The genome sequence of Brucella pinnipedialis B2/94 sheds light on the evolutionary history of the genus Brucella.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Since the discovery of the Malta fever agent, Brucella melitensis, in the 19th century, six terrestrial mammal-associated Brucella species were recognized over the next century. More recently the number of novel Brucella species has increased and among them, isolation of species B. pinnipedialis and B. ceti from marine mammals raised many questions about their origin as well as on the evolutionary history of the whole genus.

Results

We report here on the first complete genome sequence of a Brucella strain isolated from marine mammals, Brucella pinnipedialis strain B2/94. A whole gene-based phylogenetic analysis shows that five main groups of host-associated Brucella species rapidly diverged from a likely free-living ancestor close to the recently isolated B. micro

SUBMITTER: Audic S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3146883 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature