Metabolomics,Unknown,Transcriptomics,Genomics,Proteomics

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Isolation and characterization of environmental Bacillus isolates which may harbor B. anthracis virulence genes

ABSTRACT: The goal of this project was to screen soil samples for bacteria that may harbor B. anthracis virulence-associated genes (VAGs). There is currently no information about the prevalence of these types of organisms in the environment. Due to increased environmental monitoring of select agents by programs such as BioWatch and biodetection systems in place at the United States Post Offices and Department of State locations, it has become critical that we not only better understand the natural range of B. anthracis but also how widespread B. anthracis virulence genes are in environmental communities. Naturally occurring isolates containing the B. anthracis virulence genes could generate false-positive results in tests that detect the anthrax toxins, capsule or their associated genes. Understanding the true diversity and pathogenic potential of Bacillus spp. and particularly the B. cereus group is crucial not only in terms of understanding data from environmental monitoring but also diagnosing patients with clinical presentations similar to anthrax in the future. Severe and fatal disease caused by strains similar to B. anthracis could unnecessarily initiate emergency responses if anthrax was incorrectly suspected. Conversely, these strains may be used as bioterror agents requiring science-based responses; presently our limited understanding of these organisms does not permit data-driven decision making. We have investigated 700 aerobic sporoform soil isolates obtained from two areas in the Southwest of the US. Soil samples from the first site had been taken from public access land approximately 50 meters across from the work site of a fatal pneumonia case in a welding factory. This took place in year 2003 when B. cereus was isolated from a metal worker. The second site was targeted because of a recent case involving a deceased mule suspected to have died of a B. anthracis infection. Soil samples were initially analyzed at the CDC. Isolates were obtained by heating the soil at 65 degrees Celcius for 30 minutes followed by plating on agar media. All isolates were screened by PCR for the presence of B. anthracis genomic traits such as toxin genes (cya, lef and pag) as well as chromosomal markers. All isolates were also tested for their hemolytic activity as well as phage sensitivity. Eighty-four query strains were investigated in this study, with each query strain hybridized against the reference strain, Sterne. Two dye-swap experiments were performed with seventeen strains, for a total of four hybridizations per query strain. The other strains have a single dye experiment, for a total of two hybridizations per query strain. Each 70mer oligo spotted on the B. cereus species microarray is spotted once. Positive controls on the array consist of oligos designed from the sequenced reference genome, Sterne, and negative controls on the array consist of oligos designed from the thale cress plant, Arabidopsis thaliana.

ORGANISM(S): Bacillus anthracis str. Sterne

SUBMITTER: H. Sajadi

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-19071 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress

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Project description:Haemophilus influenzae(Hi) is a gram-negative rod shaped bacterium that lives symbiotically in the upper respiratory tract of humans. Capsulated Hi, as well as non-capsulated strains are known to cause a number of significant infections. Recognizing and understanding the links between the phenotypic traits and the genetic background has paramount epidemiological and clinical importance. To date, a panoply of microbiological and molecular biology tools have been developed and utilized by researchers aimed at identifying the evolutionary links among strains and isolates. Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) has been shown to be a useful tool for screening strains for their genetic content. However, there is a major limitation when CGH is conducted on a microarray based on a single reference genome. CGH results report which genes are present or absent relative to the genome. Hence the information about novel genetic content that the query strain possesses remains obscure. We report here the construction of the first Hi pan-genome microarray representing ca. 4600 features by 70-mers. In addition to those from the Rd strain, new features originate from the unfinished genome sequences present in NCBI database and from our novel gene discovery project efforts using strain HK1212. Genomes of 20strains belonging to different phylogenetic lineages were screened for their gene loss and gain utilizing the species microarray. The results obtained by employing the multistrain species microarray provide comprehensive information about the genomic content of uncharacterized strains. The trees generated by CGH, in general, do not reproduce the phylogeny of a species in terms of vertical evolution, but instead represents the overall relatedness of genomes to one another and provide an assessment about the species genome evolution. Keywords: Comparative Genomic Hybridization Twenty query strains (denoted HKxxxx) were investigated in this study, with each query strain hybridized against the reference strain, KW20. Two dye-swap experiments were performed, for a total of four hybridizations per query strain. Each 70mer oligo spotted on the H. influenzae species microarray is replicated six times. Positive controls on the array consist of oligos designed from the sequenced reference genome, KW20, and negative controls on the array consist of oligos designed from the thale cress plant, Arabidopsis thaliana.

Project description:The goal of this project was to screen soil samples for bacteria that may harbor B. anthracis virulence-associated genes (VAGs). There is currently no information about the prevalence of these types of organisms in the environment. Due to increased environmental monitoring of select agents by programs such as BioWatch and biodetection systems in place at the United States Post Offices and Department of State locations, it has become critical that we not only better understand the natural range of B. anthracis but also how widespread B. anthracis virulence genes are in environmental communities. Naturally occurring isolates containing the B. anthracis virulence genes could generate false-positive results in tests that detect the anthrax toxins, capsule or their associated genes. Understanding the true diversity and pathogenic potential of Bacillus spp. and particularly the B. cereus group is crucial not only in terms of understanding data from environmental monitoring but also diagnosing patients with clinical presentations similar to anthrax in the future. Severe and fatal disease caused by strains similar to B. anthracis could unnecessarily initiate emergency responses if anthrax was incorrectly suspected. Conversely, these strains may be used as bioterror agents requiring science-based responses; presently our limited understanding of these organisms does not permit data-driven decision making. We have investigated 700 aerobic sporoform soil isolates obtained from two areas in the Southwest of the US. Soil samples from the first site had been taken from public access land approximately 50 meters across from the work site of a fatal pneumonia case in a welding factory. This took place in year 2003 when B. cereus was isolated from a metal worker. The second site was targeted because of a recent case involving a deceased mule suspected to have died of a B. anthracis infection. Soil samples were initially analyzed at the CDC. Isolates were obtained by heating the soil at 65 degrees Celcius for 30 minutes followed by plating on agar media. All isolates were screened by PCR for the presence of B. anthracis genomic traits such as toxin genes (cya, lef and pag) as well as chromosomal markers. All isolates were also tested for their hemolytic activity as well as phage sensitivity.

Project description:Yersinia pestis (Y. pestis) is the etiologic agent of the plague, an endemic zoonotic disease of critical clinical and historic importance. The species belongs to a genus comprising eleven members, three of which are human pathogens. Y. pestis and its closest extant relative, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, are very similar in many respects, yet there is a distinct dichotomy between these species in terms of pathogenicity. Y. pseudotuberculosis produces a relatively benign food- or water-borne gastroenteritis with rare cases of potentially fatal bacteremia. In contrast, the characteristics of high infectivity and high mortality have made Y. pestis a pathogen of historic importance with devastating effects on the human populace over the course of three major pandemics. These qualities coupled with the emergence of multi-drug resistant variants make Y. pestis an ideal candidate for use as a bioterrorism agent. Consequentially, evolutionary biology of this organism has become a priority in the counter-terrorism research effort. The flow of genetic information within the Y. pseudotuberculosis/Y. pestis group motivated us to identify novel genes for the purpose of creating a pan-genome species DNA microarray to better understand the phylogenomic relationships among its members. Based on the sequence information be generated from the novel gene discovery project conducted at the PFGRC as well as other publicly available sources regarding Yersinia spp. genome sequences, we designed a species microarray which represents the hitherto known genetic repertoire of this taxonomic group. In order to create a species microarray that represents novel genes or genes with significant sequence variation, the ArrayOligoSelector software (http://arrayoligosel.sourceforge.net/) was used to design a 70-mer oligonucleotide for each of the annotated ORFs or partial ORFs. A detailed description of the 70-mer oligo design process and filters developed by the PFGRC can be found on the PFGRC web site at (http://pfgrc.tigr.org/presentations/seminars/oligo_design_final.pdf). One hundred fifty six query strains were investigated in this study, with each query strain hybridized against the reference strain, CO92. Each strain has a single dye experiment. Each oligo is spotted on the Y. pestis species microarray once. Positive controls on the array consist of oligos designed from the sequenced reference genome, CO92, and negative controls on the array consist of oligos designed from the thale cress plant, Arabidopsis thaliana.The microarrays also had Agilent internal controls.

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Isolation and characterization of environmental Bacillus isolates which may harbor B. anthracis virulence genes

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