Whole genome sequencing and identification of Bacillus endophyticus and B. anthracis isolated from anthrax outbreaks in South Africa.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Bacillus endophyticus is a soil plant-endophytic bacterium, while B. anthracis is the causative agent of anthrax. The virulence factors of B. anthracis are the plasmid encoded tripartite toxins (pXO1) and poly-γ-glutamic acid (PGA) capsule (pXO2). B. endophyticus isolated alongside B. anthracis from animals that died of anthrax in Northern Cape Province (NCP), South Africa, harbored polyglutamate genes. The study compared the characteristics of B. anthracis and B. endophyticus with other Bacillus species with a focus on the presence of the PGA capsule or/and unbound PGA. The morphology and whole genome sequence analysis of B. endophyticus strains and B. anthracis were compared.

Results

In conventional microbiology, B. endophyticus showed gram-positive round-shaped

SUBMITTER: Lekota KE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6038202 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature