Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA.
School of Veterinary Medicine, Texas Tech University, Amarillo, Texas, USA.
Appl Environ Microbiol. 2024 Jun 18;90(6):e0010524. doi: 10.1128/aem.00105-24. Epub 2024 May 14.
Pododermatitis, also known as treponeme-associated hoof disease (TAHD), presents a significant challenge to elk () populations in the northwestern USA, with spp. consistently implicated in the lesion development. However, identifying species-specific strains from these lesions is hindered by its culture recalcitrance and limited genomic information. This study utilized shotgun sequencing, genome reconstruction, and comparative genomics as a culture-independent approach to identify metagenome-assembled genomes (MATGs) from skin scraping samples collected from captive elk experimentally challenged with TAHD. The genomic analysis revealed 10 new MATGs, with 6 representing novel genomospecies associated with pododermatitis in elk and 4 corresponding to previously identified species and . Importantly, genomic signatures of novel genomospecies identified in this study were consistently detected in biopsy samples of free-ranging elk diagnosed with TAHD, indicating a potential etiologic association. Comparative metabolic profiling of the MATGs against other genomes showed a distinct metabolic profile, suggesting potential host adaptation or geographic uniqueness of these newly identified genomospecies. The discovery of novel genomospecies enhances our understanding of the pathogenesis of pododermatitis and lays the foundation for the development of improved molecular surveillance tools to monitor and manage the disease in free-ranging elk.IMPORTANCE spp. play an important role in the development of pododermatitis in free-ranging elk; however, the species-specific detection of from pododermatitis lesions is challenging due to culture recalcitrance and limited genomic information. The study utilized shotgun sequencing and genome reconstruction to identify novel genomospecies from elk with pododermatitis. The discovery of the novel species opens new avenues to develop molecular diagnostic and epidemiologic tools for the surveillance of pododermatitis in elk. These findings significantly enhance our understanding of the genomic landscape of the consortium while offering valuable insights into the etiology and pathogenesis of emerging pododermatitis in elk populations.
蹄皮炎，也称为密螺旋体相关蹄病（TAHD），对美国西北部的麋鹿种群构成重大挑战， spp. 一直被认为与病变的发展有关。然而，由于其培养的顽固性和有限的基因组信息，从这些病变中鉴定特定物种的 菌株受到阻碍。本研究利用鸟枪法测序、 基因组重建和比较基因组学作为一种非培养方法，从实验性挑战 TAHD 的圈养麋鹿的皮肤刮取样本中鉴定宏基因组组装的 基因组（MATGs）。基因组分析揭示了 10 个新的 MATGs，其中 6 个代表与麋鹿蹄皮炎相关的新型基因组种，4 个对应于先前鉴定的物种和 。重要的是，本研究中鉴定的新型基因组种的基因组特征在诊断为 TAHD 的自由放养麋鹿的活检样本中始终被检测到，表明存在潜在的病因关联。对 MATGs 与其他 基因组的比较代谢分析显示出独特的代谢特征，表明这些新鉴定的基因组种具有潜在的宿主适应性或地理独特性。新型 基因组种的发现增强了我们对蹄皮炎发病机制的理解，并为开发改进的分子监测工具奠定了基础，以监测和管理自由放养麋鹿中的疾病。
重要性 spp. 在自由放养麋鹿的蹄皮炎发展中起着重要作用；然而，由于培养的顽固性和有限的基因组信息，从蹄皮炎病变中检测特定物种的 存在具有挑战性。该研究利用鸟枪法测序和 基因组重建，从患有蹄皮炎的麋鹿中鉴定出新型 基因组种。新型 物种的发现为开发用于监测麋鹿蹄皮炎的分子诊断和流行病学工具开辟了新途径。这些发现极大地增强了我们对 联盟基因组景观的理解，同时为麋鹿种群中新兴蹄皮炎的病因和发病机制提供了有价值的见解。
