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Lim YB, Popescu S. Exploring List-Based Approaches and Potential Threat Agnostic Applications in US Biodefense and Public Health-Toward a Hybrid Approach. Health Secur 2024; 22:146-155. [PMID: 38546510 DOI: 10.1089/hs.2023.0098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Bee Lim
- Yong-Bee Lim, PhD, is a Visiting Scholar, College of Global Futures, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
| | - Saskia Popescu
- Saskia Popescu, PhD, MPH, MA, CIC, is an Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland Medical School, Baltimore, MD
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Xu M, Selvaraj GK, Lu H. Environmental sporobiota: Occurrence, dissemination, and risks. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 869:161809. [PMID: 36702282 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Spore-forming bacteria known as sporobiota are widespread in diverse environments from terrestrial and aquatic habitats to industrial and healthcare systems. Studies on sporobiota have been mainly focused on food processing and clinical fields, while a large amount of sporobiota exist in natural environments. Due to their persistence and capabilities of transmitting virulence factors and antibiotic resistant genes, environmental sporobiota could pose significant health risks to humans. These risks could increase as global warming and environmental pollution has altered the life cycle of sporobiota. This review summarizes the current knowledge of environmental sporobiota, including their occurrence, characteristics, and functions. An interaction network among clinical-, food-related, and environment-related sporobiota is constructed. Recent and effective methods for detecting and disinfecting environmental sporobiota are also discussed. Key problems and future research needs for better understanding and reducing the risks of environmental sporobiota and sporobiome are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ganesh-Kumar Selvaraj
- Department of Microbiology, St. Peter's Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600054, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - Huijie Lu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Environmental Safety, Zhejiang, China.
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Muigg V, Cuénod A, Purushothaman S, Siegemund M, Wittwer M, Pflüger V, Schmidt KM, Weisser M, Ritz N, Widmer A, Goldenberger D, Hinic V, Roloff T, Søgaard KK, Egli A, Seth-Smith HM. Diagnostic challenges within the Bacillus cereus-group: finding the beast without teeth. New Microbes New Infect 2022; 49-50:101040. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nmni.2022.101040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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Torres Manno MA, Repizo GD, Magni C, Dunlap CA, Espariz M. The assessment of leading traits in the taxonomy of the Bacillus cereus group. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 2020; 113:2223-2242. [PMID: 33179199 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-020-01494-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Bacillus cereus sensu lato strains (B. cereus group) are widely distributed in nature and have received interest for decades due to their importance in insect pest management, food production and their positive and negative repercussions in human health. Consideration of practical uses such as virulence, physiology, morphology, or ill-defined features have been applied to describe and classify species of the group. However, current comparative studies have exposed inconsistencies between evolutionary relatedness and biological significance among genomospecies of the B. cereus group. Here, the combined analyses of core-based phylogeny and all versus all Average Nucleotide Identity values based on 2116 strains were conducted to update the genomospecies circumscriptions within B. cereus group. These analyses suggested the existence of 57 genomospecies, 37 of which are novel, thus indicating that the taxonomic identities of more than 39% of the analyzed strains should be revised or updated. In addition, we found that whole-genome in silico analyses were suitable to differentiate genomospecies such as B. anthracis, B. cereus and B. thuringiensis. The prevalence of toxin and virulence factors coding genes in each of the genomospecies of the B. cereus group was also examined, using phylogeny-aware methods at wide-genome scale. Remarkably, Cry and emetic toxins, commonly assumed to be associated with B. thuringiensis and emetic B. paranthracis, respectively, did not show a positive correlation with those genomospecies. On the other hand, anthrax-like toxin and capsule-biosynthesis coding genes were positively correlated with B. anthracis genomospecies, despite not being present in all strains, and with presumably non-pathogenic genomospecies. Hence, despite these features have been so far considered relevant for industrial or medical classification of related species of the B. cereus group, they were inappropriate for their circumscription. In this study, genomospecies of the group were accurately affiliated and representative strains defined, generating a rational framework that will allow comparative analysis in epidemiological or ecological studies. Based on this classification the role of specific markers such as Type VII secretion system, cytolysin, bacillolysin, and siderophores such as petrobactin were pointed out for further analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariano A Torres Manno
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología e Inocuidad de los Alimentos, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Municipalidad de Granadero Baigorria, Sede Suipacha 590, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Fisiología y Genética de Bacterias Lácticas, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR - CONICET), sede FCByF - UNR, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
- Área Estadística y Procesamiento de Datos, Departamento de Matemática y Estadística, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Guillermo D Repizo
- Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Resistencia bacteriana a antimicrobianos, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR), sede FCByF - UNR, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Christian Magni
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología e Inocuidad de los Alimentos, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Municipalidad de Granadero Baigorria, Sede Suipacha 590, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Fisiología y Genética de Bacterias Lácticas, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR - CONICET), sede FCByF - UNR, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Christopher A Dunlap
- United States Department of Agriculture, Crop Bioprotection Research Unit, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Agricultural Research Service, 1815 North University Street, Peoria, IL, 61604, USA
| | - Martín Espariz
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología e Inocuidad de los Alimentos, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Municipalidad de Granadero Baigorria, Sede Suipacha 590, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina.
- Laboratorio de Fisiología y Genética de Bacterias Lácticas, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR - CONICET), sede FCByF - UNR, Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina.
- Área Estadística y Procesamiento de Datos, Departamento de Matemática y Estadística, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina.
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Timofeev V, Bahtejeva I, Mironova R, Titareva G, Lev I, Christiany D, Borzilov A, Bogun A, Vergnaud G. Insights from Bacillus anthracis strains isolated from permafrost in the tundra zone of Russia. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0209140. [PMID: 31116737 DOI: 10.1101/486290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
This article describes Bacillus anthracis strains isolated during an outbreak of anthrax on the Yamal Peninsula in the summer of 2016 and independently in Yakutia in 2015. A common feature of these strains is their conservation in permafrost, from which they were extracted either due to the thawing of permafrost (Yamal strains) or as the result of paleontological excavations (Yakut strains). All strains isolated on the Yamal share an identical genotype belonging to lineage B.Br.001/002, pointing to a common source of infection in a territory over 250 km in length. In contrast, during the excavations in Yakutia, three genetically different strains were recovered from a single pit. One strain belongs to B.Br.001/002, and whole genome sequence analysis showed that it is most closely related to the Yamal strains in spite of the remoteness of Yamal from Yakutia. The two other strains contribute to two different branches of A.Br.008/011, one of the remarkable polytomies described so far in the B. anthracis species. The geographic distribution of the strains belonging to A.Br.008/011 is suggesting that the polytomy emerged in the thirteenth century, in combination with the constitution of a unified Mongol empire extending from China to Eastern Europe. We propose an evolutionary model for B. anthracis recent evolution in which the B lineage spread throughout Eurasia and was subsequently replaced by the A lineage except in some geographically isolated areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vitalii Timofeev
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology (FBIS SRCAMB), Obolensk, Russia
| | - Irina Bahtejeva
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology (FBIS SRCAMB), Obolensk, Russia
| | - Raisa Mironova
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology (FBIS SRCAMB), Obolensk, Russia
| | - Galina Titareva
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology (FBIS SRCAMB), Obolensk, Russia
| | - Igor Lev
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology (FBIS SRCAMB), Obolensk, Russia
| | - David Christiany
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
| | - Alexander Borzilov
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology (FBIS SRCAMB), Obolensk, Russia
| | - Alexander Bogun
- State Research Center for Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology (FBIS SRCAMB), Obolensk, Russia
| | - Gilles Vergnaud
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), CEA, CNRS, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex, France
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6
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Insights from Bacillus anthracis strains isolated from permafrost in the tundra zone of Russia. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0209140. [PMID: 31116737 PMCID: PMC6530834 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
This article describes Bacillus anthracis strains isolated during an outbreak of anthrax on the Yamal Peninsula in the summer of 2016 and independently in Yakutia in 2015. A common feature of these strains is their conservation in permafrost, from which they were extracted either due to the thawing of permafrost (Yamal strains) or as the result of paleontological excavations (Yakut strains). All strains isolated on the Yamal share an identical genotype belonging to lineage B.Br.001/002, pointing to a common source of infection in a territory over 250 km in length. In contrast, during the excavations in Yakutia, three genetically different strains were recovered from a single pit. One strain belongs to B.Br.001/002, and whole genome sequence analysis showed that it is most closely related to the Yamal strains in spite of the remoteness of Yamal from Yakutia. The two other strains contribute to two different branches of A.Br.008/011, one of the remarkable polytomies described so far in the B. anthracis species. The geographic distribution of the strains belonging to A.Br.008/011 is suggesting that the polytomy emerged in the thirteenth century, in combination with the constitution of a unified Mongol empire extending from China to Eastern Europe. We propose an evolutionary model for B. anthracis recent evolution in which the B lineage spread throughout Eurasia and was subsequently replaced by the A lineage except in some geographically isolated areas.
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7
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Hauck S, Maiden MCJ. Clonally Evolving Pathogenic Bacteria. MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF MICROBIAL EVOLUTION 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-69078-0_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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8
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Wintle BC, Boehm CR, Rhodes C, Molloy JC, Millett P, Adam L, Breitling R, Carlson R, Casagrande R, Dando M, Doubleday R, Drexler E, Edwards B, Ellis T, Evans NG, Hammond R, Haseloff J, Kahl L, Kuiken T, Lichman BR, Matthewman CA, Napier JA, ÓhÉigeartaigh SS, Patron NJ, Perello E, Shapira P, Tait J, Takano E, Sutherland WJ. A transatlantic perspective on 20 emerging issues in biological engineering. eLife 2017; 6:e30247. [PMID: 29132504 PMCID: PMC5685469 DOI: 10.7554/elife.30247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in biological engineering are likely to have substantial impacts on global society. To explore these potential impacts we ran a horizon scanning exercise to capture a range of perspectives on the opportunities and risks presented by biological engineering. We first identified 70 potential issues, and then used an iterative process to prioritise 20 issues that we considered to be emerging, to have potential global impact, and to be relatively unknown outside the field of biological engineering. The issues identified may be of interest to researchers, businesses and policy makers in sectors such as health, energy, agriculture and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie C Wintle
- Centre for the Study of Existential RiskUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Christian R Boehm
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdamGermany
- Centre for the Study of Existential RiskUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Catherine Rhodes
- Centre for the Study of Existential RiskUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Jennifer C Molloy
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Piers Millett
- Future of Humanity InstituteUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Laura Adam
- Department of Electrical EngineeringUniversity of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Rainer Breitling
- Manchester Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SYNBIOCHEM), Manchester Institute of BiotechnologyUniversity of ManchesterManchesterUnited Kingdom
| | | | | | - Malcolm Dando
- Division of Peace Studies and the Bradford Centre for International DevelopmentUniversity of BradfordBradfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Robert Doubleday
- Centre for Science and PolicyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Eric Drexler
- Future of Humanity InstituteUniversity of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Brett Edwards
- Department of Politics, Languages & International StudiesUniversity of BathBathUnited Kingdom
| | - Tom Ellis
- Centre for Synthetic Biology and InnovationImperial College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Nicholas G Evans
- Department of PhilosophyUniversity of MassachusettsLowellUnited States
| | | | - Jim Haseloff
- Department of Plant SciencesUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | - Linda Kahl
- BioBricks FoundationSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Todd Kuiken
- Genetic Engineering & Society CenterNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighUnited States
| | | | | | | | - Seán S ÓhÉigeartaigh
- Centre for the Study of Existential RiskUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUnited Kingdom
| | | | | | - Philip Shapira
- Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, Alliance Manchester Business SchoolUniversity of ManchesterManchesterUnited Kingdom
- School of Public PolicyGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaUnited States
| | - Joyce Tait
- Innogen InstituteUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Eriko Takano
- Manchester Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SYNBIOCHEM), Manchester Institute of BiotechnologyUniversity of ManchesterManchesterUnited Kingdom
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Non-Toxin-Producing Bacillus cereus Strains Belonging to the B. anthracis Clade Isolated from the International Space Station. mSystems 2017; 2:mSystems00021-17. [PMID: 28680972 PMCID: PMC5487513 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00021-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The International Space Station Microbial Observatory (Microbial Tracking-1) study is generating a microbial census of the space station’s surfaces and atmosphere by using advanced molecular microbial community analysis techniques supported by traditional culture-based methods and modern bioinformatic computational modeling. This approach will lead to long-term, multigenerational studies of microbial population dynamics in a closed environment and address key questions, including whether microgravity influences the evolution and genetic modification of microorganisms. The spore-forming Bacillus cereus sensu lato group consists of pathogenic (B. anthracis), food poisoning (B. cereus), and biotechnologically useful (B. thuringiensis) microorganisms; their presence in a closed system such as the ISS might be a concern for the health of crew members. A detailed characterization of these potential pathogens would lead to the development of suitable countermeasures that are needed for long-term future missions and a better understanding of microorganisms associated with space missions. In an ongoing Microbial Observatory investigation of the International Space Station (ISS), 11 Bacillus strains (2 from the Kibo Japanese experimental module, 4 from the U.S. segment, and 5 from the Russian module) were isolated and their whole genomes were sequenced. A comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of these isolates showed the highest similarity (>99%) to the Bacillus anthracis-B. cereus-B. thuringiensis group. The fatty acid composition, polar lipid profile, peptidoglycan type, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight profiles were consistent with the B. cereus sensu lato group. The phenotypic traits such as motile rods, enterotoxin production, lack of capsule, and resistance to gamma phage/penicillin observed in ISS isolates were not characteristics of B. anthracis. Whole-genome sequence characterizations showed that ISS strains had the plcR non-B. anthracis ancestral “C” allele and lacked anthrax toxin-encoding plasmids pXO1 and pXO2, excluding their identification as B. anthracis. The genetic identities of all 11 ISS isolates characterized via gyrB analyses arbitrarily identified them as members of the B. cereus group, but traditional DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) showed that the ISS isolates are similar to B. anthracis (88% to 90%) but distant from the B. cereus (42%) and B. thuringiensis (48%) type strains. The DDH results were supported by average nucleotide identity (>98.5%) and digital DDH (>86%) analyses. However, the collective phenotypic traits and genomic evidence were the reasons to exclude the ISS isolates from B. anthracis. Nevertheless, multilocus sequence typing and whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism analyses placed these isolates in a clade that is distinct from previously described members of the B. cereus sensu lato group but closely related to B. anthracis. IMPORTANCE The International Space Station Microbial Observatory (Microbial Tracking-1) study is generating a microbial census of the space station’s surfaces and atmosphere by using advanced molecular microbial community analysis techniques supported by traditional culture-based methods and modern bioinformatic computational modeling. This approach will lead to long-term, multigenerational studies of microbial population dynamics in a closed environment and address key questions, including whether microgravity influences the evolution and genetic modification of microorganisms. The spore-forming Bacillus cereus sensu lato group consists of pathogenic (B. anthracis), food poisoning (B. cereus), and biotechnologically useful (B. thuringiensis) microorganisms; their presence in a closed system such as the ISS might be a concern for the health of crew members. A detailed characterization of these potential pathogens would lead to the development of suitable countermeasures that are needed for long-term future missions and a better understanding of microorganisms associated with space missions.
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D'Amelio E, Gentile B, Lista F, D'Amelio R. Historical evolution of human anthrax from occupational disease to potentially global threat as bioweapon. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2015; 85:133-146. [PMID: 26386727 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2015.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2015] [Revised: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 09/04/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Anthrax is caused by Bacillus anthracis, which can naturally infect livestock, wildlife and occupationally exposed humans. However, for its resistance due to spore formation, ease of dissemination, persistence in the environment and high virulence, B. anthracis has been considered the most serious bioterrorism agent for a long time. During the last century anthrax evolved from limited natural disease to potentially global threat if used as bioweapon. Several factors may mitigate the consequences of an anthrax attack, including 1. the capability to promptly recognize and manage the illness and its public health consequences; 2. the limitation of secondary contamination risk through an appropriate decontamination; and 3. the evolution of genotyping methods (for microbes characterization at high resolution level) that can influence the course and/or focus of investigations, impacting the response of the government to an attack. METHODS A PubMed search has been done using the key words “bioterrorism anthrax”. RESULTS Over one thousand papers have been screened and the most significant examined to present a comprehensive literature review in order to discuss the current knowledge and strategies in preparedness for a possible deliberate release of B. anthracis spores and to indicate the most current and complete documents in which to deepen. CONCLUSIONS The comprehensive analysis of the two most relevant unnatural anthrax release events, Sverdlovsk in the former Soviet Union (1979) and the contaminated letters in the USA (2001), shows that inhalational anthrax may easily and cheaply be spread resulting in serious consequences. The damage caused by an anthrax attack can be limited if public health organization, first responders, researchers and investigators will be able to promptly manage anthrax cases and use new technologies for decontamination methods and in forensic microbiology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bernardina Gentile
- Histology and Molecular Biology Section, Army Medical Research Center, Via Santo Stefano Rotondo 4, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Florigio Lista
- Histology and Molecular Biology Section, Army Medical Research Center, Via Santo Stefano Rotondo 4, 00184 Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaele D'Amelio
- Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, S. Andrea University Hospital, Via di Grottarossa 1039, 00189 Rome, Italy.
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Gahan ME, Thomas R, Rossi R, Nelson M, Roffey P, Richardson MM, McNevin D. Background frequency of Bacillus species at the Canberra Airport: A 12 month study. Forensic Sci Int 2015; 257:142-148. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2015] [Revised: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 08/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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12
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Liu Y, Lai Q, Göker M, Meier-Kolthoff JP, Wang M, Sun Y, Wang L, Shao Z. Genomic insights into the taxonomic status of the Bacillus cereus group. Sci Rep 2015; 5:14082. [PMID: 26373441 PMCID: PMC4571650 DOI: 10.1038/srep14082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 177] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2015] [Accepted: 08/17/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The identification and phylogenetic relationships of bacteria within the Bacillus cereus group are controversial. This study aimed at determining the taxonomic affiliations of these strains using the whole-genome sequence-based Genome BLAST Distance Phylogeny (GBDP) approach. The GBDP analysis clearly separated 224 strains into 30 clusters, representing eleven known, partially merged species and accordingly 19–20 putative novel species. Additionally, 16S rRNA gene analysis, a novel variant of multi-locus sequence analysis (nMLSA) and screening of virulence genes were performed. The 16S rRNA gene sequence was not sufficient to differentiate the bacteria within this group due to its high conservation. The nMLSA results were consistent with GBDP. Moreover, a fast typing method was proposed using the pycA gene, and where necessary, the ccpA gene. The pXO plasmids and cry genes were widely distributed, suggesting little correlation with the phylogenetic positions of the host bacteria. This might explain why classifications based on virulence characteristics proved unsatisfactory in the past. In summary, this is the first large-scale and systematic study of the taxonomic status of the bacteria within the B. cereus group using whole-genome sequences, and is likely to contribute to further insights into their pathogenicity, phylogeny and adaptation to diverse environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Marine Genetic Resources; Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, SOA; South China Sea Bio-Resource Exploitation and Utilization Collaborative Innovation Centre; Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological Resources; Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Qiliang Lai
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Marine Genetic Resources; Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, SOA; South China Sea Bio-Resource Exploitation and Utilization Collaborative Innovation Centre; Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological Resources; Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Markus Göker
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH, Inhoffenstraβe 7B, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jan P Meier-Kolthoff
- Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH, Inhoffenstraβe 7B, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Meng Wang
- TEDA School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yamin Sun
- TEDA School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Lei Wang
- TEDA School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zongze Shao
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Marine Genetic Resources; Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, SOA; South China Sea Bio-Resource Exploitation and Utilization Collaborative Innovation Centre; Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological Resources; Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Xiamen 361005, China
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13
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van Tongeren SP, Roest HIJ, Degener JE, Harmsen HJM. Bacillus anthracis-like bacteria and other B. cereus group members in a microbial community within the International Space Station: a challenge for rapid and easy molecular detection of virulent B. anthracis. PLoS One 2014; 9:e98871. [PMID: 24945323 PMCID: PMC4063717 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2014] [Accepted: 05/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
For some microbial species, such as Bacillus anthracis, the etiologic agent of the disease anthrax, correct detection and identification by molecular methods can be problematic. The detection of virulent B. anthracis is challenging due to multiple virulence markers that need to be present in order for B. anthracis to be virulent and its close relationship to Bacillus cereus and other members of the B. cereus group. This is especially the case in environments where build-up of Bacillus spores can occur and several representatives of the B. cereus group may be present, which increases the chance for false-positives. In this study we show the presence of B. anthracis-like bacteria and other members of the B. cereus group in a microbial community within the human environment of the International Space Station and their preliminary identification by using conventional culturing as well as molecular techniques including 16S rDNA sequencing, PCR and real-time PCR. Our study shows that when monitoring the microbial hygiene in a given human environment, health risk assessment is troublesome in the case of virulent B. anthracis, especially if this should be done with rapid, easy to apply and on-site molecular methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra P. van Tongeren
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Hendrik I. J. Roest
- Department of Bacteriology & TSEs, Central Veterinary Institute (CVI), part of Wageningen UR, Lelystad, The Netherlands
| | - John E. Degener
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Hermie J. M. Harmsen
- Department of Medical Microbiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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14
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Ganz HH, Turner WC, Brodie EL, Kusters M, Shi Y, Sibanda H, Torok T, Getz WM. Interactions between Bacillus anthracis and plants may promote anthrax transmission. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2014; 8:e2903. [PMID: 24901846 PMCID: PMC4046938 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2013] [Accepted: 04/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental reservoirs are essential in the maintenance and transmission of anthrax but are poorly characterized. The anthrax agent, Bacillus anthracis was long considered an obligate pathogen that is dormant and passively transmitted in the environment. However, a growing number of laboratory studies indicate that, like some of its close relatives, B. anthracis has some activity outside of its vertebrate hosts. Here we show in the field that B. anthracis has significant interactions with a grass that could promote anthrax spore transmission to grazing hosts. Using a local, virulent strain of B. anthracis, we performed a field experiment in an enclosure within a grassland savanna. We found that B. anthracis increased the rate of establishment of a native grass (Enneapogon desvauxii) by 50% and that grass seeds exposed to blood reached heights that were 45% taller than controls. Further we detected significant effects of E. desvauxii, B. anthracis, and their interaction on soil bacterial taxa richness and community composition. We did not find any evidence for multiplication or increased longevity of B. anthracis in bulk soil associated with grass compared to controls. Instead interactions between B. anthracis and plants may result in increased host grazing and subsequently increased transmission to hosts. Anthrax is a neglected zoonotic disease affecting livestock, wildlife, and humans in developing countries, particularly in Africa and Asia, and it occurs regularly in rural parts of North America. The causative agent of anthrax, Bacillus anthracis is transmitted by spores that persist for long periods of time in the environment. The transmission mechanisms of socioeconomically important and environmentally maintained pathogens are poorly understood, yet essential for understanding disease dynamics and devising appropriate control measures. Recent laboratory studies show that B. anthracis interacts with plants and other soil-dwelling organisms that may affect its survival and transmission. In this paper, we describe the results of a field experiment designed to test whether the interaction of B. anthracis with plants might affect its persistence and potential transmission to grazing hosts. We found that like some of its close relatives, B. anthracis promotes plant growth. Rather than simply lying in wait as a dormant spore in soil, instead B. anthracis may promote plant growth as a way of attracting hosts to graze on infectious material at carcass sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly H. Ganz
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Wendy C. Turner
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Eoin L. Brodie
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Ecology Department, Earth Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | | | - Ying Shi
- Department of Statistics, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Heniritha Sibanda
- Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Inland Aquaculture, Katima Mulilo Regional Office, Katima Mulilo, Namibia
| | - Tamas Torok
- Ecology Department, Earth Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Wayne M. Getz
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- School of Mathematical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
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ANTE- AND POSTMORTEM DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES FOR ANTHRAX: RETHINKING PATHOGEN EXPOSURE AND THE GEOGRAPHIC EXTENT OF THE DISEASE IN WILDLIFE. J Wildl Dis 2013; 49:786-801. [DOI: 10.7589/2013-05-126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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16
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Chikerema SM, Pfukenyi DM, Hang'ombe BM, L'Abee-Lund TM, Matope G. Isolation of Bacillus anthracis from soil in selected high-risk areas of Zimbabwe. J Appl Microbiol 2012; 113:1389-95. [PMID: 22984812 DOI: 10.1111/jam.12006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2012] [Revised: 08/27/2012] [Accepted: 08/31/2012] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To isolate Bacillus anthracis from cattle carcass burial sites from high-risk districts in Zimbabwe. METHODS AND RESULTS Soil samples were collected from carcass burial sites from seven areas, including two national game parks. Samples were collected from top 5-10 cm, and for spore extraction, 25 g of soil was suspended in sterile distilled water overnight. Supernatants were filtered through 0.45-μm pore cellulose nitrate, deposits suspended in 5 ml phosphate-buffered saline, aliquoted and heated at temperature regimen of 65, 70, 75 and 80 °C for 15 min. Samples were plated onto PLET agar. B. anthracis isolates were identified using growth morphology and PCR detecting pXO1 and pXO2 virulence plasmids. From samples heated at 75 °C for 15 min, B. anthracis were isolated from 9 of 81 (11.1%) soil samples representing five of the seven sampled areas. CONCLUSIONS We isolated B. anthracis from soil collected from carcass burial sites. PCR targeting virulence plasmids provided a rapid confirmation of B. anthracis. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY The positive isolation indicated that some carcass burial sites may retain viable spores for at least 12 months after the previous outbreak, which suggests that they may be important sources of B. anthracis and new disease outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- S M Chikerema
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
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17
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Achtman M, Wain J, Weill FX, Nair S, Zhou Z, Sangal V, Krauland MG, Hale JL, Harbottle H, Uesbeck A, Dougan G, Harrison LH, Brisse S. Multilocus sequence typing as a replacement for serotyping in Salmonella enterica. PLoS Pathog 2012; 8:e1002776. [PMID: 22737074 PMCID: PMC3380943 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 448] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2012] [Accepted: 05/10/2012] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica is traditionally subdivided into serovars by serological and nutritional characteristics. We used Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) to assign 4,257 isolates from 554 serovars to 1092 sequence types (STs). The majority of the isolates and many STs were grouped into 138 genetically closely related clusters called eBurstGroups (eBGs). Many eBGs correspond to a serovar, for example most Typhimurium are in eBG1 and most Enteritidis are in eBG4, but many eBGs contained more than one serovar. Furthermore, most serovars were polyphyletic and are distributed across multiple unrelated eBGs. Thus, serovar designations confounded genetically unrelated isolates and failed to recognize natural evolutionary groupings. An inability of serotyping to correctly group isolates was most apparent for Paratyphi B and its variant Java. Most Paratyphi B were included within a sub-cluster of STs belonging to eBG5, which also encompasses a separate sub-cluster of Java STs. However, diphasic Java variants were also found in two other eBGs and monophasic Java variants were in four other eBGs or STs, one of which is in subspecies salamae and a second of which includes isolates assigned to Enteritidis, Dublin and monophasic Paratyphi B. Similarly, Choleraesuis was found in eBG6 and is closely related to Paratyphi C, which is in eBG20. However, Choleraesuis var. Decatur consists of isolates from seven other, unrelated eBGs or STs. The serological assignment of these Decatur isolates to Choleraesuis likely reflects lateral gene transfer of flagellar genes between unrelated bacteria plus purifying selection. By confounding multiple evolutionary groups, serotyping can be misleading about the disease potential of S. enterica. Unlike serotyping, MLST recognizes evolutionary groupings and we recommend that Salmonella classification by serotyping should be replaced by MLST or its equivalents. Microbiologists have used serological and nutritional characteristics to subdivide pathogenic bacteria for nearly 100 years. These subdivisions in Salmonella enterica are called serovars, some of which are thought to be associated with particular diseases and epidemiology. We used MultiLocus Sequence-based Typing (MLST) to identify clusters of S. enterica isolates that are related by evolutionary descent. Some clusters correspond to serovars on a one to one basis. But many clusters include multiple serovars, which is of public health significance, and most serovars span multiple, unrelated clusters. Despite its broad usage, serological typing of S. enterica has resulted in confusing systematics, with a few exceptions. We recommend that serotyping for strain discrimination of S. enterica be replaced by a DNA-based method, such as MLST. Serotyping and other non-sequence based typing methods are routinely used for detecting outbreaks and to support public health responses. Moving away from these methods will require a major shift in thinking by public health microbiology laboratories as well as national and international agencies. However, a transition to the routine use of MLST, supplemented where appropriate by even more discriminatory sequence-based typing methods based on entire genomes, will provide a clearer picture of long-term transmission routes of Salmonella, facilitate data transfer and support global control measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Achtman
- Environmental Research Institute and Department of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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18
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Göransson J, Ke R, Nong RY, Howell WM, Karman A, Grawé J, Stenberg J, Granberg M, Elgh M, Herthnek D, Wikström P, Jarvius J, Nilsson M. Rapid identification of bio-molecules applied for detection of biosecurity agents using rolling circle amplification. PLoS One 2012; 7:e31068. [PMID: 22383994 PMCID: PMC3285169 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2011] [Accepted: 01/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Detection and identification of pathogens in environmental samples for biosecurity applications are challenging due to the strict requirements on specificity, sensitivity and time. We have developed a concept for quick, specific and sensitive pathogen identification in environmental samples. Target identification is realized by padlock- and proximity probing, and reacted probes are amplified by RCA (rolling-circle amplification). The individual RCA products are labeled by fluorescence and enumerated by an instrument, developed for sensitive and rapid digital analysis. The concept is demonstrated by identification of simili biowarfare agents for bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pantoea agglomerans) and spores (Bacillus atrophaeus) released in field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny Göransson
- the Rudbeck Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, SciLifeLab, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Q-linea AB, Dag Hammarskjölds, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Rongqin Ke
- the Rudbeck Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, SciLifeLab, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Rachel Yuan Nong
- the Rudbeck Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, SciLifeLab, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - W. Mathias Howell
- the Rudbeck Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, SciLifeLab, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anna Karman
- Olink AB, Dag Hammarskjölds väg, Uppsala, Sweden
- Q-linea AB, Dag Hammarskjölds, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jan Grawé
- Q-linea AB, Dag Hammarskjölds, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | | | - Magnus Elgh
- Q-linea AB, Dag Hammarskjölds, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - David Herthnek
- the Rudbeck Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, SciLifeLab, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Jonas Jarvius
- the Rudbeck Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, SciLifeLab, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Q-linea AB, Dag Hammarskjölds, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mats Nilsson
- the Rudbeck Laboratory, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, SciLifeLab, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Bacillus anthracis: Molecular taxonomy, population genetics, phylogeny and patho-evolution. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2011; 11:1218-24. [DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2011.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2011] [Revised: 05/18/2011] [Accepted: 05/18/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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20
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Maughan H, Van der Auwera G. Bacillus taxonomy in the genomic era finds phenotypes to be essential though often misleading. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2011; 11:789-97. [PMID: 21334463 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2011.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2010] [Revised: 01/31/2011] [Accepted: 02/01/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Bacillus is a diverse bacterial genus characterized by cells growing aerobically and forming dormant endospores. Although Bacillus species were some of the first bacteria ever characterized, their relationships to one another remain enigmatic. The recent deluge of environmental sequencing projects has further complicated our view of Bacillus taxonomy and diversity. In this review we discuss the current state of Bacillus taxonomy and focus on two examples that highlight the ecological diversity found within identical 16S rDNA-based clusters: the identification of ecologically distinct clusters of B. simplex in Evolution Canyons and the demarcation of species in the industrially and medically important B. cereus group. These examples highlight the difficulties of purely 16S rDNA-based taxonomy, emphasizing the need to interpret the massive amounts of molecular data from environmental sequencing projects in a bacterial ecology framework. Such interpretations are likely to reveal ecological diversity within Bacillus that extends beyond that previously imaginable, providing a true picture of Bacillus ecology and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Maughan
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks St, Toronto, ON, Canada M5S 3B2.
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21
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Chen PE, Willner KM, Butani A, Dorsey S, George M, Stewart A, Lentz SM, Cook CE, Akmal A, Price LB, Keim PS, Mateczun A, Brahmbhatt TN, Bishop-Lilly KA, Zwick ME, Read TD, Sozhamannan S. Rapid identification of genetic modifications in Bacillus anthracis using whole genome draft sequences generated by 454 pyrosequencing. PLoS One 2010; 5:e12397. [PMID: 20811637 PMCID: PMC2928293 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0012397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2010] [Accepted: 07/27/2010] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The anthrax letter attacks of 2001 highlighted the need for rapid identification of biothreat agents not only for epidemiological surveillance of the intentional outbreak but also for implementing appropriate countermeasures, such as antibiotic treatment, in a timely manner to prevent further casualties. It is clear from the 2001 cases that survival may be markedly improved by administration of antimicrobial therapy during the early symptomatic phase of the illness; i.e., within 3 days of appearance of symptoms. Microbiological detection methods are feasible only for organisms that can be cultured in vitro and cannot detect all genetic modifications with the exception of antibiotic resistance. Currently available immuno or nucleic acid-based rapid detection assays utilize known, organism-specific proteins or genomic DNA signatures respectively. Hence, these assays lack the ability to detect novel natural variations or intentional genetic modifications that circumvent the targets of the detection assays or in the case of a biological attack using an antibiotic resistant or virulence enhanced Bacillus anthracis, to advise on therapeutic treatments. Methodology/Principal Findings We show here that the Roche 454-based pyrosequencing can generate whole genome draft sequences of deep and broad enough coverage of a bacterial genome in less than 24 hours. Furthermore, using the unfinished draft sequences, we demonstrate that unbiased identification of known as well as heretofore-unreported genetic modifications that include indels and single nucleotide polymorphisms conferring antibiotic and phage resistances is feasible within the next 12 hours. Conclusions/Significance Second generation sequencing technologies have paved the way for sequence-based rapid identification of both known and previously undocumented genetic modifications in cultured, conventional and newly emerging biothreat agents. Our findings have significant implications in the context of whole genome sequencing-based routine clinical diagnostics as well as epidemiological surveillance of natural disease outbreaks caused by bacterial and viral agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter E. Chen
- Naval Medical Research Center, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kristin M. Willner
- Naval Medical Research Center, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Amy Butani
- Naval Medical Research Center, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Shakia Dorsey
- Naval Medical Research Center, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Matroner George
- Naval Medical Research Center, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Andrew Stewart
- Naval Medical Research Center, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Shannon M. Lentz
- Naval Medical Research Center, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Christopher E. Cook
- Naval Medical Research Center, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Arya Akmal
- Naval Medical Research Center, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Lance B. Price
- Translational Genomics Research Institute, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Paul S. Keim
- Translational Genomics Research Institute, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
- Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, Unites States of America
| | - Alfred Mateczun
- Naval Medical Research Center, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Trupti N. Brahmbhatt
- Naval Medical Research Center, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kimberly A. Bishop-Lilly
- Naval Medical Research Center, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Michael E. Zwick
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Timothy D. Read
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Shanmuga Sozhamannan
- Naval Medical Research Center, Biological Defense Research Directorate, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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22
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Klee SR, Brzuszkiewicz EB, Nattermann H, Brüggemann H, Dupke S, Wollherr A, Franz T, Pauli G, Appel B, Liebl W, Couacy-Hymann E, Boesch C, Meyer FD, Leendertz FH, Ellerbrok H, Gottschalk G, Grunow R, Liesegang H. The genome of a Bacillus isolate causing anthrax in chimpanzees combines chromosomal properties of B. cereus with B. anthracis virulence plasmids. PLoS One 2010; 5:e10986. [PMID: 20634886 PMCID: PMC2901330 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0010986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2010] [Accepted: 05/05/2010] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthrax is a fatal disease caused by strains of Bacillus anthracis. Members of this monophyletic species are non motile and are all characterized by the presence of four prophages and a nonsense mutation in the plcR regulator gene. Here we report the complete genome sequence of a Bacillus strain isolated from a chimpanzee that had died with clinical symptoms of anthrax. Unlike classic B. anthracis, this strain was motile and lacked the four prohages and the nonsense mutation. Four replicons were identified, a chromosome and three plasmids. Comparative genome analysis revealed that the chromosome resembles those of non-B. anthracis members of the Bacillus cereus group, whereas two plasmids were identical to the anthrax virulence plasmids pXO1 and pXO2. The function of the newly discovered third plasmid with a length of 14 kbp is unknown. A detailed comparison of genomic loci encoding key features confirmed a higher similarity to B. thuringiensis serovar konkukian strain 97-27 and B. cereus E33L than to B. anthracis strains. For the first time we describe the sequence of an anthrax causing bacterium possessing both anthrax plasmids that apparently does not belong to the monophyletic group of all so far known B. anthracis strains and that differs in important diagnostic features. The data suggest that this bacterium has evolved from a B. cereus strain independently from the classic B. anthracis strains and established a B. anthracis lifestyle. Therefore we suggest to designate this isolate as "B. cereus variety (var.) anthracis".
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Affiliation(s)
- Silke R Klee
- Centre for Biological Security (ZBS), Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin, Germany.
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23
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Bahl MI, Rosenberg K. High abundance and diversity of Bacillus anthracis plasmid pXO1-like replicons in municipal wastewater. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2010; 74:241-7. [PMID: 20597981 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2010.00922.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Water from the influent of a municipal wastewater treatment plant as well as soil samples collected from the shoreline of 10 lakes were screened for the presence of the Bacillus anthracis pXO1-like plasmid replicon repX using a PCR assay. Specific PCR products were retrieved from all samples, indicating a widespread presence of pXO1-like plasmid replicons in various environmental settings. Initial screening by restriction enzyme analysis revealed at least two forms of the repX gene in the wastewater sample, which was consequently subjected to further investigation. Nine of 51 Bacillus cereus group strains isolated from the wastewater sample were shown to contain a repX-specific gene sequence. Two of these strains were shown to have repX gene sequences with very high homology to the repX gene of plasmid pXO1. The same two strains also contained replicon-specific sequences with high homology to those of pXO2-like plasmids, but did not contain the pXO1-associated cya and lef virulence genes. Collectively, the sequence information from the isolated strains and PCR products obtained using total genomic DNA as a template suggests the existence of three subgroups of pXO1-like plasmid replicons in the wastewater sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Iain Bahl
- Centre for Biosecurity and Biopreparedness, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Abstract
The Select Agents and Toxins List was created by the US Government to limit the possession of and access to particular microorganisms and toxins. Casadevall and Relman argue that this list, and others like it, could have the paradoxical effect of increasing our vulnerability to biological attack and natural epidemics. Anxiety about threats from the microbial world and about the deliberate misuse of microorganisms has led to efforts to define and control these dangers using lists and regulations. One list with tremendous legal implications and a potentially huge impact on research is the Select Agents and Toxins List, which was created by the US Government to limit the possession of and access to particular microorganisms and toxins. In this article, in addition to highlighting general problems with taxonomy-based, microorganism-centric lists, we discuss our view that such lists may have the paradoxical effect of increasing the societal vulnerability to biological attack and natural epidemics by interfering with the sharing of microbial samples and hindering research on vaccines and therapeutics.
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25
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Humans and evolutionary and ecological forces shaped the phylogeography of recently emerged diseases. Nat Rev Microbiol 2009; 7:813-21. [PMID: 19820723 DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro2219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The development of human civilizations and global commerce has led to the emergence and worldwide circulation of many infectious diseases. Anthrax, plague and tularaemia are three zoonotic diseases that have been intensely studied through genome characterization of the causative species and phylogeographical analyses. A few highly fit genotypes in each species represent the causative agents for most of the observed disease cases. Together, mutational and selective forces create highly adapted pathogens, but this must be coupled with ecological opportunities for global expansion. This Review describes the distributions of the bacteria that cause anthrax, plague and tularaemia and investigates the forces that created clonal structures in these species.
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Keim P, Gruendike JM, Klevytska AM, Schupp JM, Challacombe J, Okinaka R. The genome and variation of Bacillus anthracis. Mol Aspects Med 2009; 30:397-405. [PMID: 19729033 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2009.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2009] [Accepted: 08/24/2009] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The Bacillus anthracis genome reflects its close genetic ties to Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis but has been shaped by its own unique biology and evolutionary forces. The genome is comprised of a chromosome and two large virulence plasmids, pXO1 and pXO2. The chromosome is mostly co-linear among B. anthracis strains and even with the closest near neighbor strains. An exception to this pattern has been observed in a large inversion in an attenuated strain suggesting that chromosome co-linearity is important to the natural biology of this pathogen. In general, there are few polymorphic nucleotides among B. anthracis strains reflecting the short evolutionary time since its derivation from a B. cereus-like ancestor. The exceptions to this lack of diversity are the variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) loci that exist in genic and non genic regions of the chromosome and both plasmids. Their variation is associated with high mutability that is driven by rapid insertion and deletion of the repeats within an array. A notable example is found in the vrrC locus which is homologous to known DNA translocase genes from other bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Keim
- The Microbial Genetics and Genomics Center, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ 86011-4073, USA.
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Kurosaki Y, Sakuma T, Fukuma A, Fujinami Y, Kawamoto K, Kamo N, Makino SI, Yasuda J. A simple and sensitive method for detection of Bacillus anthracis by loop-mediated isothermal amplification. J Appl Microbiol 2009; 107:1947-56. [PMID: 19493277 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2672.2009.04379.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To develop a rapid and simple system for detection of Bacillus anthracis using a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method and determine the suitability of LAMP for rapid identification of B. anthracis infection. METHODS AND RESULTS A specific LAMP assay targeting unique gene sequences in the bacterial chromosome and two virulence plasmids, pXO1 and pXO2, was designed. With this assay, it was possible to detect more than 10 fg of bacterial DNA per reaction and obtain results within 30-40 min under isothermal conditions at 63 degrees C. No cross-reactivity was observed among Bacillus cereus group and other Bacillus species. Furthermore, in tests using blood specimens from mice inoculated intranasally with B. anthracis spores, the sensitivity of the LAMP assay following DNA extraction methods using a Qiagen DNeasy kit or boiling protocol was examined. Samples prepared by both methods showed almost equivalent sensitivities in LAMP assay. The detection limit was 3.6 CFU per test. CONCLUSIONS The LAMP assay is a simple, rapid and sensitive method for detecting B. anthracis. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY The LAMP assay combined with boiling extraction could be used as a simple diagnostic method for identification of B. anthracis infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Kurosaki
- First Department of Forensic Science, National Research Institute of Police Science, Kashiwa, Japan
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Achtman M. Evolution, population structure, and phylogeography of genetically monomorphic bacterial pathogens. Annu Rev Microbiol 2008; 62:53-70. [PMID: 18785837 DOI: 10.1146/annurev.micro.62.081307.162832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 350] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Genetically monomorphic bacteria contain so little sequence diversity that sequencing a few gene fragments yields little or no information. As a result, our understanding of their evolutionary patterns presents greater technical challenges than exist for genetically diverse microbes. These challenges are now being met by analyses at the genomic level for diverse types of genetic variation, the most promising of which are single nucleotide polymorphisms. Many of the most virulent bacterial pathogens are genetically monomorphic, and understanding their evolutionary and phylogeographic patterns will help our understanding of the effects of infectious disease on human history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Achtman
- Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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Hudson MJ, Beyer W, Böhm R, Fasanella A, Garofolo G, Golinski R, Goossens PL, Hahn U, Hallis B, King A, Mock M, Montecucco C, Ozin A, Tonello F, Kaufmann SH. Bacillus anthracis: balancing innocent research with dual-use potential. Int J Med Microbiol 2008; 298:345-64. [PMID: 18375178 PMCID: PMC7106442 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmm.2007.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2007] [Revised: 09/21/2007] [Accepted: 09/28/2007] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthrax Euronet, a Coordination Action of the EU 6th Framework Programme, was designed to strengthen networking activities between anthrax research groups in Europe and to harmonise protocols for testing anthrax vaccines and therapeutics. Inevitably, the project also addressed aspects of the current political issues of biosecurity and dual-use research, i.e. research into agents of important diseases of man, livestock or agriculture that could be used as agents of bioterrorism. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the biology of Bacillus anthracis, of the pathogenesis, epidemiology and diagnosis of anthrax, as well as vaccine and therapeutic intervention strategies. The proposed requirement for a code of conduct for working with dual-use agents such as the anthrax bacillus is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Antonio Fasanella
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Puglia and Basilicata, Foggia, Italy
| | - Giuliano Garofolo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Puglia and Basilicata, Foggia, Italy
| | - Robert Golinski
- Department of Immunology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Charitéplatz 1, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Bassam Hallis
- Health Protection Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, UK
| | | | | | | | - Amanda Ozin
- Department of Immunology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Charitéplatz 1, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Stefan H.E. Kaufmann
- Department of Immunology, Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Charitéplatz 1, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
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Van der Auwera GA, Timmery S, Mahillon J. Self-transfer and mobilisation capabilities of the pXO2-like plasmid pBT9727 from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. konkukian 97-27. Plasmid 2008; 59:134-8. [PMID: 18272219 DOI: 10.1016/j.plasmid.2007.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2007] [Revised: 10/15/2007] [Accepted: 11/30/2007] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Recent characterisations of plasmids related to the anthrax virulence plasmids pXO1 and pXO2 in clinical isolates of Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis have contributed to the emerging picture of a virulence-associated plasmid pool in the B. cereus sensu lato group. The family of pXO2-like plasmids includes the conjugative plasmid pAW63 from the biopesticide strain B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD73 and the heretofore cryptic plasmid pBT9727 from the clinical strain B. thuringiensis subsp. konkukian 97-27. Comparative sequence analysis of these three plasmids suggested that they were derived from an ancestral conjugative plasmid, with pAW63 retaining its self-transfer capabilities, and pXO2 having lost them through genetic drift. Such properties had not been investigated in pBT9727, but sequence homologies led us to predict that it may possess self-transfer capabilities. Here, we report that pBT9727 is indeed conjugative, and is able to promote its own transfer as well as that of small mobilisable plasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Géraldine A Van der Auwera
- Laboratory of Food and Environmental Microbiology, Université Catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud, 2/12, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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31
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Van Ert MN, Easterday WR, Huynh LY, Okinaka RT, Hugh-Jones ME, Ravel J, Zanecki SR, Pearson T, Simonson TS, U'Ren JM, Kachur SM, Leadem-Dougherty RR, Rhoton SD, Zinser G, Farlow J, Coker PR, Smith KL, Wang B, Kenefic LJ, Fraser-Liggett CM, Wagner DM, Keim P. Global genetic population structure of Bacillus anthracis. PLoS One 2007; 2:e461. [PMID: 17520020 PMCID: PMC1866244 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0000461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 255] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2007] [Accepted: 03/20/2007] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthrax, caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, is a disease of historical and current importance that is found throughout the world. The basis of its historical transmission is anecdotal and its true global population structure has remained largely cryptic. Seven diverse B. anthracis strains were whole-genome sequenced to identify rare single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), followed by phylogenetic reconstruction of these characters onto an evolutionary model. This analysis identified SNPs that define the major clonal lineages within the species. These SNPs, in concert with 15 variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) markers, were used to subtype a collection of 1,033 B. anthracis isolates from 42 countries to create an extensive genotype data set. These analyses subdivided the isolates into three previously recognized major lineages (A, B, and C), with further subdivision into 12 clonal sub-lineages or sub-groups and, finally, 221 unique MLVA15 genotypes. This rare genomic variation was used to document the evolutionary progression of B. anthracis and to establish global patterns of diversity. Isolates in the A lineage are widely dispersed globally, whereas the B and C lineages occur on more restricted spatial scales. Molecular clock models based upon genome-wide synonymous substitutions indicate there was a massive radiation of the A lineage that occurred in the mid-Holocene (3,064-6,127 ybp). On more recent temporal scales, the global population structure of B. anthracis reflects colonial-era importation of specific genotypes from the Old World into the New World, as well as the repeated industrial importation of diverse genotypes into developed countries via spore-contaminated animal products. These findings indicate humans have played an important role in the evolution of anthrax by increasing the proliferation and dispersal of this now global disease. Finally, the value of global genotypic analysis for investigating bioterrorist-mediated outbreaks of anthrax is demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew N. Van Ert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - W. Ryan Easterday
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Lynn Y. Huynh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Richard T. Okinaka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
- Biosciences, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Martin E. Hugh-Jones
- Department of Environmental Studies, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Jacques Ravel
- The Institute for Genomic Research, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Shaylan R. Zanecki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Talima Pearson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Tatum S. Simonson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Jana M. U'Ren
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Sergey M. Kachur
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Rebecca R. Leadem-Dougherty
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Shane D. Rhoton
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Guenevier Zinser
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Jason Farlow
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Pamala R. Coker
- Department of Environmental Studies, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Kimothy L. Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Bingxiang Wang
- Lanzhou Institute of Biological Products, Lanzhou, China
| | - Leo J. Kenefic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | | | - David M. Wagner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Paul Keim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
- Biosciences, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States of America
- Pathogen Genomics Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
- * To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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