Comparative genomics of pathogenic Treponema pallidum species
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2003 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | Sborník příspěvků VII. Pracovní setkání biochemiků a molekulárních biologů |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Genetics and molecular biology |
| Keywords | comparative genomics; Treponema pallidum |
| Description | Spirochaetal genus Treponema includes several pathogenic spirochetes (e.g. Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum is the causative agent of syphilis, T. pallidum subsp. pertenue causes yaws). Recent serological tests are negative in early stages of treponemal infection and cannot distinguish between syphilis and yaws. The complete genome sequence, construction of a microarray chip with all 1039 predicted ORF PCR products, together with the findings that there is a high degree of sequence homology among pathogenic treponemes, enables comparative genomic analyses based on DNA-microarray techniques. Identification of chromosomal sequences specific for these pathogens can be used for selective PCR diagnostics of treponemal diseases. DNA of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum Nichols strain was compared to DNA isolated from three different strains of T. pallidum subsp. pertenue (strain Gauthier, Samoan D, CDC-2). As a result of DNA microarray comparisons, 25 genes (13 with stronger and 6 with weaker signal in pertenue strains and 6 control genes with similar signal in both subspecies examined) were selected and sequenced. Altogether, 24083 nucleotides (2.12% of the genome) were sequenced in 3 pertenue strains and control Nichols. No region of extensive sequence heterogeneity was detected. However, 15 different single nucleotide polymorfisms (SNP) were identified: 3 SNPs in Gauthier strain, 14 in Samoan D and 15 SNPs in CDC-2. Ten (out of 15) SNPs cause amino acid changes. SNPs common for all pertenue strains as well as SNPs specific for each individual strain will allow to use these nucleotide polymorfisms to design sequence specific PCR diagnostics of these strains. |
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