Genomic Characterization and Comparative Genomic Analysis of the Foodborne pv. .

The pv. () has been linked to fatal food poisoning cases, which could produce the deadly toxin of bongkrekic acid (BA). However, genomic characterization and toxin production pathways of strains remain elusive. This study aimed to explore the BA-producing ability associated with the evolution of the gene cluster and to analyze the intraspecies genomic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of based on the 17 genomes of strains isolated from Shenzhen City, China. Genome sequencing results suggested that the genome sizes of these strains were mostly approximately 8 Mb, with a GC content of approximately 68%. The evolutionary tree analysis of the whole-genome sequences showed that significant divergences and distinct cluster were exhibited among these strains. Comparative genomic analysis indicated that the genomes of strains 2020051, 2021031, and 2021067 contained the complete and entire gene cluster, supporting that these strains displayed obviously BA-producing ability. The genomes of strains 2021028 and 2020041 lacked the entire gene cluster. However, the genomes of strains 2021037, 2021024, 2021035, and 2021031 exhibited disruptions in their gene clusters. This finding indicated the loss of specific genes within the cluster, suggesting a reduced capability for BA production in these strains. The present results indicated that the gene cluster in the genome played a key role in the toxin BA biosynthesis of different strains. This study provided a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between genomic diversity and BA production of this lethal foodborne pathovar, which will potentially contribute to the risk identification and food poisoning outbreak prevention of .