On the origin of Mycobacterium ulcerans, the causative agent of Buruli ulcer.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Mycobacterium ulcerans is an unusual bacterial pathogen with elusive origins. While closely related to the aquatic dwelling M. marinum, M. ulcerans has evolved the ability to produce the immunosuppressive polyketide toxin mycolactone and cause the neglected tropical disease Buruli ulcer. Other mycolactone-producing mycobacteria (MPM) have been identified in fish and frogs and given distinct species designations (M. pseudoshottsii, M. shinshuense, M. liflandii and M. marinum), however the evolution of M. ulcerans and its relationship to other MPM has not been defined. Here we report the comparative analysis of whole genome sequences from 30 MPM and five M. marinum.

Results

A high-resolution phylogeny based on genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) showe

SUBMITTER: Doig KD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3434033 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature