in China is unknown. In this survey, a total of 481 serum samples were collected randomly from domestic black-boned sheep and goats from three counties in Yunnan province, southwest China, from July to August 2017. The sera were examined by an indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA). Antibodies to Chlamydia were detected in 100/481 [20.79%, 95% confidence interval (CI), 17.16–24.42] serum samples (IHA titer ≥1:64). The Chlamydia seroprevalence ranged from 12.21% (95% CI, 7.81–16.61) to 30.89% (95% CI, 22.72–39.06) across different regions in Yunnan province, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.01). The seroprevalence in male domestic black-boned sheep and goats (28.64%; 95% CI, 22.36–34.92) was significantly higher than that in the females (15.25%; 95% CI, 11.05–19.45) (P < 0.01). However, there was no statistically significant difference in Chlamydia seroprevalence in domestic black-boned sheep and goats between ages and species (P > 0.05). To our knowledge, this is the first report of Chlamydia seroprevalence in domestic black-boned sheep and goats in Yunnan Province, southwest China. These data provide baseline information for future implementation of measures to control Chlamydia infection in these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Xiu Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Qin-Li Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Hui Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhao Li
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of Yunnan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, China
| | - Jian-Fa Yang
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of Yunnan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, China
| | - Feng-Cai Zou
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of Yunnan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, China
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China
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18
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Szabo KV, O’Neill CE, Clarke IN. Diversity in Chlamydial plasmids. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0233298. [PMID: 32469898 PMCID: PMC7259575 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Evolutionary studies have been conducted that have investigated the chromosomal variance in the genus of Chlamydia. However, no all-encompassing genus-wide comparison has been performed on the plasmid. Therefore, there is a gap in the current knowledge on Chlamydia plasmid diversity. Aims This project is aimed to investigate and establish the nature and extent of diversity across the entire genus of Chlamydia, by comparing the sequences of all currently available plasmid carrying strains. Methods The PUBMED database was used to identify plasmid sequences from all available strains that met the set quality criteria for their inclusion in the study. Alignments were performed on the 51 strains that fulfilled the criteria using MEGA X software. Following that Maximum Likelihood estimation was used to construct 11 phylogenetic trees of the whole plasmid sequence, the individual 8 coding sequences, the iteron and a chromosomal gene ompA as a comparator. Results The genus-wide plasmid phylogeny produced three distinct lineages labelled as alpha, beta and gamma. Nineteen genotypes were found in the initial whole plasmid analysis. Their distribution was allocated as six C. pecorum, two C. pneumoniae, one C. gallinacea, one C. avium, one C. caviae, one C. felis, two C. psittaci, one C. trachomatis, one C. muridarum, and two C. suis. The chromosomal comparative gene ompA supported this distribution, with the same number of primary clades with the same species distribution. However, ompA sequence comparison resulted in fewer genotypes due to a reduced amount of available sequences (33 out of 51). All results were statistically significant. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that the common bacterial ancestor of all the species had a plasmid, which has diverged over time. Moreover, it suggests that there is a strong evolutionary selection towards these species retaining their plasmids due to its high level of conservation across the genus, with the notable exception of C. pneumoniae. Furthermore, the evolutionary analysis showed that the plasmid and the chromosome have co-evolved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kolos V. Szabo
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Colette E. O’Neill
- Molecular Microbiology Group, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom
| | - Ian N. Clarke
- Molecular Microbiology Group, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom
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19
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Nie F, Gong Q, Yang J, Xi C, Wang Y, Wang G, Zhang L, Li X, Huo D, Hou C. Establishment of a Multiplex Real-Time TaqMan-MGB Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Method for the Simultaneous Detection of Three Animal Chlamydia Species. Med Sci Monit 2019; 25:9369-9376. [PMID: 31814605 PMCID: PMC6921693 DOI: 10.12659/msm.918344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chlamydiae are spread globally and cause infectious diseases in both humans and animals. The existing detection methods for this disease have numerous shortcomings, including low sensitivity, time consuming procedures, and high contamination vulnerability. MATERIAL AND METHODS To overcome shortcomings for detecting animal chlamydiosis, a multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was established for simultaneously detecting and differentiating 3 Chlamydia species (C. pecorum, C. abortus, and C. psittaci) by real time PCR based on TaqMan-MGB technology. RESULTS The limit of detection was 20.2 copies/µL for Chlamydophila (Cp.) abortus, 30.8 copies/µL for Cp. pecorum, and 16 copies/µL for Cp. psittaci. This method has good repeatability and stability as coefficients of variation range from 0.04% to 1.38%. Furthermore, compared with OIE (World Organization for Animal Health) recommended PCR assay and previously reported animal chlamydia shell PCR, this multiplex PCR assay demonstrated 99% concordance in detecting clinical samples of porcine nasal swabs and vaginal swabs. CONCLUSIONS The novel established method in this study was able to detect 3 types of Chlamydia species simultaneously, and had high sensitivity, strong specificity, and good stability. It provided a rapid, reliable, and convenient method for epidemiological and clinical diagnosis of chlamydiosis in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuping Nie
- College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China (mainland).,Chongqing Customs Technology Center, Chongqing Engineering Technology Research Center of Import and Export Food Safety, Chongqing, China (mainland)
| | - Qian Gong
- Chongqing Customs Technology Center, Chongqing Engineering Technology Research Center of Import and Export Food Safety, Chongqing, China (mainland)
| | - Jun Yang
- Chongqing Customs Technology Center, Chongqing Engineering Technology Research Center of Import and Export Food Safety, Chongqing, China (mainland)
| | - Cunxian Xi
- Chongqing Customs Technology Center, Chongqing Engineering Technology Research Center of Import and Export Food Safety, Chongqing, China (mainland)
| | - Yu Wang
- Chongqing Customs Technology Center, Chongqing Engineering Technology Research Center of Import and Export Food Safety, Chongqing, China (mainland)
| | - Guomin Wang
- Chongqing Customs Technology Center, Chongqing Engineering Technology Research Center of Import and Export Food Safety, Chongqing, China (mainland)
| | - Lei Zhang
- Chongqing Customs Technology Center, Chongqing Engineering Technology Research Center of Import and Export Food Safety, Chongqing, China (mainland)
| | - Xianliang Li
- Chongqing Customs Technology Center, Chongqing Engineering Technology Research Center of Import and Export Food Safety, Chongqing, China (mainland)
| | - Danqun Huo
- College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China (mainland)
| | - Changjun Hou
- College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China (mainland)
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Di Paolo LA, Alvarado Pinedo MF, Origlia J, Fernández G, Uzal FA, Travería GE. First report of caprine abortions due to Chlamydia abortus in Argentina. Vet Med Sci 2019; 5:162-167. [PMID: 30663870 PMCID: PMC6556757 DOI: 10.1002/vms3.145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Infectious abortions of goats in Argentina are mainly associated with brucellosis and toxoplasmosis. In this paper, we describe an abortion outbreak in goats caused by Chlamydia abortus. Seventy out of 400 goats aborted. Placental smears stained with modified Ziehl‐Neelsen stain showed many chlamydia‐like bodies within trophoblasts. One stillborn fetus was necropsied and the placenta was examined. No gross lesions were seen in the fetus, but the inter‐cotyledonary areas of the placenta were thickened and covered by fibrino‐suppurative exudate. The most consistent microscopic finding was found in the placenta and consisted of fibrinoid necrotic vasculitis, with mixed inflammatory infiltration in the tunica media. Immunohistochemistry of the placenta was positive for Chlamydia spp. The results of polymerase chain reaction targeting 23S rRNA gene performed on placenta were positive for Chlamydia spp. An analysis of 417 amplified nucleotide sequences revealed 99% identity to those of C. abortus pm225 (GenBank AJ005617) and pm112 (GenBank AJ005613) isolates. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of abortion associated with C. abortus in Argentina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro A Di Paolo
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CEDIVE, La Plata, Argentina
| | - María F Alvarado Pinedo
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CEDIVE, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Javier Origlia
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Cátedra de Aves y Pilíferos, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | | | - Francisco A Uzal
- California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, San Bernardino branch, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Gabriel E Travería
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CEDIVE, La Plata, Argentina
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Genomic evidence that the live Chlamydia abortus vaccine strain 1B is not attenuated and has the potential to cause disease. Vaccine 2018; 36:3593-3598. [PMID: 29759381 PMCID: PMC6005232 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2018.05.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The live, temperature-attenuated vaccine strain 1B of Chlamydia abortus, the aetiological agent of ovine enzootic abortion (OEA), has been implicated in cases of vaccine breakdown. The aim of this study was to understand the nature of this attenuation through sequencing of the vaccine parent strain (AB7) and the derived mutant strains 1B and 1H, as well as to clarify the role of the vaccine strain in causing disease through comparative whole genome analysis. METHODS Whole genome sequencing was performed on: vaccine parent strain AB7; N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG)-induced temperature attenuated mutant strain 1B grown from the commercial live vaccines Cevac Chlamydia and Enzovax; strain 1H a reverted NTG mutant; and 5 strains isolated from cases of OEA originating from animals from the original vaccine safety trial (2 strains) or from vaccinated ewes or ewes exposed to vaccinated animals (3 strains). RESULTS We confirmed that AB7 is in a different lineage from the reference strain S26/3. The genome of vaccine strain 1B contains ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) created by the NTG treatment, which are identical to those found in strain 1H. The strains from OEA cases also cluster phylogenetically very tightly with these vaccine strains. CONCLUSIONS The results show that C. abortus vaccine strain 1B has an identical genome sequence to the non-attenuated "reverted mutant" strain 1H. Thus, the protection of the 1B vaccine is unlikely to be due to the NTG induced SNPs and is more likely caused by the administration of high doses of C. abortus elementary bodies that stimulate protective immunity. Vaccine-identical strains were also isolated from cases of disease, as well as strains which had acquired 1-3 SNPs, including an animal that had not been vaccinated with either of the commercial live OEA vaccines, indicating that the 1B vaccine strain may be circulating and causing disease.
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Hu SF, Li F, Zheng WB, Liu GH. Seroprevalence and Risk Factors of Chlamydia abortus Infection in Goats in Hunan Province, Subtropical China. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2018; 18:500-503. [PMID: 29360009 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2017.2183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydia abortus is an obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacteria, which can infect animals and human, including goats. However, little information on C. abortus infection is available in goats in Hunan province, subtropical China. To investigate the seroprevalence and risk factors of C. abortus infection in goats in Hunan province, China, a total of 911 goat blood samples were collected randomly from 14 herds having number of goats ranging from 1000 to 3000 from March 2014 to December 2015. Seropositive animals were found in 11 out of 14 (78.57%) goat herds with seroprevalence ranging from 0.00% to 29.94% in individual herds. Overall, the seroprevalence of C. abortus infection was different among regions (southern Hunan: 1.78%; northeast Hunan: 5.47%; and west Hunan: 15.29%), gender (male: 4.58% and female: 9.10%), seasons (spring: 5.97%; summer: 2.61%; autumn: 16.88%; and winter: 10.94%), and ages (year ≤1: 2.39%; 1 < year ≤2: 9.58%; 2 < year ≤3: 9.16%; and year >3: 17.57%). Risk factors for C. abortus infection were associated with region, season, and age in this study. To our knowledge, this is the first document to demonstrate the existence of C. abortus infection in goats, and the seroprevalence was 8.45% out of 911 goats in Hunan province.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Feng Hu
- 1 Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University , Changsha, Hunan Province, The People's Republic of China .,2 Hunan Co-Innovation Center of Animal Production Safety , Changsha, Hunan Province, The People's Republic of China
| | - Fen Li
- 1 Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University , Changsha, Hunan Province, The People's Republic of China .,2 Hunan Co-Innovation Center of Animal Production Safety , Changsha, Hunan Province, The People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Bin Zheng
- 1 Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University , Changsha, Hunan Province, The People's Republic of China
| | - Guo-Hua Liu
- 1 Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University , Changsha, Hunan Province, The People's Republic of China .,2 Hunan Co-Innovation Center of Animal Production Safety , Changsha, Hunan Province, The People's Republic of China
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Borel N, Polkinghorne A, Pospischil A. A Review on Chlamydial Diseases in Animals: Still a Challenge for Pathologists? Vet Pathol 2018; 55:374-390. [PMID: 29310550 DOI: 10.1177/0300985817751218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Chlamydiae have a worldwide distribution causing a wide range of diseases in human hosts, livestock, and companion animals as well as in wildlife and exotic species. Moreover, they can persist in their hosts as asymptomatic infections for extended periods of time. The introduction of molecular techniques has revolutionized the Chlamydia field by expanding the host range of known chlamydial species but also by discovering new species and even new families of bacteria in the broader order Chlamydiales. The wide range of hosts, diseases, and tissues affected by chlamydiae complicate the diagnosis such that standard diagnostic approaches for these bacteria are rare. Bacteria of the Chlamydiales order are small and their inclusions are difficult to detect by standard microscopy. With the exception of avian and ovine chlamydiosis, macroscopic and/or histologic changes might not be pathognomic or indicative for a chlamydial infection or even not present at all. Moreover, detection of chlamydial DNA in specimens in the absence of other methods or related pathological lesions questions the significance of such findings. The pathogenic potential of the majority of recently identified Chlamydia-related bacteria remains largely unknown and awaits investigation through experimental or natural infection models including histomorphological characterization of associated lesions. This review aims to summarize the historical background and the most important developments in the field of animal chlamydial research in the past 5 years with a special focus on pathology. It will summarize the current nomenclature, present critical thoughts about diagnostics, and give an update on chlamydial infections in domesticated animals such as livestock, companion animals and birds, as well as free-ranging and captive wild animals such as reptiles, fish, and marsupials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Borel
- 1 Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Adam Polkinghorne
- 2 Centre for Animal Health Innovation, Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Australia
| | - Andreas Pospischil
- 1 Department of Pathobiology, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Abstract
The expanding field of bacterial genomics has revolutionized our understanding of microbial diversity, biology and phylogeny. For most species, DNA extracted from culture material is used as the template for genome sequencing; however, the majority of microbes are actually uncultivable, and others, such as obligate intracellular bacteria, require laborious tissue culture to yield sufficient genomic material for sequencing. Chlamydiae are one such group of obligate intracellular microbes whose characterization has been hampered by this requirement. To circumvent these challenges, researchers have developed culture-independent sample preparation methods that can be applied to the sample directly or to genomic material extracted from the sample. These methods, which encompass both targeted [immunomagnetic separation-multiple displacement amplification (IMS-MDA) and sequence capture] and non-targeted approaches (host methylated DNA depletion-microbial DNA enrichment and cell-sorting-MDA), have been applied to a range of clinical and environmental samples to generate whole genomes of novel chlamydial species and strains. This review aims to provide an overview of the application, advantages and limitations of these targeted and non-targeted approaches in the chlamydial context. The methods discussed also have broad application to other obligate intracellular bacteria or clinical and environmental samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyce Taylor-Brown
- Centre for Animal Health Innovation, Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Australia
| | - Danielle Madden
- Centre for Animal Health Innovation, Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Australia
| | - Adam Polkinghorne
- Centre for Animal Health Innovation, Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Australia
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