Genome sequencing of disease and carriage isolates of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae identifies discrete population structure.

ABSTRACT: One of the main hurdles for the development of an effective and broadly protective vaccine against nonencapsulated isolates of Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) lies in the genetic diversity of the species, which renders extremely difficult the identification of cross-protective candidate antigens. To assess whether a population structure of NTHi could be defined, we performed genome sequencing of a collection of diverse clinical isolates representative of both carriage and disease and of the diversity of the natural population. Analysis of the distribution of polymorphic sites in the core genome and of the composition of the accessory genome defined distinct evolutionary clades and supported a predominantly clonal evolution of NTHi, with the majority of genetic information transmitted vertica

SUBMITTER: De Chiara M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3986186 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature