Department of Respiratory Medicine, Center for Pathogen Biology and Infectious Diseases, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, 23955-6900, Jeddah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Sci Rep. 2024 Nov 12;14(1):27723. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-75228-0.
Mycobacteria is a diverse genus that includes both innocuous environmental species and serious pathogens like Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium leprae, and Mycobacterium ulcerans, the causative agents of tuberculosis, leprosy, and Buruli ulcer, respectively. This study focuses on Mycobacterium marinum, a closely related species known for its larger genome and ability to infect ectothermic species and cooler human extremities. Utilizing whole-genome sequencing, we conducted a comprehensive pan-genome analysis of 100 M. marinum strains, exploring genetic diversity and its impact on pathogenesis and host specificity. Our findings highlight significant genomic diversity, with clear distinctions in core, dispensable, and unique genes among the isolates. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a broad distribution of genetic lineages, challenging previous classifications into distinct clusters. Additionally, we examined the synteny and diversity of the virulence factor CpnT, noting a wide range of C-terminal domain variations across strains, which points to potential adaptations in pathogenic mechanisms. This study enhances our understanding of M. marinum's genomic architecture and its evolutionary relationship with other mycobacterial pathogens, providing insights that could inform disease control strategies for M. tuberculosis and other mycobacteria.
分枝杆菌是一个多样化的属，包括无害的环境物种和严重的病原体，如结核分枝杆菌、麻风分枝杆菌和溃疡分枝杆菌，它们分别是结核病、麻风病和布鲁里溃疡的病原体。本研究关注的是海洋分枝杆菌，这是一种密切相关的物种，其特点是基因组较大，能够感染变温动物物种和较冷的人体四肢。本研究利用全基因组测序，对 100 株海洋分枝杆菌菌株进行了全面的泛基因组分析，探讨了遗传多样性及其对发病机制和宿主特异性的影响。我们的研究结果突出了显著的基因组多样性，分离株之间存在核心基因、可分配基因和独特基因的明显区别。系统发育分析显示遗传谱系广泛分布，挑战了先前将其分为不同集群的分类。此外，我们还研究了毒力因子 CpnT 的同线性和多样性，注意到不同菌株之间 C 末端结构域存在广泛的变异，这表明在致病机制中存在潜在的适应性。本研究增进了我们对海洋分枝杆菌基因组结构及其与其他分枝杆菌病原体的进化关系的理解，为结核分枝杆菌和其他分枝杆菌的疾病控制策略提供了信息。
