Sample records for types phylogenetic analysis

  1. Phylogenetic analysis of different breeds of domestic chickens in selected area of Peninsular Malaysia inferred from partial cytochrome b gene information and RAPD markers.

    PubMed

    Yap, Fook Choy; Yan, Yap Jin; Loon, Kiung Teh; Zhen, Justina Lee Ning; Kamau, Nelly Warau; Kumaran, Jayaraj Vijaya

    2010-10-01

    The present investigation was carried out in an attempt to study the phylogenetic analysis of different breeds of domestic chickens in Peninsular Malaysia inferred from partial cytochrome b gene information and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. Phylogenetic analysis using both neighbor-joining (NJ) and maximum parsimony (MP) methods produced three clusters that encompassed Type-I village chickens, the red jungle fowl subspecies and the Japanese Chunky broilers. The phylogenetic analysis also revealed that majority of the Malaysian commercial chickens were randomly assembled with the Type-II village chickens. In RAPD assay, phylogenetic analysis using neighbor-joining produced six clusters that were completely distinguished based on the locality of chickens. High levels of genetic variations were observed among the village chickens, the commercial broilers, and between the commercial broilers and layer chickens. In this study, it was found that Type-I village chickens could be distinguished from the commercial chickens and Type-II village chickens at the position of the 27th nucleotide of the 351 bp cytochrome b gene. This study also revealed that RAPD markers were unable to differentiate the type of chickens, but it showed the effectiveness of RAPD in evaluating the genetic variation and the genetic relationships between chicken lines and populations.

  2. Different evolutionary trajectories of vaccine-controlled and non-controlled avian infectious bronchitis viruses in commercial poultry

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Dong-Hun

    2017-01-01

    To determine the genetic and epidemiological relationship of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) isolates from commercial poultry to attenuated live IBV vaccines we conducted a phylogenetic network analysis on the full-length S1 sequence for Arkansas (Ark), Massachusetts (Mass) and Delmarva/1639 (DMV/1639) type viruses isolated in 2015 from clinical cases by 3 different diagnostic laboratories. Phylogenetic network analysis of Ark isolates showed two predominant groups linked by 2 mutations, consistent with subpopulations found in commercial vaccines for this IBV type. In addition, a number of satellite groups surrounding the two predominant populations were observed for the Ark type virus, which is likely due to mutations associated with the nature of this vaccine to persist in flocks. The phylogenetic network analysis of Mass-type viruses shows two groupings corresponding to different manufacturers vaccine sequences. No satellite groups were observed for Mass-type viruses, which is consistent with no persistence of this vaccine type in the field. At the time of collection, no vaccine was being used for the DMV/1639 type viruses and phylogenetic network analysis showed a dispersed network suggesting no clear change in genetic distribution. Selection pressure analysis showed that the DMV/1639 and Mass-type strains were evolving under negative selection, whereas the Ark type viruses had evolved under positive selection. This data supports the hypothesis that live attenuated vaccine usage does play a role in the genetic profile of similar IB viruses in the field and phylogenetic network analysis can be used to identify vaccine and vaccine origin isolates, which is important for our understanding of the role live vaccines play in the evolutionary trajectory of those viruses. PMID:28472110

  3. Thioredoxin and evolution

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Buchanan, B. B.

    1991-01-01

    Comparisons of primary structure have revealed significant homology between the m type thioredoxins of chloroplasts and the thioredoxins from a variety of bacteria. Chloroplast thioredoxin f, by comparison, remains an enigma: certain residues are invariant with those of the other thioredoxins, but a phylogenetic relationship to bacterial or m thioredoxins seems distant. Knowledge of the evolutionary history of thioredoxin f is, nevertheless, of interest because of its role in photosynthesis. Therefore, we have attempted to gain information on the evolutionary history of chloroplast thioredoxin f, as well as m. Our goal was first to establish the utility of thioredoxin as a phylogenetic marker, and, if found suitable, to deduce the evolutionary histories of the chloroplast thioredoxins. To this end, we have constructed phylogenetic (minimal replacement) trees using computer analysis. The results show that the thioredoxins of bacteria and animals fall into distinct phylogenetic groups - the bacterial group resembling that derived from earlier 16s RNA analysis and the animal group showing a cluster consistent with known relationships. The chloroplast thioredoxins show a novel type of phylogenetic arrangement: one m type aligns with its counterpart of eukaryotic algae, cyanobacteria and other bacteria, whereas the second type (f type) tracks with animal thioredoxin. The results give new insight into the evolution of photosynthesis.

  4. Phylogenetic analysis of human immunodeficiency virus type 2 isolated from Cuban individuals.

    PubMed

    Machado, Liuber Y; Díaz, Héctor M; Noa, Enrique; Martín, Dayamí; Blanco, Madeline; Díaz, Dervel F; Sánchez, Yordank R; Nibot, Carmen; Sánchez, Lourdes; Dubed, Marta

    2014-08-01

    The presence of infection by human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) in Cuba has been previously documented. However, genetic information on the strains that circulate in the Cuban people is still unknown. The present work constitutes the first study concerning the phylogenetic relationship of HIV-2 Cuban isolates conducted on 13 Cuban patients who were diagnosed with HIV-2. The env sequences were analyzed for the construction of a phylogenetic tree with reference sequences of HIV-2. Phylogenetic analysis of the env gene showed that all the Cuban sequences clustered in group A of HIV-2. The analysis indicated several independent introductions of HIV-2 into Cuba. The results of the study will reinforce the program on the epidemiological surveillance of the infection in Cuba and make possible further molecular evolutionary studies.

  5. Applying phylogenetic analysis to viral livestock diseases: moving beyond molecular typing.

    PubMed

    Olvera, Alex; Busquets, Núria; Cortey, Marti; de Deus, Nilsa; Ganges, Llilianne; Núñez, José Ignacio; Peralta, Bibiana; Toskano, Jennifer; Dolz, Roser

    2010-05-01

    Changes in livestock production systems in recent years have altered the presentation of many diseases resulting in the need for more sophisticated control measures. At the same time, new molecular assays have been developed to support the diagnosis of animal viral disease. Nucleotide sequences generated by these diagnostic techniques can be used in phylogenetic analysis to infer phenotypes by sequence homology and to perform molecular epidemiology studies. In this review, some key elements of phylogenetic analysis are highlighted, such as the selection of the appropriate neutral phylogenetic marker, the proper phylogenetic method and different techniques to test the reliability of the resulting tree. Examples are given of current and future applications of phylogenetic reconstructions in viral livestock diseases. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Molecular and phylogenetic characterizations of an Eimeria krijgsmanni Yakimoff & Gouseff, 1938 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) mouse intestinal protozoan parasite by partial 18S ribosomal RNA gene sequence analysis.

    PubMed

    Takeo, Toshinori; Tanaka, Tetsuya; Matsubayashi, Makoto; Maeda, Hiroki; Kusakisako, Kodai; Matsui, Toshihiro; Mochizuki, Masami; Matsuo, Tomohide

    2014-08-01

    Previously, we characterized an undocumented strain of Eimeria krijgsmanni by morphological and biological features. Here, we present a detailed molecular phylogenetic analysis of this organism. Namely, 18S ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) sequences of E. krijgsmanni were analyzed to incorporate this species into a comprehensive Eimeria phylogeny. As a result, partial 18S rDNA sequence from E. krijgsmanni was successfully determined, and two different types, Type A and Type B, that differed by 1 base pair were identified. E. krijgsmanni was originally isolated from a single oocyst, and thus the result show that the two types might have allelic sequence heterogeneity in the 18S rDNA. Based on phylogenetic analyses, the two types of E. krijgsmanni 18S rDNA formed one of two clades among murine Eimeria spp.; these Eimeria clades reflected morphological similarity among the Eimeria spp. This is the third molecular phylogenetic characterization of a murine Eimeria spp. in addition to E. falciformis and E. papillata. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Relationships among genera of the Saccharomycotina (Ascomycota) from multigene phylogenetic analysis of type species

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Phylogenetic relatedness among ascomycetous yeast genera (subphylum Saccharomycotina, phylum Ascomycota) has been uncertain. In the present study, type species of 70 currently recognized genera are compared from divergence in the nearly entire nuclear gene sequences for large subunit rRNA, small sub...

  8. Molecular Characterization and Phylogenetic Analysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Isolates Recovered from Greek Aquatic Habitats Implementing the Double-Locus Sequence Typing Scheme.

    PubMed

    Pappa, Olga; Beloukas, Apostolos; Vantarakis, Apostolos; Mavridou, Athena; Kefala, Anastasia-Maria; Galanis, Alex

    2017-07-01

    The recently described double-locus sequence typing (DLST) scheme implemented to deeply characterize the genetic profiles of 52 resistant environmental Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates deriving from aquatic habitats of Greece. DLST scheme was able not only to assign an already known allelic profile to the majority of the isolates but also to recognize two new ones (ms217-190, ms217-191) with high discriminatory power. A third locus (oprD) was also used for the molecular typing, which has been found to be fundamental for the phylogenetic analysis of environmental isolates given the resulted increased discrimination between the isolates. Additionally, the circulation of acquired resistant mechanisms in the aquatic habitats according to their genetic profiles was proved to be more extent. Hereby, we suggest that the combination of the DLST to oprD typing can discriminate phenotypically and genetically related environmental P. aeruginosa isolates providing reliable phylogenetic analysis at a local level.

  9. P-type ATPase superfamily: evidence for critical roles for kingdom evolution.

    PubMed

    Okamura, Hideyuki; Denawa, Masatsugu; Ohniwa, Ryosuke; Takeyasu, Kunio

    2003-04-01

    The P-type ATPase has become a protein superfamily. On the basis of sequence similarities, the phylogenetic analyses, and substrate specificities, this superfamily can be classified into 5 families and 11 subfamilies. A comparative phylogenetic analysis demonstrates the relationship between the molecular evolution of these subfamilies and the establishment of the kingdoms of living things.

  10. Pseudomonas caspiana sp. nov., a citrus pathogen in the Pseudomonas syringae phylogenetic group.

    PubMed

    Busquets, Antonio; Gomila, Margarita; Beiki, Farid; Mulet, Magdalena; Rahimian, Heshmat; García-Valdés, Elena; Lalucat, Jorge

    2017-07-01

    In a screening by multilocus sequence analysis of Pseudomonas strains isolated from diverse origins, 4 phylogenetically closely related strains (FBF58, FBF102 T , FBF103, and FBF122) formed a well-defined cluster in the Pseudomonas syringae phylogenetic group. The strains were isolated from citrus orchards in northern Iran with disease symptoms in the leaves and stems and its pathogenicity against citrus plants was demonstrated. The whole genome of the type strain of the proposed new species (FBF102 T =CECT 9164 T =CCUG 69273 T ) was sequenced and characterized. Comparative genomics with the 14 known Pseudomonas species type strains of the P. syringae phylogenetic group demonstrated that this strain belonged to a new genomic species, different from the species described thus far. Genome analysis detected genes predicted to be involved in pathogenesis, such as an atypical type 3 secretion system and two type 6 secretion systems, together with effectors and virulence factors. A polyphasic taxonomic characterization demonstrated that the 4 plant pathogenic strains represented a new species, for which the name Pseudomonas caspiana sp. nov. is proposed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  11. Phylogeny of Collembola based on cuticular compounds:inherent usefulness and limitation of a character type

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Porco, David; Deharveng, Louis

    2009-08-01

    The phylogeny of Collembola, originally discussed from a morphological point of view, has more recently benefited from novel insights brought by molecular analyses. Both morphological and molecular characters produced a well-resolved phylogenetic hypothesis including all orders, most families, and a large number of genera. However, several conflicting points exist between molecular and morphological data, and new characters are clearly needed to resolve these inconsistencies. In this study the usefulness of a new character type not previously used in the phylogenetic study of Collembola was tested: the epicuticular chemical compounds. Our phylogenetic analysis was based on 380 compounds from 26 Collembola species. The results show good resolution for terminal branches but not for internal nodes. This is probably due to the partial involvement of epicuticular lipids in ecological functions such as water conservation and sexual attraction. Thus, this character type is appropriate for reconstructing phylogenetic relationships among recently diversified groups.

  12. Piscine reovirus: Genomic and molecular phylogenetic analysis from farmed and wild salmonids collected on the Canada/US Pacific Coast

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Siah, Ahmed; Morrison, Diane B.; Fringuelli, Elena; Savage, Paul S.; Richmond, Zina; Purcell, Maureen K.; Johns, Robert; Johnson, Stewart C.; Sakasida, Sonja M.

    2015-01-01

    Piscine reovirus (PRV) is a double stranded non-enveloped RNA virus detected in farmed and wild salmonids. This study examined the phylogenetic relationships among different PRV sequence types present in samples from salmonids in Western Canada and the US, including Alaska (US), British Columbia (Canada) and Washington State (US). Tissues testing positive for PRV were partially sequenced for segment S1, producing 71 sequences that grouped into 10 unique sequence types. Sequence analysis revealed no identifiable geographical or temporal variation among the sequence types. Identical sequence types were found in fish sampled in 2001, 2005 and 2014. In addition, PRV positive samples from fish derived from Alaska, British Columbia and Washington State share identical sequence types. Comparative analysis of the phylogenetic tree indicated that Canada/US Pacific Northwest sequences formed a subgroup with some Norwegian sequence types (group II), distinct from other Norwegian and Chilean sequences (groups I, III and IV). Representative PRV positive samples from farmed and wild fish in British Columbia and Washington State were subjected to genome sequencing using next generation sequencing methods. Individual analysis of each of the 10 partial segments indicated that the Canadian and US PRV sequence types clustered separately from available whole genome sequences of some Norwegian and Chilean sequences for all segments except the segment S4. In summary, PRV was genetically homogenous over a large geographic distance (Alaska to Washington State), and the sequence types were relatively stable over a 13 year period.

  13. Piscine Reovirus: Genomic and Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis from Farmed and Wild Salmonids Collected on the Canada/US Pacific Coast

    PubMed Central

    Siah, Ahmed; Morrison, Diane B.; Fringuelli, Elena; Savage, Paul; Richmond, Zina; Johns, Robert; Purcell, Maureen K.; Johnson, Stewart C.; Saksida, Sonja M.

    2015-01-01

    Piscine reovirus (PRV) is a double stranded non-enveloped RNA virus detected in farmed and wild salmonids. This study examined the phylogenetic relationships among different PRV sequence types present in samples from salmonids in Western Canada and the US, including Alaska (US), British Columbia (Canada) and Washington State (US). Tissues testing positive for PRV were partially sequenced for segment S1, producing 71 sequences that grouped into 10 unique sequence types. Sequence analysis revealed no identifiable geographical or temporal variation among the sequence types. Identical sequence types were found in fish sampled in 2001, 2005 and 2014. In addition, PRV positive samples from fish derived from Alaska, British Columbia and Washington State share identical sequence types. Comparative analysis of the phylogenetic tree indicated that Canada/US Pacific Northwest sequences formed a subgroup with some Norwegian sequence types (group II), distinct from other Norwegian and Chilean sequences (groups I, III and IV). Representative PRV positive samples from farmed and wild fish in British Columbia and Washington State were subjected to genome sequencing using next generation sequencing methods. Individual analysis of each of the 10 partial segments indicated that the Canadian and US PRV sequence types clustered separately from available whole genome sequences of some Norwegian and Chilean sequences for all segments except the segment S4. In summary, PRV was genetically homogenous over a large geographic distance (Alaska to Washington State), and the sequence types were relatively stable over a 13 year period. PMID:26536673

  14. Phylogenetic analysis of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus isolates from Northern Ireland.

    PubMed

    Smith, Natalie; Power, Ultan F; McKillen, John

    2018-05-29

    To investigate the genetic diversity of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in Northern Ireland, the ORF5 gene from nine field isolates was sequenced and phylogenetically analysed. The results revealed relatively high diversity amongst isolates, with 87.6-92.2% identity between farms at the nucleotide level and 84.1-93.5% identity at the protein level. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that all nine isolates belonged to the European (type 1) genotype and formed a cluster within the subtype 1 subgroup. This study provides the first report on PRRSV isolate diversity in Northern Ireland.

  15. On the phylogenetic placement of human T cell leukemia virus type 1 sequences associated with an Andean mummy.

    PubMed

    Coulthart, Michael B; Posada, David; Crandall, Keith A; Dekaban, Gregory A

    2006-03-01

    Recently, the putative finding of ancient human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) long terminal repeat (LTR) DNA sequences in association with a 1500-year-old Chilean mummy has stirred vigorous debate. The debate is based partly on the inherent uncertainties associated with phylogenetic reconstruction when only short sequences of closely related genotypes are available. However, a full analysis of what phylogenetic information is present in the mummy data has not previously been published, leaving open the question of what precisely is the range of admissible interpretation. To fulfill this need, we re-analyzed the mummy data in a new way. We first performed phylogenetic analysis of 188 published LTR DNA sequences from extant strains belonging to the HTLV-1 Cosmopolitan clade, using the method of statistical parsimony which is designed both to optimize phylogenetic resolution among sequences with little evolutionary divergence, and to permit precise mapping of individual sequence mutations onto branches of a divergence network. We then deduced possible phylogenetic positions for the two main categories of published Chilean mummy sequences, based on their published 157-nucleotide LTR sequences. The possible phylogenetic placements for one of the mummy sequence categories are consistent with a modern origin. However, one of these placements for the other mummy sequence category falls very close to the root of the Cosmopolitan clade, consistent with an ancient origin for both this mummy sequence and the Cosmopolitan clade.

  16. Comparison of multilocus sequence typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for Salmonella spp. identification in surface water

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kuo, Chun Wei; Hao Huang, Kuan; Hsu, Bing Mu; Tsai, Hsien Lung; Tseng, Shao Feng; Kao, Po Min; Shen, Shu Min; Chou Chiu, Yi; Chen, Jung Sheng

    2013-04-01

    Salmonella is one of the most important pathogens of waterborne diseases with outbreaks from contaminated water reported worldwide. In addition, Salmonella spp. can survive for long periods in aquatic environments. To realize genotypes and serovars of Salmonella in aquatic environments, we isolated the Salmonella strains by selective culture plates to identify the serovars of Salmonella by serological assay, and identify the genotypes by Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) based on the sequence data from University College Cork (UCC), respectively. The results show that 36 stream water samples (30.1%) and 18 drinking water samples (23.3%) were confirmed the existence of Salmonella using culture method combined PCR specific invA gene amplification. In this study, 24 cultured isolates of Salmonella from water samples were classified to fifteen Salmonella enterica serovars. In addition, we construct phylogenetic analysis using phylogenetic tree and Minimum spanning tree (MST) method to analyze the relationship of clinical, environmental, and geographical data. Phylogenetic tree showed that four main clusters and our strains can be distributed in all. The genotypes of isolates from stream water are more biodiversity while comparing the Salmonella strains genotypes from drinking water sources. According to MST data, we can found the positive correlation between serovars and genotypes of Salmonella. Previous studies revealed that the result of Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) method can predict the serovars of Salmonella strain. Hence, we used the MLST data combined phylogenetic analysis to identify the serovars of Salmonella strain and achieved effectiveness. While using the geographical data combined phylogenetic analysis, the result showed that the dominant strains were existed in whole stream area in rainy season. Keywords: Salmonella spp., MLST, phylogenetic analysis, PFGE

  17. Tandem repeats analysis for the high resolution phylogenetic analysis of Yersinia pestis

    PubMed Central

    Pourcel, C; André-Mazeaud, F; Neubauer, H; Ramisse, F; Vergnaud, G

    2004-01-01

    Background Yersinia pestis, the agent of plague, is a young and highly monomorphic species. Three biovars, each one thought to be associated with the last three Y. pestis pandemics, have been defined based on biochemical assays. More recently, DNA based assays, including DNA sequencing, IS typing, DNA arrays, have significantly improved current knowledge on the origin and phylogenetic evolution of Y. pestis. However, these methods suffer either from a lack of resolution or from the difficulty to compare data. Variable number of tandem repeats (VNTRs) provides valuable polymorphic markers for genotyping and performing phylogenetic analyses in a growing number of pathogens and have given promising results for Y. pestis as well. Results In this study we have genotyped 180 Y. pestis isolates by multiple locus VNTR analysis (MLVA) using 25 markers. Sixty-one different genotypes were observed. The three biovars were distributed into three main branches, with some exceptions. In particular, the Medievalis phenotype is clearly heterogeneous, resulting from different mutation events in the napA gene. Antiqua strains from Asia appear to hold a central position compared to Antiqua strains from Africa. A subset of 7 markers is proposed for the quick comparison of a new strain with the collection typed here. This can be easily achieved using a Web-based facility, specifically set-up for running such identifications. Conclusion Tandem-repeat typing may prove to be a powerful complement to the existing phylogenetic tools for Y. pestis. Typing can be achieved quickly at a low cost in terms of consumables, technical expertise and equipment. The resulting data can be easily compared between different laboratories. The number and selection of markers will eventually depend upon the type and aim of investigations. PMID:15186506

  18. An automated genotyping tool for enteroviruses and noroviruses.

    PubMed

    Kroneman, A; Vennema, H; Deforche, K; v d Avoort, H; Peñaranda, S; Oberste, M S; Vinjé, J; Koopmans, M

    2011-06-01

    Molecular techniques are established as routine in virological laboratories and virus typing through (partial) sequence analysis is increasingly common. Quality assurance for the use of typing data requires harmonization of genotype nomenclature, and agreement on target genes, depending on the level of resolution required, and robustness of methods. To develop and validate web-based open-access typing-tools for enteroviruses and noroviruses. An automated web-based typing algorithm was developed, starting with BLAST analysis of the query sequence against a reference set of sequences from viruses in the family Picornaviridae or Caliciviridae. The second step is phylogenetic analysis of the query sequence and a sub-set of the reference sequences, to assign the enterovirus type or norovirus genotype and/or variant, with profile alignment, construction of phylogenetic trees and bootstrap validation. Typing is performed on VP1 sequences of Human enterovirus A to D, and ORF1 and ORF2 sequences of genogroup I and II noroviruses. For validation, we used the tools to automatically type sequences in the RIVM and CDC enterovirus databases and the FBVE norovirus database. Using the typing-tools, 785(99%) of 795 Enterovirus VP1 sequences, and 8154(98.5%) of 8342 norovirus sequences were typed in accordance with previously used methods. Subtyping into variants was achieved for 4439(78.4%) of 5838 NoV GII.4 sequences. The online typing-tools reliably assign genotypes for enteroviruses and noroviruses. The use of phylogenetic methods makes these tools robust to ongoing evolution. This should facilitate standardized genotyping and nomenclature in clinical and public health laboratories, thus supporting inter-laboratory comparisons. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Characterization of a novel close-to-root papillomavirus from a Florida manatee by using multiply primed rolling-circle amplification: Trichechus manatus latirostris papillomavirus type 1.

    PubMed

    Rector, Annabel; Bossart, Gregory D; Ghim, Shin-Je; Sundberg, John P; Jenson, A Bennett; Van Ranst, Marc

    2004-11-01

    By using an isothermal multiply primed rolling-circle amplification protocol, the complete genomic DNA of a novel papillomavirus was amplified from a skin lesion biopsy of a Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris), one of the most endangered marine mammals in United States coastal waters. The nucleotide sequence, genome organization, and phylogenetic position of the Trichechus manatus latirostris papillomavirus type 1 (TmPV-1) were determined. TmPV-1 is the first virus isolated from the order of Sirenia. A phylogenetic analysis shows that TmPV-1 is only distantly related to other papillomavirus sequences, and it appears in our phylogenetic tree as a novel close-to-root papillomavirus genus.

  20. Genomic and Phylogenetic Characterization of Luminous Bacteria Symbiotic with the Deep-Sea Fish Chlorophthalmus albatrossis (Aulopiformes: Chlorophthalmidae)

    PubMed Central

    Dunlap, Paul V.; Ast, Jennifer C.

    2005-01-01

    Bacteria forming light-organ symbiosis with deep-sea chlorophthalmid fishes (Aulopiformes: Chlorophthalmidae) are considered to belong to the species Photobacterium phosphoreum. The identification of these bacteria as P. phosphoreum, however, was based exclusively on phenotypic traits, which may not discriminate between phenetically similar but evolutionarily distinct luminous bacteria. Therefore, to test the species identification of chlorophthalmid symbionts, we carried out a genomotypic (repetitive element palindromic PCR genomic profiling) and phylogenetic analysis on strains isolated from the perirectal light organ of Chlorophthalmus albatrossis. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene of 10 strains from 5 fish specimens placed these bacteria in a cluster related to but phylogenetically distinct from the type strain of P. phosphoreum, ATCC 11040T, and the type strain of Photobacterium iliopiscarium, ATCC 51760T. Analysis of gyrB resolved the C. albatrossis strains as a strongly supported clade distinct from P. phosphoreum and P. iliopiscarium. Genomic profiling of 109 strains from the 5 C. albatrossis specimens revealed a high level of similarity among strains but allowed identification of genomotypically different types from each fish. Representatives of each type were then analyzed phylogenetically, using sequence of the luxABFE genes. As with gyrB, analysis of luxABFE resolved the C. albatrossis strains as a robustly supported clade distinct from P. phosphoreum. Furthermore, other strains of luminous bacteria reported as P. phosphoreum, i.e., NCIMB 844, from the skin of Merluccius capensis (Merlucciidae), NZ-11D, from the light organ of Nezumia aequalis (Macrouridae), and pjapo.1.1, from the light organ of Physiculus japonicus (Moridae), grouped phylogenetically by gyrB and luxABFE with the C. albatrossis strains, not with ATCC 11040T. These results demonstrate that luminous bacteria symbiotic with C. albatrossis, together with certain other strains of luminous bacteria, form a clade, designated the kishitanii clade, that is related to but evolutionarily distinct from P. phosphoreum. Members of the kishitanii clade may constitute the major or sole bioluminescent symbiont of several families of deep-sea luminous fishes. PMID:15691950

  1. Genomic and phylogenetic characterization of luminous bacteria symbiotic with the deep-sea fish Chlorophthalmus albatrossis (Aulopiformes: Chlorophthalmidae).

    PubMed

    Dunlap, Paul V; Ast, Jennifer C

    2005-02-01

    Bacteria forming light-organ symbiosis with deep-sea chlorophthalmid fishes (Aulopiformes: Chlorophthalmidae) are considered to belong to the species Photobacterium phosphoreum. The identification of these bacteria as P. phosphoreum, however, was based exclusively on phenotypic traits, which may not discriminate between phenetically similar but evolutionarily distinct luminous bacteria. Therefore, to test the species identification of chlorophthalmid symbionts, we carried out a genomotypic (repetitive element palindromic PCR genomic profiling) and phylogenetic analysis on strains isolated from the perirectal light organ of Chlorophthalmus albatrossis. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene of 10 strains from 5 fish specimens placed these bacteria in a cluster related to but phylogenetically distinct from the type strain of P. phosphoreum, ATCC 11040(T), and the type strain of Photobacterium iliopiscarium, ATCC 51760(T). Analysis of gyrB resolved the C. albatrossis strains as a strongly supported clade distinct from P. phosphoreum and P. iliopiscarium. Genomic profiling of 109 strains from the 5 C. albatrossis specimens revealed a high level of similarity among strains but allowed identification of genomotypically different types from each fish. Representatives of each type were then analyzed phylogenetically, using sequence of the luxABFE genes. As with gyrB, analysis of luxABFE resolved the C. albatrossis strains as a robustly supported clade distinct from P. phosphoreum. Furthermore, other strains of luminous bacteria reported as P. phosphoreum, i.e., NCIMB 844, from the skin of Merluccius capensis (Merlucciidae), NZ-11D, from the light organ of Nezumia aequalis (Macrouridae), and pjapo.1.1, from the light organ of Physiculus japonicus (Moridae), grouped phylogenetically by gyrB and luxABFE with the C. albatrossis strains, not with ATCC 11040(T). These results demonstrate that luminous bacteria symbiotic with C. albatrossis, together with certain other strains of luminous bacteria, form a clade, designated the kishitanii clade, that is related to but evolutionarily distinct from P. phosphoreum. Members of the kishitanii clade may constitute the major or sole bioluminescent symbiont of several families of deep-sea luminous fishes.

  2. The Salmonella In Silico Typing Resource (SISTR): An Open Web-Accessible Tool for Rapidly Typing and Subtyping Draft Salmonella Genome Assemblies.

    PubMed

    Yoshida, Catherine E; Kruczkiewicz, Peter; Laing, Chad R; Lingohr, Erika J; Gannon, Victor P J; Nash, John H E; Taboada, Eduardo N

    2016-01-01

    For nearly 100 years serotyping has been the gold standard for the identification of Salmonella serovars. Despite the increasing adoption of DNA-based subtyping approaches, serotype information remains a cornerstone in food safety and public health activities aimed at reducing the burden of salmonellosis. At the same time, recent advances in whole-genome sequencing (WGS) promise to revolutionize our ability to perform advanced pathogen characterization in support of improved source attribution and outbreak analysis. We present the Salmonella In Silico Typing Resource (SISTR), a bioinformatics platform for rapidly performing simultaneous in silico analyses for several leading subtyping methods on draft Salmonella genome assemblies. In addition to performing serovar prediction by genoserotyping, this resource integrates sequence-based typing analyses for: Multi-Locus Sequence Typing (MLST), ribosomal MLST (rMLST), and core genome MLST (cgMLST). We show how phylogenetic context from cgMLST analysis can supplement the genoserotyping analysis and increase the accuracy of in silico serovar prediction to over 94.6% on a dataset comprised of 4,188 finished genomes and WGS draft assemblies. In addition to allowing analysis of user-uploaded whole-genome assemblies, the SISTR platform incorporates a database comprising over 4,000 publicly available genomes, allowing users to place their isolates in a broader phylogenetic and epidemiological context. The resource incorporates several metadata driven visualizations to examine the phylogenetic, geospatial and temporal distribution of genome-sequenced isolates. As sequencing of Salmonella isolates at public health laboratories around the world becomes increasingly common, rapid in silico analysis of minimally processed draft genome assemblies provides a powerful approach for molecular epidemiology in support of public health investigations. Moreover, this type of integrated analysis using multiple sequence-based methods of sub-typing allows for continuity with historical serotyping data as we transition towards the increasing adoption of genomic analyses in epidemiology. The SISTR platform is freely available on the web at https://lfz.corefacility.ca/sistr-app/.

  3. Comparative analysis of the complete mitochondrial genomes of two types of ducks, peking duck (Anas platyrhychos) and muscovy duck (Cairina moschata).

    PubMed

    Tu, Jianfeng; Yang, Ying; Yang, Fuhe; Xing, Xiumei

    2017-03-01

    Peking duck (Anas platyrhychos) and Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) are two types of domestic ducks and the most popular meat breeds on the world. In this study, we sequenced and compared complete mitochondrial genomes of both breeds. In order to investigate the phylogeny of both breeds within Anseriformes, the sequences of concatenated 12 protein-coding genes were used for phylogenetic analysis. The result was consistent with most of the previous morphological and molecular studies. Our complete mitochondrial genome sequences of both breeds will be useful information in phylogenetics, and be available as basic data for the breeding and genetics.

  4. Whole Genome Sequence Typing to Investigate the Apophysomyces Outbreak following a Tornado in Joplin, Missouri, 2011

    PubMed Central

    Etienne, Kizee A.; Gillece, John; Hilsabeck, Remy; Schupp, Jim M.; Colman, Rebecca; Lockhart, Shawn R.; Gade, Lalitha; Thompson, Elizabeth H.; Sutton, Deanna A.; Neblett-Fanfair, Robyn; Park, Benjamin J.; Turabelidze, George; Keim, Paul; Brandt, Mary E.; Deak, Eszter; Engelthaler, David M.

    2012-01-01

    Case reports of Apophysomyces spp. in immunocompetent hosts have been a result of traumatic deep implantation of Apophysomyces spp. spore-contaminated soil or debris. On May 22, 2011 a tornado occurred in Joplin, MO, leaving 13 tornado victims with Apophysomyces trapeziformis infections as a result of lacerations from airborne material. We used whole genome sequence typing (WGST) for high-resolution phylogenetic SNP analysis of 17 outbreak Apophysomyces isolates and five additional temporally and spatially diverse Apophysomyces control isolates (three A. trapeziformis and two A. variabilis isolates). Whole genome SNP phylogenetic analysis revealed three clusters of genotypically related or identical A. trapeziformis isolates and multiple distinct isolates among the Joplin group; this indicated multiple genotypes from a single or multiple sources. Though no linkage between genotype and location of exposure was observed, WGST analysis determined that the Joplin isolates were more closely related to each other than to the control isolates, suggesting local population structure. Additionally, species delineation based on WGST demonstrated the need to reassess currently accepted taxonomic classifications of phylogenetic species within the genus Apophysomyces. PMID:23209631

  5. Whole genome sequence typing to investigate the Apophysomyces outbreak following a tornado in Joplin, Missouri, 2011.

    PubMed

    Etienne, Kizee A; Gillece, John; Hilsabeck, Remy; Schupp, Jim M; Colman, Rebecca; Lockhart, Shawn R; Gade, Lalitha; Thompson, Elizabeth H; Sutton, Deanna A; Neblett-Fanfair, Robyn; Park, Benjamin J; Turabelidze, George; Keim, Paul; Brandt, Mary E; Deak, Eszter; Engelthaler, David M

    2012-01-01

    Case reports of Apophysomyces spp. in immunocompetent hosts have been a result of traumatic deep implantation of Apophysomyces spp. spore-contaminated soil or debris. On May 22, 2011 a tornado occurred in Joplin, MO, leaving 13 tornado victims with Apophysomyces trapeziformis infections as a result of lacerations from airborne material. We used whole genome sequence typing (WGST) for high-resolution phylogenetic SNP analysis of 17 outbreak Apophysomyces isolates and five additional temporally and spatially diverse Apophysomyces control isolates (three A. trapeziformis and two A. variabilis isolates). Whole genome SNP phylogenetic analysis revealed three clusters of genotypically related or identical A. trapeziformis isolates and multiple distinct isolates among the Joplin group; this indicated multiple genotypes from a single or multiple sources. Though no linkage between genotype and location of exposure was observed, WGST analysis determined that the Joplin isolates were more closely related to each other than to the control isolates, suggesting local population structure. Additionally, species delineation based on WGST demonstrated the need to reassess currently accepted taxonomic classifications of phylogenetic species within the genus Apophysomyces.

  6. Helicobacter pylori from gastric cancer and duodenal ulcer show same phylogeographic origin in the Andean region in Colombia.

    PubMed

    Shiota, Seiji; Suzuki, Rumiko; Matsuo, Yuichi; Miftahussurur, Muhammad; Tran, Trang Thu Huyen; Binh, Tran Thanh; Yamaoka, Yoshio

    2014-01-01

    A recent report has shown that the phylogenetic origin of Helicobacter pylori based on multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) was significantly associated with the severity of gastritis in Colombia. However, the potential relationship between phylogenetic origin and clinical outcomes was not examined in that study. If the phylogenetic origin rather than virulence factors were truly associated with clinical outcomes, identifying a population at high risk for gastric cancer in Colombia would be relatively straightforward. In this study, we examined the phylogenetic origins of strains from gastric cancer and duodenal ulcer patients living in Bogota, Colombia. We included 35 gastric cancer patients and 31 duodenal ulcer patients, which are considered the variant outcomes. The genotypes of cagA and vacA were determined by polymerase chain reaction. The genealogy of these Colombian strains was analyzed by MLST. Bacterial population structure was analyzed using STRUCTURE software. H. pylori strains from gastric cancer and duodenal ulcer patients were scattered in the phylogenetic tree; thus, we did not detect any difference in phylogenetic distribution between gastric cancer and duodenal ulcer strains in the hpEurope group in Colombia. Sixty-six strains, with one exception, were classified as hpEurope irrespective of the cagA and vacA genotypes, and type of disease. STRUCTURE analysis revealed that Colombian hpEurope strains have a phylogenetic connection to Spanish strains. Our study showed that a phylogeographic origin determined by MLST was insufficient for distinguishing between gastric cancer and duodenal ulcer risk among hpEurope strains in the Andean region in Colombia. Our analysis also suggests that hpEurope strains in Colombia were primarily introduced by Spanish immigrants.

  7. Diversity structure of culturable bacteria isolated from the Fildes Peninsula (King George Island, Antarctica): A phylogenetic analysis perspective

    PubMed Central

    González-Rocha, Gerardo; Muñoz-Cartes, Gabriel; Canales-Aguirre, Cristian B.; Lima, Celia A.; Domínguez-Yévenes, Mariana; Bello-Toledo, Helia

    2017-01-01

    It has been proposed that Antarctic environments select microorganisms with unique biochemical adaptations, based on the tenet ‘Everything is everywhere, but, the environment selects’ by Baas-Becking. However, this is a hypothesis that has not been extensively evaluated. This study evaluated the fundamental prediction contained in this hypothesis—in the sense that species are structured in the landscape according to their local habitats-, using as study model the phylogenetic diversity of the culturable bacteria of Fildes Peninsula (King George Island, Antarctica). Eighty bacterial strains isolated from 10 different locations in the area, were recovered. Based on phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, the isolates were grouped into twenty-six phylotypes distributed in three main clades, of which only six are exclusive to Antarctica. Results showed that phylotypes do not group significantly by habitat type; however, local habitat types had phylogenetic signal, which support the phylogenetic niche conservatism hypothesis and not a selective role of the environment like the Baas-Becking hypothesis suggests. We propose that, more than habitat selection resulting in new local adaptations and diversity, local historical colonization and species sorting (i.e. differences in speciation and extinction rates that arise by interaction of species level traits with the environment) play a fundamental role on the culturable bacterial diversity in Antarctica. PMID:28632790

  8. Diversity structure of culturable bacteria isolated from the Fildes Peninsula (King George Island, Antarctica): A phylogenetic analysis perspective.

    PubMed

    González-Rocha, Gerardo; Muñoz-Cartes, Gabriel; Canales-Aguirre, Cristian B; Lima, Celia A; Domínguez-Yévenes, Mariana; Bello-Toledo, Helia; Hernández, Cristián E

    2017-01-01

    It has been proposed that Antarctic environments select microorganisms with unique biochemical adaptations, based on the tenet 'Everything is everywhere, but, the environment selects' by Baas-Becking. However, this is a hypothesis that has not been extensively evaluated. This study evaluated the fundamental prediction contained in this hypothesis-in the sense that species are structured in the landscape according to their local habitats-, using as study model the phylogenetic diversity of the culturable bacteria of Fildes Peninsula (King George Island, Antarctica). Eighty bacterial strains isolated from 10 different locations in the area, were recovered. Based on phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, the isolates were grouped into twenty-six phylotypes distributed in three main clades, of which only six are exclusive to Antarctica. Results showed that phylotypes do not group significantly by habitat type; however, local habitat types had phylogenetic signal, which support the phylogenetic niche conservatism hypothesis and not a selective role of the environment like the Baas-Becking hypothesis suggests. We propose that, more than habitat selection resulting in new local adaptations and diversity, local historical colonization and species sorting (i.e. differences in speciation and extinction rates that arise by interaction of species level traits with the environment) play a fundamental role on the culturable bacterial diversity in Antarctica.

  9. Early-branching euteleost relationships: areas of congruence between concatenation and coalescent model inferences.

    PubMed

    Campbell, Matthew A; Alfaro, Michael E; Belasco, Max; López, J Andrés

    2017-01-01

    Phylogenetic inference based on evidence from DNA sequences has led to significant strides in the development of a stable and robustly supported framework for the vertebrate tree of life. To date, the bulk of those advances have relied on sequence data from a small number of genome regions that have proven unable to produce satisfactory answers to consistently recalcitrant phylogenetic questions. Here, we re-examine phylogenetic relationships among early-branching euteleostean fish lineages classically grouped in the Protacanthopterygii using DNA sequence data surrounding ultraconserved elements. We report and examine a dataset of thirty-four OTUs with 17,957 aligned characters from fifty-three nuclear loci. Phylogenetic analysis is conducted in concatenated, joint gene trees and species tree estimation and summary coalescent frameworks. All analytical frameworks yield supporting evidence for existing hypotheses of relationship for the placement of Lepidogalaxias salamandroides , monophyly of the Stomiatii and the presence of an esociform + salmonid clade. Lepidogalaxias salamandroides and the Esociformes + Salmoniformes are successive sister lineages to all other euteleosts in the majority of analyses. The concatenated and joint gene trees and species tree analysis types produce high support values for this arrangement. However, inter-relationships of Argentiniformes, Stomiatii and Neoteleostei remain uncertain as they varied by analysis type while receiving strong and contradictory indices of support. Topological differences between analysis types are also apparent within the otomorph and the percomorph taxa in the data set. Our results identify concordant areas with strong support for relationships within and between early-branching euteleost lineages but they also reveal limitations in the ability of larger datasets to conclusively resolve other aspects of that phylogeny.

  10. Early-branching euteleost relationships: areas of congruence between concatenation and coalescent model inferences

    PubMed Central

    Alfaro, Michael E.; Belasco, Max; López, J. Andrés

    2017-01-01

    Phylogenetic inference based on evidence from DNA sequences has led to significant strides in the development of a stable and robustly supported framework for the vertebrate tree of life. To date, the bulk of those advances have relied on sequence data from a small number of genome regions that have proven unable to produce satisfactory answers to consistently recalcitrant phylogenetic questions. Here, we re-examine phylogenetic relationships among early-branching euteleostean fish lineages classically grouped in the Protacanthopterygii using DNA sequence data surrounding ultraconserved elements. We report and examine a dataset of thirty-four OTUs with 17,957 aligned characters from fifty-three nuclear loci. Phylogenetic analysis is conducted in concatenated, joint gene trees and species tree estimation and summary coalescent frameworks. All analytical frameworks yield supporting evidence for existing hypotheses of relationship for the placement of Lepidogalaxias salamandroides, monophyly of the Stomiatii and the presence of an esociform + salmonid clade. Lepidogalaxias salamandroides and the Esociformes + Salmoniformes are successive sister lineages to all other euteleosts in the majority of analyses. The concatenated and joint gene trees and species tree analysis types produce high support values for this arrangement. However, inter-relationships of Argentiniformes, Stomiatii and Neoteleostei remain uncertain as they varied by analysis type while receiving strong and contradictory indices of support. Topological differences between analysis types are also apparent within the otomorph and the percomorph taxa in the data set. Our results identify concordant areas with strong support for relationships within and between early-branching euteleost lineages but they also reveal limitations in the ability of larger datasets to conclusively resolve other aspects of that phylogeny. PMID:28929008

  11. Characterization of a Novel Close-to-Root Papillomavirus from a Florida Manatee by Using Multiply Primed Rolling-Circle Amplification: Trichechus manatus latirostris Papillomavirus Type 1†

    PubMed Central

    Rector, Annabel; Bossart, Gregory D.; Ghim, Shin-Je; Sundberg, John P.; Jenson, A. Bennett; Van Ranst, Marc

    2004-01-01

    By using an isothermal multiply primed rolling-circle amplification protocol, the complete genomic DNA of a novel papillomavirus was amplified from a skin lesion biopsy of a Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris), one of the most endangered marine mammals in United States coastal waters. The nucleotide sequence, genome organization, and phylogenetic position of the Trichechus manatus latirostris papillomavirus type 1 (TmPV-1) were determined. TmPV-1 is the first virus isolated from the order of Sirenia. A phylogenetic analysis shows that TmPV-1 is only distantly related to other papillomavirus sequences, and it appears in our phylogenetic tree as a novel close-to-root papillomavirus genus. PMID:15507660

  12. Phylogenetic Diversity, Distribution, and Cophylogeny of Giant Bacteria (Epulopiscium) with their Surgeonfish Hosts in the Red Sea

    PubMed Central

    Miyake, Sou; Ngugi, David K.; Stingl, Ulrich

    2016-01-01

    Epulopiscium is a group of giant bacteria found in high abundance in intestinal tracts of herbivorous surgeonfish. Despite their peculiarly large cell size (can be up to 600 μm), extreme polyploidy (some with over 100,000 genome copies per cell) and viviparity (whereby mother cells produce live offspring), details about their diversity, distribution or their role in the host gut are lacking. Previous studies have highlighted the existence of morphologically distinct Epulopiscium cell types (defined as morphotypes A to J) in some surgeonfish genera, but the corresponding genetic diversity and distribution among other surgeonfishes remain mostly unknown. Therefore, we investigated the phylogenetic diversity of Epulopiscium, distribution and co-occurrence in multiple hosts. Here, we identified eleven new phylogenetic clades, six of which were also morphologically characterized. Three of these novel clades were phylogenetically and morphologically similar to cigar-shaped type A1 cells, found in a wide range of surgeonfishes including Acanthurus nigrofuscus, while three were similar to smaller, rod-shaped type E that has not been phylogenetically classified thus far. Our results also confirmed that biogeography appears to have relatively little influence on Epulopiscium diversity, as clades found in the Great Barrier Reef and Hawaii were also recovered from the Red Sea. Although multiple symbiont clades inhabited a given species of host surgeonfish and multiple host species possessed a given symbiont clade, statistical analysis of host and symbiont phylogenies indicated significant cophylogeny, which in turn suggests co-evolutionary relationships. A cluster analysis of Epulopiscium sequences from previously published amplicon sequencing dataset revealed a similar pattern, where specific clades were consistently found in high abundance amongst closely related surgeonfishes. Differences in abundance may indicate specialization of clades to certain gut environments reflected by inferred differences in the host diets. Overall, our analysis identified a large phylogenetic diversity of Epulopiscium (up to 10% sequence divergence of 16S rRNA genes), which lets us hypothesize that there are multiple species that are spread across guts of different host species. PMID:27014209

  13. New generic primer system targeting mucosal/genital and cutaneous human papillomaviruses leads to the characterization of HPV 115, a novel Beta-papillomavirus species 3

    PubMed Central

    Chouhy, Diego; Gorosito, Mario; Sánchez, Adriana; Serra, Esteban C; Bergero, Adriana; Bussy, Ramón Fernandez; Giri, Adriana A

    2009-01-01

    We explored the cutaneotropic HPV genetic diversity in 71 subjects from Argentina. New generic primers (CUT) targeting 88 mucosal/cutaneous HPV were designed and compared to FAP primers. Overall, 69 different HPV types/putative types were identified, being 17 of them novel putative types. Phylogenetic analysis of partial L1 sequences grouped 2 novel putative types in the Beta-PV, 14 in the Gamma-PV and 1 in the Mu-PV genera. CUT primers showed broader capacity than FAP primers in detecting different genera/species and novel putative types (p<0.01). Using overlapping PCR, the full-length genome of a Beta-PV putative type was amplified and cloned. The new virus, designated HPV 115, encodes 5 early genes and 2 late genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated HPV 115 as the most divergent type within the genus Beta-PV species 3. This report is the first providing data on cutaneous HPVs circulating in South America and expands our knowledge of the Papillomaviridae family. PMID:19948351

  14. The Forest behind the Tree: Phylogenetic Exploration of a Dominant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Strain Lineage from a High Tuberculosis Burden Country

    PubMed Central

    Cardoso Oelemann, Maranibia; Gomes, Harrison M.; Willery, Eve; Possuelo, Lia; Batista Lima, Karla Valéria; Allix-Béguec, Caroline; Locht, Camille; Goguet de la Salmonière, Yves-Olivier L.; Gutierrez, Maria Cristina; Suffys, Philip; Supply, Philip

    2011-01-01

    Background Genotyping of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates is a powerful tool for epidemiological control of tuberculosis (TB) and phylogenetic exploration of the pathogen. Standardized PCR-based typing, based on 15 to 24 mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable number of tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) loci combined with spoligotyping, has been shown to have adequate resolution power for tracing TB transmission and to be useful for predicting diverse strain lineages in European settings. Its informative value needs to be tested in high TB-burden countries, where the use of genotyping is often complicated by dominance of geographically specific, genetically homogeneous strain lineages. Methodology/Principal Findings We tested this genotyping system for molecular epidemiological analysis of 369 M. tuberculosis isolates from 3 regions of Brazil, a high TB-burden country. Deligotyping, targeting 43 large sequence polymorphisms (LSPs), and the MIRU-VNTRplus identification database were used to assess phylogenetic predictions. High congruence between the different typing results consistently revealed the countrywide supremacy of the Latin-American-Mediterranean (LAM) lineage, comprised of three main branches. In addition to an already known RDRio branch, at least one other branch characterized by a phylogenetically informative LAM3 spoligo-signature seems to be globally distributed beyond Brazil. Nevertheless, by distinguishing 321 genotypes in this strain population, combined MIRU-VNTR typing and spoligotyping demonstrated the presence of multiple distinct clones. The use of 15 to 24 loci discriminated 21 to 25% more strains within the LAM lineage, compared to a restricted lineage-specific locus set suggested to be used after SNP analysis. Noteworthy, 23 of the 28 molecular clusters identified were exclusively composed of patient isolates from a same region, consistent with expected patterns of mostly local TB transmission. Conclusions/Significance Standard MIRU-VNTR typing combined with spoligotyping can reveal epidemiologically meaningful clonal diversity behind a dominant M. tuberculosis strain lineage in a high TB-burden country and is useful to explore international phylogenetical ramifications. PMID:21464915

  15. The evolution of pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 (PPMV-1) in Great Britain: a molecular epidemiological study.

    PubMed

    Aldous, E W; Fuller, C M; Ridgeon, J H; Irvine, R M; Alexander, D J; Brown, I H

    2014-04-01

    Newcastle disease (ND), caused by virulent strains of avian paramyxovirus type 1 (APMV-1), is considered throughout the world as one of the most important animal diseases. For over three decades now, there has been a continuing panzootic caused by a variant virulent APMV-1 strain, so-called pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 (PPMV-1), primarily in racing pigeons, which has also spread to wild birds and poultry. PPMV-1 isolations have been made in Great Britain every year since 1983. In this study, we have completed a comparative phylogenetic analysis based on a 374 nucleotide section of the fusion protein gene of 63 isolates of PPMV-1 that were isolated over a 26-year period; 43 of these were sequenced for this study. Phylogenetic analysis of these sequences revealed that all were closely related and placed in the genetic sublineage 4b (VIb), subdivision 4biif. © 2012 Crown copyright.

  16. Genetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in Serbia.

    PubMed

    Savic, Bozidar; Milicevic, Vesna; Jakic-Dimic, Dobrila; Bojkovski, Jovan; Prodanovic, Radisa; Kureljusic, Branislav; Potkonjak, Aleksandar; Savic, Borivoje

    2012-01-01

    Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is the main causative agent of postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS). To characterize and determine the genetic diversity of PCV2 in the porcine population of Serbia, nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the open reading frame 2 (ORF2) of PCV2 collected from the tissues of pigs that either had died as a result of PMWS or did not exhibit disease symptoms were analyzed. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis showed considerable diversity among PCV2 ORF2 sequences and the existence of two main PCV2 genotypes, PCV2b and PCV2a, with at least three clusters, 1A/B, 1C and 2D. In order to provide further proof that the 1C strain is circulating in the porcine population, the whole viral genome of one PCV2 isolate was sequenced. Genotyping and phylogenetic analysis using the entire viral genome sequences confirmed that there was a PMWS-associated 1C strain emerging in Serbia. Our analysis also showed that PCV2b is dominant in the porcine population, and that it is exclusively associated with PMWS occurrences in the country. These data constitute a useful basis for further epidemiological studies regarding the heterogeneity of PCV2 strains on the European continent.

  17. Conserved Nonexonic Elements: A Novel Class of Marker for Phylogenomics.

    PubMed

    Edwards, Scott V; Cloutier, Alison; Baker, Allan J

    2017-11-01

    Noncoding markers have a particular appeal as tools for phylogenomic analysis because, at least in vertebrates, they appear less subject to strong variation in GC content among lineages. Thus far, ultraconserved elements (UCEs) and introns have been the most widely used noncoding markers. Here we analyze and study the evolutionary properties of a new type of noncoding marker, conserved nonexonic elements (CNEEs), which consists of noncoding elements that are estimated to evolve slower than the neutral rate across a set of species. Although they often include UCEs, CNEEs are distinct from UCEs because they are not ultraconserved, and, most importantly, the core region alone is analyzed, rather than both the core and its flanking regions. Using a data set of 16 birds plus an alligator outgroup, and ∼3600-∼3800 loci per marker type, we found that although CNEEs were less variable than bioinformatically derived UCEs or introns and in some cases exhibited a slower approach to branch resolution as determined by phylogenomic subsampling, the quality of CNEE alignments was superior to those of the other markers, with fewer gaps and missing species. Phylogenetic resolution using coalescent approaches was comparable among the three marker types, with most nodes being fully and congruently resolved. Comparison of phylogenetic results across the three marker types indicated that one branch, the sister group to the passerine + falcon clade, was resolved differently and with moderate (>70%) bootstrap support between CNEEs and UCEs or introns. Overall, CNEEs appear to be promising as phylogenomic markers, yielding phylogenetic resolution as high as for UCEs and introns but with fewer gaps, less ambiguity in alignments and with patterns of nucleotide substitution more consistent with the assumptions of commonly used methods of phylogenetic analysis. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Systematic Biologists.

  18. Conserved Nonexonic Elements: A Novel Class of Marker for Phylogenomics

    PubMed Central

    Cloutier, Alison; Baker, Allan J.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Noncoding markers have a particular appeal as tools for phylogenomic analysis because, at least in vertebrates, they appear less subject to strong variation in GC content among lineages. Thus far, ultraconserved elements (UCEs) and introns have been the most widely used noncoding markers. Here we analyze and study the evolutionary properties of a new type of noncoding marker, conserved nonexonic elements (CNEEs), which consists of noncoding elements that are estimated to evolve slower than the neutral rate across a set of species. Although they often include UCEs, CNEEs are distinct from UCEs because they are not ultraconserved, and, most importantly, the core region alone is analyzed, rather than both the core and its flanking regions. Using a data set of 16 birds plus an alligator outgroup, and ∼3600–∼3800 loci per marker type, we found that although CNEEs were less variable than bioinformatically derived UCEs or introns and in some cases exhibited a slower approach to branch resolution as determined by phylogenomic subsampling, the quality of CNEE alignments was superior to those of the other markers, with fewer gaps and missing species. Phylogenetic resolution using coalescent approaches was comparable among the three marker types, with most nodes being fully and congruently resolved. Comparison of phylogenetic results across the three marker types indicated that one branch, the sister group to the passerine + falcon clade, was resolved differently and with moderate (>70%) bootstrap support between CNEEs and UCEs or introns. Overall, CNEEs appear to be promising as phylogenomic markers, yielding phylogenetic resolution as high as for UCEs and introns but with fewer gaps, less ambiguity in alignments and with patterns of nucleotide substitution more consistent with the assumptions of commonly used methods of phylogenetic analysis. PMID:28637293

  19. Preliminary Investigation on Multiple-Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Analysis Profiles of Listeria Monocytogenes Isolates from Pork Meat Tested from Packaging to Fork

    PubMed Central

    Parisi, Antonio; Caruso, Marta; Pasquali, Frédérique; Manfreda, Gerardo

    2014-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes is recognised as a public health issue and a serious challenge for the food industry. L. monocytogenes strain characterisation on the basis of serotyping and molecular typing methods is used for surveillance, epidemiological tracking and outbreak investigation purposes. Genetic variants of L. monocytogenes have diversified into four major phylogenetic lineages, with lineages 1 and 2 each containing multiple clonal groups of public health importance. Standardised tools for easy identification of clonal groups are needed to trace such groups and determine their presence in a large variety of sources. Given the current limitations of available methods for L. monocytogenes strain typing, a potentially useful approach is multiple locus variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) analysis (MLVA). In this study, MLVA has been applied to a random group of 82 L. monocytogenes strains isolated from 8 different batches of loin chops obtained from the same facility and tested between packaging and consumption time. The strains typed were classified into 10 MLVA profiles containing a number of isolates ranging between 1 to 20. According to the identified MLVA profiles, 75.6% of the pork isolates belonged to the phylogenetic lineage 2 and serotype 1/2c, frequently associated to food isolates. However, 3 pork strains belonged to the phylogenetic lineage 1 and serotype 4b. Moreover, 17 isolates were classified in the phylogenetic lineages 2 and serotype 1/2a. Both serotypes 4b and 1/2a are frequently associated to human isolates of L. monocytogenes. These preliminary results show how the MLVA profiles can support the assessment of the risk profile of food products based on the contaminating L. monocytogenes strain types. PMID:27800312

  20. Description of Kuraishia piskuri f.a., sp. nov., a new methanol assimilating yeast and transfer of phylogenetically related Candida species to the genera Kuraishia and Nakazawaea as new combinations

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The new anamorphic yeast Kuraishia piskuri, f.a., sp. nov. is described for three strains that were isolated from insect frass from trees growing in Florida, USA (type strain, NRRL YB-2544, CBS 13714). Species placement was based on phylogenetic analysis of nuclear gene sequences for the D1/D2 domai...

  1. The Use of Weighted Graphs for Large-Scale Genome Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Zhou, Fang; Toivonen, Hannu; King, Ross D.

    2014-01-01

    There is an acute need for better tools to extract knowledge from the growing flood of sequence data. For example, thousands of complete genomes have been sequenced, and their metabolic networks inferred. Such data should enable a better understanding of evolution. However, most existing network analysis methods are based on pair-wise comparisons, and these do not scale to thousands of genomes. Here we propose the use of weighted graphs as a data structure to enable large-scale phylogenetic analysis of networks. We have developed three types of weighted graph for enzymes: taxonomic (these summarize phylogenetic importance), isoenzymatic (these summarize enzymatic variety/redundancy), and sequence-similarity (these summarize sequence conservation); and we applied these types of weighted graph to survey prokaryotic metabolism. To demonstrate the utility of this approach we have compared and contrasted the large-scale evolution of metabolism in Archaea and Eubacteria. Our results provide evidence for limits to the contingency of evolution. PMID:24619061

  2. The performance of the Congruence Among Distance Matrices (CADM) test in phylogenetic analysis

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background CADM is a statistical test used to estimate the level of Congruence Among Distance Matrices. It has been shown in previous studies to have a correct rate of type I error and good power when applied to dissimilarity matrices and to ultrametric distance matrices. Contrary to most other tests of incongruence used in phylogenetic analysis, the null hypothesis of the CADM test assumes complete incongruence of the phylogenetic trees instead of congruence. In this study, we performed computer simulations to assess the type I error rate and power of the test. It was applied to additive distance matrices representing phylogenies and to genetic distance matrices obtained from nucleotide sequences of different lengths that were simulated on randomly generated trees of varying sizes, and under different evolutionary conditions. Results Our results showed that the test has an accurate type I error rate and good power. As expected, power increased with the number of objects (i.e., taxa), the number of partially or completely congruent matrices and the level of congruence among distance matrices. Conclusions Based on our results, we suggest that CADM is an excellent candidate to test for congruence and, when present, to estimate its level in phylogenomic studies where numerous genes are analysed simultaneously. PMID:21388552

  3. Discovery and functional characterisation of a luqin-type neuropeptide signalling system in a deuterostome.

    PubMed

    Yañez-Guerra, Luis Alfonso; Delroisse, Jérôme; Barreiro-Iglesias, Antón; Slade, Susan E; Scrivens, James H; Elphick, Maurice R

    2018-05-08

    Neuropeptides are diverse and evolutionarily ancient regulators of physiological/behavioural processes in animals. Here we have investigated the evolution and comparative physiology of luqin-type neuropeptide signalling, which has been characterised previously in protostomian invertebrates. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that luqin-type receptors and tachykinin-type receptors are paralogous and probably originated in a common ancestor of the Bilateria. In the deuterostomian lineage, luqin-type signalling has been lost in chordates but interestingly it has been retained in ambulacrarians. Therefore, here we characterised luqin-type signalling for the first time in an ambulacrarian - the starfish Asterias rubens (phylum Echinodermata). A luqin-like neuropeptide with a C-terminal RWamide motif (ArLQ; EEKTRFPKFMRW-NH 2 ) was identified as the ligand for two luqin-type receptors in A. rubens, ArLQR1 and ArLQR2. Furthermore, analysis of the expression of the ArLQ precursor using mRNA in situ hybridisation revealed expression in the nervous system, digestive system and locomotory organs (tube feet) and in vitro pharmacology revealed that ArLQ causes dose-dependent relaxation of tube feet. Accordingly, previous studies have revealed that luqin-type signalling regulates feeding and locomotor activity in protostomes. In conclusion, our phylogenetic analysis combined with characterisation of luqin-type signalling in a deuterostome has provided new insights into neuropeptide evolution and function in the animal kingdom.

  4. Phylogenetic analysis of the nucleoprotein gene of measles viruses prevalent in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China, during 2010.

    PubMed

    Li, H; Spencer, S D; Lian, L; Zhang, Z; Lu, P

    2012-09-01

    Measles control in China is monitored in part by surveillance of circulating wild-type viruses. The objective of this study was genetic characterization and phylogenetic analysis of measles strains in the Nantong City region of Jiangsu province, China, during 2010. Sera from suspected cases were tested for IgM antibodies and measles virus isolated by inoculation of transport medium onto Vero/SLAM cells. Isolated strains were phylogenetically analysed according to the nucleotide sequence of the C-terminal region of the nucleoprotein gene amplified by RT-PCR. The results revealed 34 cases confirmed by positive IgM, for an incidence of 0·45/100 000. Six isolates identified were all clustered within genotype H1. The findings reported here support continued endemic transmission of measles virus in China.

  5. Phylobetadiversity among forest types in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest complex.

    PubMed

    Duarte, Leandro Da Silva; Bergamin, Rodrigo Scarton; Marcilio-Silva, Vinícius; Seger, Guilherme Dubal Dos Santos; Marques, Márcia Cristina Mendes

    2014-01-01

    Phylobetadiversity is defined as the phylogenetic resemblance between communities or biomes. Analyzing phylobetadiversity patterns among different vegetation physiognomies within a single biome is crucial to understand the historical affinities between them. Based on the widely accepted idea that different forest physiognomies within the Southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest constitute different facies of a single biome, we hypothesize that more recent phylogenetic nodes should drive phylobetadiversity gradients between the different forest types within the Atlantic Forest, as the phylogenetic divergence among those forest types is biogeographically recent. We compiled information from 206 checklists describing the occurrence of shrub/tree species across three different forest physiognomies within the Southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest (Dense, Mixed and Seasonal forests). We analyzed intra-site phylogenetic structure (phylogenetic diversity, net relatedness index and nearest taxon index) and phylobetadiversity between plots located at different forest types, using five different methods differing in sensitivity to either basal or terminal nodes (phylogenetic fuzzy weighting, COMDIST, COMDISTNT, UniFrac and Rao's H). Mixed forests showed higher phylogenetic diversity and overdispersion than the other forest types. Furthermore, all forest types differed from each other in relation phylobetadiversity patterns, particularly when phylobetadiversity methods more sensitive to terminal nodes were employed. Mixed forests tended to show higher phylogenetic differentiation to Dense and Seasonal forests than these latter from each other. The higher phylogenetic diversity and phylobetadiversity levels found in Mixed forests when compared to the others likely result from the biogeographical origin of several taxa occurring in these forests. On one hand, Mixed forests shelter several temperate taxa, like the conifers Araucaria and Podocarpus. On the other hand, tropical groups, like Myrtaceae, are also very representative of this forest type. We point out to the need of more attention to Mixed forests as a conservation target within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest given their high phylogenetic uniqueness.

  6. Phylobetadiversity among Forest Types in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Complex

    PubMed Central

    Duarte, Leandro Da Silva; Bergamin, Rodrigo Scarton; Marcilio-Silva, Vinícius; Seger, Guilherme Dubal Dos Santos; Marques, Márcia Cristina Mendes

    2014-01-01

    Phylobetadiversity is defined as the phylogenetic resemblance between communities or biomes. Analyzing phylobetadiversity patterns among different vegetation physiognomies within a single biome is crucial to understand the historical affinities between them. Based on the widely accepted idea that different forest physiognomies within the Southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest constitute different facies of a single biome, we hypothesize that more recent phylogenetic nodes should drive phylobetadiversity gradients between the different forest types within the Atlantic Forest, as the phylogenetic divergence among those forest types is biogeographically recent. We compiled information from 206 checklists describing the occurrence of shrub/tree species across three different forest physiognomies within the Southern Brazilian Atlantic Forest (Dense, Mixed and Seasonal forests). We analyzed intra-site phylogenetic structure (phylogenetic diversity, net relatedness index and nearest taxon index) and phylobetadiversity between plots located at different forest types, using five different methods differing in sensitivity to either basal or terminal nodes (phylogenetic fuzzy weighting, COMDIST, COMDISTNT, UniFrac and Rao’s H). Mixed forests showed higher phylogenetic diversity and overdispersion than the other forest types. Furthermore, all forest types differed from each other in relation phylobetadiversity patterns, particularly when phylobetadiversity methods more sensitive to terminal nodes were employed. Mixed forests tended to show higher phylogenetic differentiation to Dense and Seasonal forests than these latter from each other. The higher phylogenetic diversity and phylobetadiversity levels found in Mixed forests when compared to the others likely result from the biogeographical origin of several taxa occurring in these forests. On one hand, Mixed forests shelter several temperate taxa, like the conifers Araucaria and Podocarpus. On the other hand, tropical groups, like Myrtaceae, are also very representative of this forest type. We point out to the need of more attention to Mixed forests as a conservation target within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest given their high phylogenetic uniqueness. PMID:25121495

  7. Selection and Validation of a Multilocus Variable-Number Tandem-Repeat Analysis Panel for Typing Shigella spp.▿ †

    PubMed Central

    Gorgé, Olivier; Lopez, Stéphanie; Hilaire, Valérie; Lisanti, Olivier; Ramisse, Vincent; Vergnaud, Gilles

    2008-01-01

    The Shigella genus has historically been separated into four species, based on biochemical assays. The classification within each species relies on serotyping. Recently, genome sequencing and DNA assays, in particular the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) approach, greatly improved the current knowledge of the origin and phylogenetic evolution of Shigella spp. The Shigella and Escherichia genera are now considered to belong to a unique genomospecies. Multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) provides valuable polymorphic markers for genotyping and performing phylogenetic analyses of highly homogeneous bacterial pathogens. Here, we assess the capability of MLVA for Shigella typing. Thirty-two potentially polymorphic VNTRs were selected by analyzing in silico five Shigella genomic sequences and subsequently evaluated. Eventually, a panel of 15 VNTRs was selected (i.e., MLVA15 analysis). MLVA15 analysis of 78 strains or genome sequences of Shigella spp. and 11 strains or genome sequences of Escherichia coli distinguished 83 genotypes. Shigella population cluster analysis gave consistent results compared to MLST. MLVA15 analysis showed capabilities for E. coli typing, providing classification among pathogenic and nonpathogenic E. coli strains included in the study. The resulting data can be queried on our genotyping webpage (http://mlva.u-psud.fr). The MLVA15 assay is rapid, highly discriminatory, and reproducible for Shigella and Escherichia strains, suggesting that it could significantly contribute to epidemiological trace-back analysis of Shigella infections and pathogenic Escherichia outbreaks. Typing was performed on strains obtained mostly from collections. Further studies should include strains of much more diverse origins, including all pathogenic E. coli types. PMID:18216214

  8. Phylogenetic Analysis of Dengue Virus in Bangkalan, Madura Island, East Java Province, Indonesia.

    PubMed

    Sucipto, Teguh Hari; Kotaki, Tomohiro; Mulyatno, Kris Cahyo; Churrotin, Siti; Labiqah, Amaliah; Soegijanto, Soegeng; Kameoka, Masanori

    2018-01-01

    Dengue virus (DENV) infection is a major health issue in tropical and subtropical areas. Indonesia is one of the biggest dengue endemic countries in the world. In the present study, the phylogenetic analysis of DENV in Bangkalan, Madura Island, Indonesia, was performed in order to obtain a clearer understanding of its dynamics in this country. A total of 359 blood samples from dengue-suspected patients were collected between 2012 and 2014. Serotyping was conducted using a multiplex Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction and a phylogenetic analysis of E gene sequences was performed using the Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method. 17 out of 359 blood samples (4.7%) were positive for the isolation of DENV. Serotyping and the phylogenetic analysis revealed the predominance of DENV-1 genotype I (9/17, 52.9%), followed by DENV-2 Cosmopolitan type (7/17, 41.2%) and DENV-3 genotype I (1/17, 5.9%) . DENV-4 was not isolated. The Madura Island isolates showed high nucleotide similarity to other Indonesian isolates, indicating frequent virus circulation in Indonesia. The results of the present study highlight the importance of continuous viral surveillance in dengue endemic areas in order to obtain a clearer understanding of the dynamics of DENV in Indonesia.

  9. Phylogenetic analysis of the haemagglutinin gene of current wild-type canine distemper viruses from South Africa: lineage Africa.

    PubMed

    Woma, Timothy Y; van Vuuren, Moritz; Bosman, Ana-Mari; Quan, Melvyn; Oosthuizen, Marinda

    2010-07-14

    There are no reports of CDV isolations in southern Africa, and although CDV is said to have geographically distinct lineages, molecular information of African strains has not yet been documented. Viruses isolated in cell cultures were subjected to reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the complete H gene was sequenced and phylogenetically analysed with other strains from GenBank. Phylogenetic comparisons of the complete H gene of CDV isolates from different parts of the world (available in GenBank) with wild-type South African isolates revealed nine clades. All South African isolates form a separate African clade of their own and thus are clearly separated from the American, European, Asian, Arctic and vaccine virus clades. It is likely that only the 'African lineage' of CDV may be circulating in South Africa currently, and the viruses isolated from dogs vaccinated against CDV are not the result of reversion to virulence of vaccine strains, but infection with wild-type strains. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. [Phylogenetic and diversity analysis of Acidithiobacillus spp. based on 16S rRNA and RubisCO genes homologues].

    PubMed

    Liu, Minrui; Lin, Pengwu; Qi, Xing'e; Ni, Yongqing

    2016-04-14

    The purpose of the study was to reveal geographic region-related Acidithiobacillus spp. distribution and allopatric speciation. Phylogenetic and diversity analysis was done to expand our knowledge on microbial phylogeography, diversity-maintaining mechanisms and molecular biogeography. We amplified 16S rRNA gene and RubisCO genes to construct corresponding phylogenetic trees based on the sequence homology and analyzed genetic diversity of Acidithiobacillus spp.. Thirty-five strains were isolated from three different regions in China (Yunnan, Hubei, Xinjiang). The whole isolates were classified into five groups. Four strains were identified as A. ferrivorans, six as A. ferridurans, YNTR4-15 Leptspirillum ferrooxidans and HBDY3-31 as Leptospirillum ferrodiazotrophum. The remaining strains were identified as A. ferrooxidans. Analysis of cbbL and cbbM genes sequences of representative 26 strains indicated that cbbL gene of 19 were two copies (cbbL1 and cbbL2) and 7 possessed only cbbL1. cbbM gene was single copy. In nucleotide-based trees, cbbL1 gene sequences of strains were separated into three sequence types, and the cbbL2 was similar to cbbL1 with three types. Codon bias of RubisCO genes was not obvious in Acidithiobacillus spp.. Strains isolated from three different regions in China indicated a great genetic diversity in Acidithiobacillus spp. and their 16S rRNA/RubisCO genes sequence was of significant difference. Phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA genes and RubisCO genes was different in Acidithiobacillus spp..

  11. Analysis of whole genome sequences of 16 strains of rubella virus from the United States, 1961-2009.

    PubMed

    Abernathy, Emily; Chen, Min-hsin; Bera, Jayati; Shrivastava, Susmita; Kirkness, Ewen; Zheng, Qi; Bellini, William; Icenogle, Joseph

    2013-01-25

    Rubella virus is the causative agent of rubella, a mild rash illness, and a potent teratogenic agent when contracted by a pregnant woman. Global rubella control programs target the reduction and elimination of congenital rubella syndrome. Phylogenetic analysis of partial sequences of rubella viruses has contributed to virus surveillance efforts and played an important role in demonstrating that indigenous rubella viruses have been eliminated in the United States. Sixteen wild-type rubella viruses were chosen for whole genome sequencing. All 16 viruses were collected in the United States from 1961 to 2009 and are from 8 of the 13 known rubella genotypes. Phylogenetic analysis of 30 whole genome sequences produced a maximum likelihood tree giving high bootstrap values for all genotypes except provisional genotype 1a. Comparison of the 16 new complete sequences and 14 previously sequenced wild-type viruses found regions with clusters of variable amino acids. The 5' 250 nucleotides of the genome are more conserved than any other part of the genome. Genotype specific deletions in the untranslated region between the non-structural and structural open reading frames were observed for genotypes 2B and genotype 1G. No evidence was seen for recombination events among the 30 viruses. The analysis presented here is consistent with previous reports on the genetic characterization of rubella virus genomes. Conserved and variable regions were identified and additional evidence for genotype specific nucleotide deletions in the intergenic region was found. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed genotype groupings originally based on structural protein coding region sequences, which provides support for the WHO nomenclature for genetic characterization of wild-type rubella viruses.

  12. Molecular prevalence and genetic diversity of bovine Theileria orientalis in Myanmar.

    PubMed

    Bawm, Saw; Shimizu, Kohei; Hirota, Jun-Ichi; Tosa, Yusuke; Htun, Lat Lat; Maw, Ni Ni; Thein, Myint; Kato, Hirotomo; Sakurai, Tatsuya; Katakura, Ken

    2014-08-01

    Theileria orientalis is a causative agent of benign theileriosis in cattle and distributed in mainly Asian countries. In the present study, we examined the prevalence of T. orientalis infection by PCR based on the major piroplasm surface protein gene (MPSP) sequences in cattle in Myanmar, followed by phylogenetic analysis of the MPSP genes. The MPSP gene was amplified in 258 of 713 (36.2%) cattle blood DNA samples collected from five cities in different geographical regions of Myanmar. Phylogenetic analysis of MPSP sequences from 54 T. orientalis-positive DNA samples revealed the presence of six allelic genotypes, including Types 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, and N-3. Types 5 and 7 were the predominant types detected. Sequences of the MPSP genes detected in Myanmar were closely related to those from Thailand, Vietnam or Mongolia. These findings suggest that movement of animals carrying T. orientalis parasites between Southeast Asian countries could be a reason for the similar genotype distribution of the parasites in Myanmar. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. [Phylogenetic analysis of tyrosinase gene family in the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas Thunberg)].

    PubMed

    Yu, Xue; Yu, Hong; Kong, Lingfeng; Li, Qi

    2014-02-01

    The deduced amino acid sequence characteristics, classification and phylogeny of tyrosinase gene family in the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas Thunberg) were analyzed using bioinformatics methods. The results showed that gene duplication was the major cause of tyrosinase gene expansion in the Pacific oyster. The tyrosinase gene family in the Pacific oyster can be further classified into three types: secreted form (Type A), cytosolic form (Type B) and membrane-bound form (Type C). Based on the topology of the phylogenetic tree of the Pacific oyster tyrosinases, among Type A isoforms, tyr18 seemed divergent from other Type A tyrosinases early, while tyr2 and tyr9 appeared divergent early in Type B. In Type C tyrosinses, tyr8 was divergent early. The cluster of the Pacific oyster tyrosinasesis determined by their classifications and positions in the scaffolds. Further analysis suggested that Type A tyrosinases of C. gigas clustered with those from cephalopods and then with nematodes and cnidarians. Type B tyrosinases were generally clustered with the same type of tyrosinases from molluscas and nematodes, and then with those from platyhelminths, cnidarians and chordates. Type A tyrosinases in the Pacific oyster and the Pearl oyster expanded independently and were divergent from membrane-bound form of tyrosinases in chordata, platyhelminthes and annelida. These observations suggested that Type C tyrosinases in the bivalve had a distinct evolution direction.

  14. [Analysis of 4 clustered high risk acute flaccid paralysis cases in Shanxi Province in 2006].

    PubMed

    Yan, Dong-mei; Zhang, Yong; Wang, Dong-yan

    2010-04-01

    Analysis of epidemiology of 4 clustered high risk acute flaccid paralysis(AFP) cases reported by Shanxi province in 2006 and VP1 gene characteristic for type III poliovirus isolated from the four AFP cases. Virus isolation and identification were conducted according to the 4th edition of WHO polio laboratory manual. The sequence of VP1 region were amplified and sequenced. The phylogenetic trees based on VP1 region were constructed. Three of four high risk AFP cases were suspected as vaccine associated paralysis poliomyelitis (VAPP), the onset date of them were close. VP1 sequencing of the four type III isolates revealed that the identity were 99.7%, 99.9%, 99.4% and 99.9% respectively compared with vaccine reference strain-BJOPV3. According to WHO criteria, the four isolates were identified as type III vaccine-related poliovirus. Phylogenetic analysis based on VP1 coding sequence showed that the four type III poliovirus were not related significantly. The type III poliovirus isolated from 3 suspected VAPP cases shared one nucleotide mutation at 2637 (C-->U), which result in the amino acid mutation from Val into Ala. The improvement of laboratory surveillance for clustered high risk AFP cases should be strengthened so as to detect and prevent poliovirus circulation timely.

  15. Octocoral Species Assembly and Coexistence in Caribbean Coral Reefs.

    PubMed

    Velásquez, Johanna; Sánchez, Juan A

    2015-01-01

    What are the determinant factors of community assemblies in the most diverse ecosystem in the ocean? Coral reefs can be divided in continental (i.e., reefs that develop on the continental shelf, including siliciclastic reefs) and oceanic (i.e., far off the continental shelf, usually on volcanic substratum); whether or not these habitat differences impose community-wide ecological divergence or species exclusion/coexistence with evolutionary consequences, is unknown. Studying Caribbean octocorals as model system, we determined the phylogenetic community structure in a coral reef community, making emphasis on species coexistence evidenced on trait evolution and environmental feedbacks. Forty-nine species represented in five families constituted the species pool from which a phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using mtDNA. We included data from 11 localities in the Western Caribbean (Colombia) including most reef types. To test diversity-environment and phenotype-environment relationships, phylogenetic community structure and trait evolution we carried out comparative analyses implementing ecological and evolutionary approaches. Phylogenetic inferences suggest clustering of oceanic reefs (e.g., atolls) contrasting with phylogenetic overdispersion of continental reefs (e.g., reefs banks). Additionally, atolls and barrier reefs had the highest species diversity (Shannon index) whereas phylogenetic diversity was higher in reef banks. The discriminant component analysis supported this differentiation between oceanic and continental reefs, where continental octocoral species tend to have greater calyx apertures, thicker branches, prominent calyces and azooxanthellate species. This analysis also indicated a clear separation between the slope and the remaining habitats, caused by the presence or absence of Symbiodinium. K statistic analysis showed that this trait is conserved as well as the branch shape. There was strong octocoral community structure with opposite diversity and composition patterns between oceanic and continental reefs. Even habitats with similar depths and overall environmental conditions did not share similar communities between oceanic and continental reefs. This indicates a strong regional influence over the local communities, probably due to water transparency differences between major reef types, i.e., oceanic vs. continental shelf-neritic. This was supported by contrasting patterns found in morphology, composition and evolutionary history of the species between atolls and reef banks.

  16. Octocoral Species Assembly and Coexistence in Caribbean Coral Reefs

    PubMed Central

    Velásquez, Johanna; Sánchez, Juan A.

    2015-01-01

    Background What are the determinant factors of community assemblies in the most diverse ecosystem in the ocean? Coral reefs can be divided in continental (i.e., reefs that develop on the continental shelf, including siliciclastic reefs) and oceanic (i.e., far off the continental shelf, usually on volcanic substratum); whether or not these habitat differences impose community-wide ecological divergence or species exclusion/coexistence with evolutionary consequences, is unknown. Methods Studying Caribbean octocorals as model system, we determined the phylogenetic community structure in a coral reef community, making emphasis on species coexistence evidenced on trait evolution and environmental feedbacks. Forty-nine species represented in five families constituted the species pool from which a phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using mtDNA. We included data from 11 localities in the Western Caribbean (Colombia) including most reef types. To test diversity-environment and phenotype-environment relationships, phylogenetic community structure and trait evolution we carried out comparative analyses implementing ecological and evolutionary approaches. Results Phylogenetic inferences suggest clustering of oceanic reefs (e.g., atolls) contrasting with phylogenetic overdispersion of continental reefs (e.g., reefs banks). Additionally, atolls and barrier reefs had the highest species diversity (Shannon index) whereas phylogenetic diversity was higher in reef banks. The discriminant component analysis supported this differentiation between oceanic and continental reefs, where continental octocoral species tend to have greater calyx apertures, thicker branches, prominent calyces and azooxanthellate species. This analysis also indicated a clear separation between the slope and the remaining habitats, caused by the presence or absence of Symbiodinium. K statistic analysis showed that this trait is conserved as well as the branch shape. Discussion There was strong octocoral community structure with opposite diversity and composition patterns between oceanic and continental reefs. Even habitats with similar depths and overall environmental conditions did not share similar communities between oceanic and continental reefs. This indicates a strong regional influence over the local communities, probably due to water transparency differences between major reef types, i.e., oceanic vs. continental shelf-neritic. This was supported by contrasting patterns found in morphology, composition and evolutionary history of the species between atolls and reef banks. PMID:26177191

  17. Molecular phylogenetic, morphological, and mycotoxin data support reidentification of the Quorn mycoprotein fungus as Fusarium venenatum.

    PubMed

    O'Donnell, K; Cigelnik, E; Casper, H H

    1998-02-01

    Molecular phylogenetic, morphological, and mycotoxin data were obtained in order to investigate the relationships and identity of the Quorn mycoprotein fungus within Fusarium and to examine Quorn strains and commercial Quorn food products for trichothecene mycotoxins. Phylogenetic analyses of aligned DNA sequences obtained via the polymerase chain reaction from the nuclear 28S ribosomal DNA, nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region, and beta-tubulin gene exons and introns indicate that the Quorn fungus is Fusarium venenatum, rather than F. graminearum as previously reported. All of the Quorn strains examined were morphologically degenerate aconidial colonial mutants except for NRRL 25139, which produced chlamydospores in recurved terminal chains together with mostly 5-septate sporodochial conidia on doliform monophialides diagnostic of F. venenatum. Bootstrap and decay analyses provide strong support for a monophyletic lineage containing F. venenatum and several other type A trichothecene-producing species, while reference strains of F. graminearum were nested in a separate clade of species that produce type B trichothecenes and/or zearalenone. Analysis of mycotoxins from rice cultures inoculated with Quorn strain NRRL 25416 revealed that four type A trichothecenes are produced, but at low levels relative to strain NRRL 22198 of F. venenatum. No trichothecene mycotoxins, however, were detected from the analysis of three commercial Quorn products marketed for human consumption in England.

  18. Phylogenetic analysis of VP2 gene of canine parvovirus and comparison with Indian and world isolates.

    PubMed

    Kaur, G; Chandra, M; Dwivedi, P N

    2016-03-01

    Canine parvovirus (CPV) causes hemorrhagic enteritis, especially in young dogs, leading to high morbidity and mortality. It has four main antigenic types CPV-2, CPV-2a, CPV-2b and CPV-2c. Virus protein 2 (VP2) is the main capsid protein and mutations affecting VP2 gene are responsible for the evolution of various antigenic types of CPV. Full length VP2 gene from field isolates was amplified and cloned for sequence analysis. The sequences were submitted to the GenBank and were assigned Acc. Nos., viz. KP406928.1 for P12, KP406927.1 for P15, KP406930.1 for P32, KP406926.1 for Megavac-6 and KP406929.1 for NobivacDHPPi. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the samples were forming a separate clad with vaccine strains. When the samples were compared with the world and Indian isolates, it was observed that samples formed a separate node indicating regional genetic variation in CPV.

  19. Whole genome sequence phylogenetic analysis of four Mexican rabies viruses isolated from cattle.

    PubMed

    Bárcenas-Reyes, I; Loza-Rubio, E; Cantó-Alarcón, G J; Luna-Cozar, J; Enríquez-Vázquez, A; Barrón-Rodríguez, R J; Milián-Suazo, F

    2017-08-01

    Phylogenetic analysis of the rabies virus in molecular epidemiology has been traditionally performed on partial sequences of the genome, such as the N, G, and P genes; however, that approach raises concerns about the discriminatory power compared to whole genome sequencing. In this study we characterized four strains of the rabies virus isolated from cattle in Querétaro, Mexico by comparing the whole genome sequence to that of strains from the American, European and Asian continents. Four cattle brain samples positive to rabies and characterized as AgV11, genotype 1, were used in the study. A cDNA sequence was generated by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) using oligo dT. cDNA samples were sequenced in an Illumina NextSeq 500 platform. The phylogenetic analysis was performed with MEGA 6.0. Minimum evolution phylogenetic trees were constructed with the Neighbor-Joining method and bootstrapped with 1000 replicates. Three large and seven small clusters were formed with the 26 sequences used. The largest cluster grouped strains from different species in South America: Brazil, and the French Guyana. The second cluster grouped five strains from Mexico. A Mexican strain reported in a different study was highly related to our four strains, suggesting common source of infection. The phylogenetic analysis shows that the type of host is different for the different regions in the American Continent; rabies is more related to bats. It was concluded that the rabies virus in central Mexico is genetically stable and that it is transmitted by the vampire bat Desmodus rotundus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Molecular characterization of muscle-parasitizing didymozoid from a chub mackerel, Scomber japonicus.

    PubMed

    Abe, Niichiro; Okamoto, Mitsuru

    2015-09-01

    Didymozoids found in the muscles of marine fish are almost always damaged because they are usually found after being sliced. Therefore, identifying muscle-parasitizing didymozoids is difficult because of the difficulty in collecting non-damaged worms and observing their organs as key points for morphological identification. Moreover, muscle-parasitizing didymozoids are not easily found because they parasitize at the trunk muscles. Therefore, muscle-parasitizing didymozoid classification has not progressed because there are few opportunities to detect them. Our recent report was the first to describe the usefulness of sequencing analysis for discrimination among muscle-parasitizing didymozoids. Recently, we found a didymozoid in the trunk muscle of a chub mackerel Scomber japonicus. The present study genetically compares the present isolate with other muscle-parasitizing didymozoids. The present isolate differs markedly from the previously unidentified didymozoid from an Atlantic mackerel S. scombrus by phylogenetic analysis of 18S rDNA. It also differs from other muscle-parasitizing didymozoids from other host species based on phylogenetic analyses of 18S, 28S rDNAs, and coxI loci. These results suggest that sequencing analysis is useful for the discrimination of muscle-parasitizing didymozoids. Combining the present data with earlier data for sequencing analysis, muscle-parasitizing didymozoids from seven marine fish species were classified as seven species. We proposed appellations for six distinct muscle-parasitizing didymozoids for future analysis: sweetlips fish type from Diagramma pictum and Plectorhinchus cinctus, red sea bream type from Pagrus major, flying fish type from Cypselurus heterurus, Atlantic mackerel type from Scomber scombrus, chub mackerel type from S. japonicus, and purple rockcod type from Epinephelus cyanopodus.

  1. Whole genome sequencing analysis of Salmonella enterica serovar Weltevreden isolated from human stool and contaminated food samples collected from the Southern coastal area of China.

    PubMed

    Li, Baisheng; Yang, Xingfen; Tan, Hailing; Ke, Bixia; He, Dongmei; Wang, Haiyan; Chen, Qiuxia; Ke, Changwen; Zhang, Yonghui

    2018-02-02

    Salmonella enterica serovar Weltevreden is the most common non-typhoid Salmonella found in South and Southeast Asia. It causes zoonoses worldwide through the consumption of contaminated foods and seafood, and is considered as an important food-borne pathogen in China, especially in the Southern coastal area. We compared the whole genomes of 44 S. Weltevreden strains isolated from human stool and contaminated food samples from Southern Coastal China, in order to investigate their phylogenetic relationships and establish their genetic relatedness to known international strains. ResFinder analysis of the draft genomes of isolated strains detected antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes in only eight isolates, equivalent to minimum inhibitory concentration assay, and only a few isolates showed resistance to tetracycline, ciprofloxacin or ampicillin. In silico MLST analysis revealed that 43 out of 44 S. Weltevreden strains belonged to sequence type 365 (CC205), the most common sequence type of the serovars. Phylogenetic analysis of the 44 domestic and 26 international isolates suggested that the population of S. Weltevreden could be segregated into six phylogenetic clusters. Cluster I included two strains from food and strains of the "Island Cluster", indicating potential inter-transmission between different countries and regions through foods. The predominant S. Weltevreden isolates obtained from the samples from Southern coastal China were found to be phylogenetically related to strains from Southern East Asia, and formed clusters II-VI. The study has demonstrated that WGS-based analysis may be used to improve our understanding of the epidemiology of this bacterium as part of a food-borne disease surveillance program. The methods used are also more widely applicable to other geographical regions and areas and could therefore be useful for improving our understanding of the international spread of S. Weltevreden on a global scale. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. Acremonium phylogenetic overview and revision of Gliomastix, Sarocladium, and Trichothecium.

    PubMed

    Summerbell, R C; Gueidan, C; Schroers, H-J; de Hoog, G S; Starink, M; Rosete, Y Arocha; Guarro, J; Scott, J A

    2011-01-01

    Over 200 new sequences are generated for members of the genus Acremonium and related taxa including ribosomal small subunit sequences (SSU) for phylogenetic analysis and large subunit (LSU) sequences for phylogeny and DNA-based identification. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that within the Hypocreales, there are two major clusters containing multiple Acremonium species. One clade contains Acremonium sclerotigenum, the genus Emericellopsis, and the genus Geosmithia as prominent elements. The second clade contains the genera Gliomastixsensu stricto and Bionectria. In addition, there are numerous smaller clades plus two multi-species clades, one containing Acremonium strictum and the type species of the genus Sarocladium, and, as seen in the combined SSU/LSU analysis, one associated subclade containing Acremonium breve and related species plus Acremonium curvulum and related species. This sequence information allows the revision of three genera. Gliomastix is revived for five species, G. murorum, G. polychroma, G. tumulicola, G. roseogrisea, and G. masseei. Sarocladium is extended to include all members of the phylogenetically distinct A. strictum clade including the medically important A. kiliense and the protective maize endophyte A. zeae. Also included in Sarocladium are members of the phylogenetically delimited Acremonium bacillisporum clade, closely linked to the A. strictum clade. The genus Trichothecium is revised following the principles of unitary nomenclature based on the oldest valid anamorph or teleomorph name, and new combinations are made in Trichothecium for the tightly interrelated Acremonium crotocinigenum, Spicellum roseum, and teleomorph Leucosphaerinaindica. Outside the Hypocreales, numerous Acremonium-like species fall into the Plectosphaerellaceae, and A. atrogriseum falls into the Cephalothecaceae.

  3. Highly structured genetic diversity of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis population in Djibouti.

    PubMed

    Godreuil, S; Renaud, F; Choisy, M; Depina, J J; Garnotel, E; Morillon, M; Van de Perre, P; Bañuls, A L

    2010-07-01

    Djibouti is an East African country with a high tuberculosis incidence. This study was conducted over a 2-month period in Djibouti, during which 62 consecutive patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) were included. Genetic characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, using mycobacterial interspersed repetitive-unit variable-number tandem-repeat typing and spoligotyping, was performed. The genetic and phylogenetic analysis revealed only three major families (Central Asian, East African Indian and T). The high diversity and linkage disequilibrium within each family suggest a long period of clonal evolution. A Bayesian approach shows that the phylogenetic structure observed in our sample of 62 isolates is very likely to be representative of the phylogenetic structure of the M. tuberculosis population in the total number of TB cases.

  4. Yersinia pestis strains of ancient phylogenetic branch 0.ANT are widely spread in the high-mountain plague foci of Kyrgyzstan

    PubMed Central

    Nosov, Nikita Yu; Krasnov, Yaroslav M.; Oglodin, Yevgeny G.; Kukleva, Lyubov M.; Guseva, Natalia P.; Kuznetsov, Alexander A.; Abdikarimov, Sabyrzhan T.; Dzhaparova, Aigul K.; Kutyrev, Vladimir V.

    2017-01-01

    Fifty six Yersinia pestis strains, isolated over the period of more than 50 years in three high-mountain foci of Kyrgyzstan (Tien Shan, Alai, and Talas), have been characterized by means of PCR and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing methods. Seven of these strains were also characterized by means of whole genome sequencing and genome-wide SNP phylogenetic analysis. It was found that forty two strains belong to 0.ANT2, 0.ANT3 and 0.ANT5 phylogenetic branches. From these, strains of 0.ANT2 and 0.ANT3 branches were earlier detected in China only, whereas 0.ANT5 phylogenetic branch was identified for Y. pestis phylogeny for the first time. According to the results of genome-wide SNP analysis, 0.ANT5 strains are ones of the most closely related to Y. pestis strain responsible for the Justinianic Plague. We have also found out that four of the studied strains belong to the phylogenetic branch 2.MED1, and ten strains from Talas high-mountain focus belong to the phylogenetic branch 0.PE4 (sub-branch 0.PE4t). Established diversity of Y. pestis strains and extensive dissemination of the strains pertaining to the 0.ANT branch confirm the antiquity of the mentioned above plague foci and suggest that strains of the 0.ANT branch, which serve as precursors for all highly virulent Y. pestis strains, had their origin in the Tien Shan mountains. PMID:29073248

  5. Yersinia pestis strains of ancient phylogenetic branch 0.ANT are widely spread in the high-mountain plague foci of Kyrgyzstan.

    PubMed

    Eroshenko, Galina A; Nosov, Nikita Yu; Krasnov, Yaroslav M; Oglodin, Yevgeny G; Kukleva, Lyubov M; Guseva, Natalia P; Kuznetsov, Alexander A; Abdikarimov, Sabyrzhan T; Dzhaparova, Aigul K; Kutyrev, Vladimir V

    2017-01-01

    Fifty six Yersinia pestis strains, isolated over the period of more than 50 years in three high-mountain foci of Kyrgyzstan (Tien Shan, Alai, and Talas), have been characterized by means of PCR and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing methods. Seven of these strains were also characterized by means of whole genome sequencing and genome-wide SNP phylogenetic analysis. It was found that forty two strains belong to 0.ANT2, 0.ANT3 and 0.ANT5 phylogenetic branches. From these, strains of 0.ANT2 and 0.ANT3 branches were earlier detected in China only, whereas 0.ANT5 phylogenetic branch was identified for Y. pestis phylogeny for the first time. According to the results of genome-wide SNP analysis, 0.ANT5 strains are ones of the most closely related to Y. pestis strain responsible for the Justinianic Plague. We have also found out that four of the studied strains belong to the phylogenetic branch 2.MED1, and ten strains from Talas high-mountain focus belong to the phylogenetic branch 0.PE4 (sub-branch 0.PE4t). Established diversity of Y. pestis strains and extensive dissemination of the strains pertaining to the 0.ANT branch confirm the antiquity of the mentioned above plague foci and suggest that strains of the 0.ANT branch, which serve as precursors for all highly virulent Y. pestis strains, had their origin in the Tien Shan mountains.

  6. Comparative evaluation of the identification of rapidly growing non-tuberculous mycobacteria by mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), GenoType Mycobacterium CM/AS assay and partial sequencing of the rpoβ gene with phylogenetic analysis as a reference method.

    PubMed

    Costa-Alcalde, José Javier; Barbeito-Castiñeiras, Gema; González-Alba, José María; Aguilera, Antonio; Galán, Juan Carlos; Pérez-Del-Molino, María Luisa

    2018-06-02

    The American Thoracic Society and the Infectious Diseases Society of America recommend that clinically significant non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) should be identified to the species level in order to determine their clinical significance. The aim of this study was to evaluate identification of rapidly growing NTM (RGM) isolated from clinical samples by using MALDI-TOF MS and a commercial molecular system. The results were compared with identification using a reference method. We included 46 clinical isolates of RGM and identified them using the commercial molecular system GenoType ® CM/AS (Hain, Lifescience, Germany), MALDI-TOF MS (Bruker) and, as reference method, partial rpoβ gene sequencing followed by BLAST and phylogenetic analysis with the 1093 sequences available in the GeneBank. The degree of agreement between GenoType ® and MALDI-TOF MS and the reference method, partial rpoβ sequencing, was 27/43 (62.8%) and 38/43 cases (88.3%) respectively. For all the samples correctly classified by GenoType ® , we obtained the same result with MALDI-TOF MS (27/27). However, MALDI-TOF MS also correctly identified 68.75% (11/16) of the samples that GenoType ® had misclassified (p=0.005). MALDI-TOF MS classified significantly better than GenoType ® . When a MALDI-TOF MS score >1.85 was achieved, MALDI-TOF MS and partial rpoβ gene sequencing were equivalent. GenoType ® was not able to distinguish between species belonging to the M. fortuitum complex. MALDI-TOF MS methodology is simple, rapid and associated with lower consumable costs than GenoType ® . The partial rpoβ sequencing methods with BLAST and phylogenetic analysis were not able to identify some RGM unequivocally. Therefore, sequencing of additional regions would be indicated in these cases. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.

  7. Taxonomic evaluation of putative Streptomyces scabiei strains held in the ARS (NRRL) Culture Collection using multi-locus sequence analysis

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Multi-locus sequence analysis has been demonstrated to be a useful tool for identification of Streptomyces species and was previously applied to phylogenetically differentiate the type strains of species pathogenic on potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.). The ARS Culture Collection (NRRL) contains 43 str...

  8. aes, the gene encoding the esterase B in Escherichia coli, is a powerful phylogenetic marker of the species.

    PubMed

    Lescat, Mathilde; Hoede, Claire; Clermont, Olivier; Garry, Louis; Darlu, Pierre; Tuffery, Pierre; Denamur, Erick; Picard, Bertrand

    2009-12-29

    Previous studies have established a correlation between electrophoretic polymorphism of esterase B, and virulence and phylogeny of Escherichia coli. Strains belonging to the phylogenetic group B2 are more frequently implicated in extraintestinal infections and include esterase B2 variants, whereas phylogenetic groups A, B1 and D contain less virulent strains and include esterase B1 variants. We investigated esterase B as a marker of phylogeny and/or virulence, in a thorough analysis of the esterase B-encoding gene. We identified the gene encoding esterase B as the acetyl-esterase gene (aes) using gene disruption. The analysis of aes nucleotide sequences in a panel of 78 reference strains, including the E. coli reference (ECOR) strains, demonstrated that the gene is under purifying selection. The phylogenetic tree reconstructed from aes sequences showed a strong correlation with the species phylogenetic history, based on multi-locus sequence typing using six housekeeping genes. The unambiguous distinction between variants B1 and B2 by electrophoresis was consistent with Aes amino-acid sequence analysis and protein modelling, which showed that substituted amino acids in the two esterase B variants occurred mostly at different sites on the protein surface. Studies in an experimental mouse model of septicaemia using mutant strains did not reveal a direct link between aes and extraintestinal virulence. Moreover, we did not find any genes in the chromosomal region of aes to be associated with virulence. Our findings suggest that aes does not play a direct role in the virulence of E. coli extraintestinal infection. However, this gene acts as a powerful marker of phylogeny, illustrating the extensive divergence of B2 phylogenetic group strains from the rest of the species.

  9. A Genomic View of Lactobacilli and Pediococci Demonstrates that Phylogeny Matches Ecology and Physiology

    PubMed Central

    Zheng, Jinshui; Ruan, Lifang; Sun, Ming

    2015-01-01

    Lactobacilli are used widely in food, feed, and health applications. The taxonomy of the genus Lactobacillus, however, is confounded by the apparent lack of physiological markers for phylogenetic groups of lactobacilli and the unclear relationships between the diverse phylogenetic groups. This study used the core and pan-genomes of 174 type strains of Lactobacillus and Pediococcus to establish phylogenetic relationships and to identify metabolic properties differentiating phylogenetic groups. The core genome phylogenetic tree separated homofermentative lactobacilli and pediococci from heterofermentative lactobacilli. Aldolase and phosphofructokinase were generally present in homofermentative but not in heterofermentative lactobacilli; a two-domain alcohol dehydrogenase and mannitol dehydrogenase were present in most heterofermentative lactobacilli but absent in most homofermentative organisms. Other genes were predominantly present in homofermentative lactobacilli (pyruvate formate lyase) or heterofermentative lactobacilli (lactaldehyde dehydrogenase and glycerol dehydratase). Cluster analysis of the phylogenomic tree and the average nucleotide identity grouped the genus Lactobacillus sensu lato into 24 phylogenetic groups, including pediococci, with stable intra- and intergroup relationships. Individual groups may be differentiated by characteristic metabolic properties. The link between phylogeny and physiology that is proposed in this study facilitates future studies on the ecology, physiology, and industrial applications of lactobacilli. PMID:26253671

  10. Kribbella albertanoniae sp. nov., isolated from a Roman catacomb, and emended description of the genus Kribbella.

    PubMed

    Everest, Gareth J; Curtis, Sarah M; De Leo, Filomena; Urzì, Clara; Meyers, Paul R

    2013-10-01

    A novel actinobacterium, strain BC640(T), was isolated from a biofilm sample collected in 2009 in the Saint Callistus Roman catacombs. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that the strain belonged to the genus Kribbella. Phylogenetic analysis using the 16S rRNA gene and concatenated gyrB, rpoB, relA, recA and atpD gene sequences showed that strain BC640(T) was most closely related to the type strains of Kribbella yunnanensis and Kribbella sandramycini. Based on gyrB genetic distance analysis, strain BC640(T) was shown to be distinct from all Kribbella type strains. DNA-DNA hybridization experiments confirmed that strain BC640(T) represents a genomic species distinct from its closest phylogenetic relatives, K. yunnanensis DSM 15499(T) (53.5±7.8 % DNA relatedness) and K. sandramycini DSM 15626(T) (33.5±5.0 %). Physiological comparisons further showed that strain BC640(T) is phenotypically distinct from the type strains of K. yunnanensis and K. sandramycini. Strain BC640(T) ( = DSM 26744(T) = NRRL B-24917(T)) is thus presented as the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Kribbella albertanoniae sp. nov. is proposed.

  11. CtGEM typing: Discrimination of Chlamydia trachomatis ocular and urogenital strains and major evolutionary lineages by high resolution melting analysis of two amplified DNA fragments.

    PubMed

    Giffard, Philip M; Andersson, Patiyan; Wilson, Judith; Buckley, Cameron; Lilliebridge, Rachael; Harris, Tegan M; Kleinecke, Mariana; O'Grady, Kerry-Ann F; Huston, Wilhelmina M; Lambert, Stephen B; Whiley, David M; Holt, Deborah C

    2018-01-01

    Chlamydia trachomatis infects the urogenital tract (UGT) and eyes. Anatomical tropism is correlated with variation in the major outer membrane protein encoded by ompA. Strains possessing the ocular ompA variants A, B, Ba and C are typically found within the phylogenetically coherent "classical ocular lineage". However, variants B, Ba and C have also been found within three distinct strains in Australia, all associated with ocular disease in children and outside the classical ocular lineage. CtGEM genotyping is a method for detecting and discriminating ocular strains and also the major phylogenetic lineages. The rationale was facilitation of surveillance to inform responses to C. trachomatis detection in UGT specimens from young children. CtGEM typing is based on high resolution melting analysis (HRMA) of two PCR amplified fragments with high combinatorial resolving power, as defined by computerised comparison of 65 whole genomes. One fragment is from the hypothetical gene defined by Jali-1891 in the C. trachomatis B_Jali20 genome, while the other is from ompA. Twenty combinatorial CtGEM types have been shown to exist, and these encompass unique genotypes for all known ocular strains, and also delineate the TI and T2 major phylogenetic lineages, identify LGV strains and provide additional resolution beyond this. CtGEM typing and Sanger sequencing were compared with 42 C. trachomatis positive clinical specimens, and there were no disjunctions. CtGEM typing is a highly efficient method designed and tested using large scale comparative genomics. It divides C. trachomatis into clinically and biologically meaningful groups, and may have broad application in surveillance.

  12. Novel Single Nucleotide Polymorphism-Based Assay for Genotyping Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis

    PubMed Central

    Goldstone, Robert J.; McLuckie, Joyce; Smith, David G. E.

    2015-01-01

    Typing of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis strains presents a challenge, since they are genetically monomorphic and traditional molecular techniques have limited discriminatory power. The recent advances and availability of whole-genome sequencing have extended possibilities for the characterization of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis, and whole-genome sequencing can provide a phylogenetic context to facilitate global epidemiology studies. In this study, we developed a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assay based on PCR and restriction enzyme digestion or sequencing of the amplified product. The SNP analysis was performed using genome sequence data from 133 Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis isolates with different genotypes from 8 different host species and 17 distinct geographic regions around the world. A total of 28,402 SNPs were identified among all of the isolates. The minimum number of SNPs required to distinguish between all of the 133 genomes was 93 and between only the type C isolates was 41. To reduce the number of SNPs and PCRs required, we adopted an approach based on sequential detection of SNPs and a decision tree. By the analysis of 14 SNPs Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis isolates can be characterized within 14 phylogenetic groups with a higher discriminatory power than mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit–variable number tandem repeat assay and other typing methods. Continuous updating of genome sequences is needed in order to better characterize new phylogenetic groups and SNP profiles. The novel SNP assay is a discriminative, simple, reproducible method and requires only basic laboratory equipment for the large-scale global typing of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis isolates. PMID:26677250

  13. Phylogeny of flowering plants by the chloroplast genome sequences: in search of a "lucky gene".

    PubMed

    Logacheva, M D; Penin, A A; Samigullin, T H; Vallejo-Roman, C M; Antonov, A S

    2007-12-01

    One of the most complicated remaining problems of molecular-phylogenetic analysis is choosing an appropriate genome region. In an ideal case, such a region should have two specific properties: (i) results of analysis using this region should be similar to the results of multigene analysis using the maximal number of regions; (ii) this region should be arranged compactly and be significantly shorter than the multigene set. The second condition is necessary to facilitate sequencing and extension of taxons under analysis, the number of which is also crucial for molecular phylogenetic analysis. Such regions have been revealed for some groups of animals and have been designated as "lucky genes". We have carried out a computational experiment on analysis of 41 complete chloroplast genomes of flowering plants aimed at searching for a "lucky gene" for reconstruction of their phylogeny. It is shown that the phylogenetic tree inferred from a combination of translated nucleotide sequences of genes encoding subunits of plastid RNA polymerase is closest to the tree constructed using all protein coding sites of the chloroplast genome. The only node for which a contradiction is observed is unstable according to the different type analyses. For all the other genes or their combinations, the coincidence is significantly worse. The RNA polymerase genes are compactly arranged in the genome and are fourfold shorter than the total length of protein coding genes used for phylogenetic analysis. The combination of all necessary features makes this group of genes main candidates for the role of "lucky gene" in studying phylogeny of flowering plants.

  14. Mesorhizobium shonense sp. nov., Mesorhizobium hawassense sp. nov. and Mesorhizobium abyssinicae sp. nov., isolated from root nodules of different agroforestry legume trees.

    PubMed

    Degefu, Tulu; Wolde-Meskel, Endalkachew; Liu, Binbin; Cleenwerck, Ilse; Willems, Anne; Frostegård, Åsa

    2013-05-01

    A total of 18 strains, representing members of the genus Mesorhizobium, obtained from root nodules of woody legumes growing in Ethiopia, have been previously shown, by multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) of five housekeeping genes, to form three novel genospecies. In the present study, the phylogenetic relationship between representative strains of these three genospecies and the type strains of their closest phylogenetic neighbours Mesorhizobium plurifarium, Mesorhizobium amorphae, Mesorhizobium septentrionale and Mesorhizobium huakuii was further evaluated using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. In line with our earlier MLSA of other housekeeping genes, the phylogenetic trees derived from the atpD and glnII genes grouped the test strains into three well-supported, distinct lineages that exclude all defined species of the genus Mesorhizobium. The DNA-DNA relatedness between the representative strains of genospecies I-III and the type strains of their closest phylogenetic neighbours was low (≤59 %). They differed from each other and from their closest phylogenetic neighbours by the presence/absence of several fatty acids, or by large differences in the relative amounts of particular fatty acids. While showing distinctive features, they were generally able to utilize a wide range of substrates as sole carbon and nitrogen sources. The strains belonging to genospecies I, II and III therefore represent novel species for which we propose the names Mesorhizobium shonense sp. nov., Mesorhizobium hawassense sp. nov. and Mesorhizobium abyssinicae sp. nov. The isolates AC39a(T) ( = LMG 26966(T) = HAMBI 3295(T)), AC99b(T) ( = LMG 26968(T) = HAMBI 3301(T)) and AC98c(T) ( = LMG 26967(T) = HAMBI 3306(T)) are proposed as type strains for the respective novel species.

  15. Genome size evolution in Ontario ferns (Polypodiidae): evolutionary correlations with cell size, spore size, and habitat type and an absence of genome downsizing.

    PubMed

    Henry, Thomas A; Bainard, Jillian D; Newmaster, Steven G

    2014-10-01

    Genome size is known to correlate with a number of traits in angiosperms, but less is known about the phenotypic correlates of genome size in ferns. We explored genome size variation in relation to a suite of morphological and ecological traits in ferns. Thirty-six fern taxa were collected from wild populations in Ontario, Canada. 2C DNA content was measured using flow cytometry. We tested for genome downsizing following polyploidy using a phylogenetic comparative analysis to explore the correlation between 1Cx DNA content and ploidy. There was no compelling evidence for the occurrence of widespread genome downsizing during the evolution of Ontario ferns. The relationship between genome size and 11 morphological and ecological traits was explored using a phylogenetic principal component regression analysis. Genome size was found to be significantly associated with cell size, spore size, spore type, and habitat type. These results are timely as past and recent studies have found conflicting support for the association between ploidy/genome size and spore size in fern polyploid complexes; this study represents the first comparative analysis of the trend across a broad taxonomic group of ferns.

  16. Extreme diversity of scorpion venom peptides and proteins revealed by transcriptomic analysis: implication for proteome evolution of scorpion venom arsenal.

    PubMed

    Ma, Yibao; He, Yawen; Zhao, Ruiming; Wu, Yingliang; Li, Wenxin; Cao, Zhijian

    2012-02-16

    Venom is an important genetic development crucial to the survival of scorpions for over 400 million years. We studied the evolution of the scorpion venom arsenal by means of comparative transcriptome analysis of venom glands and phylogenetic analysis of shared types of venom peptides and proteins between buthids and euscorpiids. Fifteen types of venom peptides and proteins were sequenced during the venom gland transcriptome analyses of two Buthidae species (Lychas mucronatus and Isometrus maculatus) and one Euscorpiidae species (Scorpiops margerisonae). Great diversity has been observed in translated amino acid sequences of these transcripts for venom peptides and proteins. Seven types of venom peptides and proteins were shared between buthids and euscorpiids. Molecular phylogenetic analysis revealed that at least five of the seven common types of venom peptides and proteins were likely recruited into the scorpion venom proteome before the lineage split between Buthidae and Euscorpiidae with their corresponding genes undergoing individual or multiple gene duplication events. These are α-KTxs, βKSPNs (β-KTxs and scorpines), anionic peptides, La1-like peptides, and SPSVs (serine proteases from scorpion venom). Multiple types of venom peptides and proteins were demonstrated to be continuously recruited into the venom proteome during the evolution process of individual scorpion lineages. Our results provide an insight into the recruitment pattern of the scorpion venom arsenal for the first time. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. A Deeply Branching Thermophilic Bacterium with an Ancient Acetyl-CoA Pathway Dominates a Subsurface Ecosystem

    PubMed Central

    Takami, Hideto; Noguchi, Hideki; Takaki, Yoshihiro; Uchiyama, Ikuo; Toyoda, Atsushi; Nishi, Shinro; Chee, Gab-Joo; Arai, Wataru; Nunoura, Takuro; Itoh, Takehiko; Hattori, Masahira; Takai, Ken

    2012-01-01

    A nearly complete genome sequence of Candidatus ‘Acetothermum autotrophicum’, a presently uncultivated bacterium in candidate division OP1, was revealed by metagenomic analysis of a subsurface thermophilic microbial mat community. Phylogenetic analysis based on the concatenated sequences of proteins common among 367 prokaryotes suggests that Ca. ‘A. autotrophicum’ is one of the earliest diverging bacterial lineages. It possesses a folate-dependent Wood-Ljungdahl (acetyl-CoA) pathway of CO2 fixation, is predicted to have an acetogenic lifestyle, and possesses the newly discovered archaeal-autotrophic type of bifunctional fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolase/phosphatase. A phylogenetic analysis of the core gene cluster of the acethyl-CoA pathway, shared by acetogens, methanogens, some sulfur- and iron-reducers and dechlorinators, supports the hypothesis that the core gene cluster of Ca. ‘A. autotrophicum’ is a particularly ancient bacterial pathway. The habitat, physiology and phylogenetic position of Ca. ‘A. autotrophicum’ support the view that the first bacterial and archaeal lineages were H2-dependent acetogens and methanogenes living in hydrothermal environments. PMID:22303444

  18. Antiretroviral drug resistance and phylogenetic diversity of HIV-1 in Chile.

    PubMed

    Ríos, Maritza; Delgado, Elena; Pérez-Alvarez, Lucía; Fernández, Jorge; Gálvez, Paula; de Parga, Elena Vázquez; Yung, Verónica; Thomson, Michael M; Nájera, Rafael

    2007-06-01

    This study reports the analysis of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease (PR) and reverse transcriptase (RT) coding sequences from 136 HIV-1-infected subjects from Chile, 66 (49%) of them under antiretroviral (ARV) treatment. The prevalence of mutations conferring high or intermediate resistance levels to ARVs was 77% among treated patients and 2.5% among drug-naïve subjects. The distribution of resistance prevalence in treated patients by drug class was 61% to nucleoside RT inhibitors, 84% to nonnucleoside RT inhibitors, and 46% to PR inhibitors. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 115 (85%) subjects were infected with subtype B viruses, 1 with a subtype F1 virus, and 20 (15%) carried BF intersubtype recombinants. Most BF recombinants grouped into two clusters, one related to CRF12_BF, while the other could represent a new circulating recombinant form (CRF). In conclusion, this is the first report analysing the prevalence of ARV resistance which includes patients under HAART from Chile. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis of the PR-RT coding sequences reveals the presence of BF intersubtype recombinants. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  19. Phylogenetic and functional traits of ectomycorrhizal assemblages in top soil from different biogeographic regions and forest types.

    PubMed

    Pena, Rodica; Lang, Christa; Lohaus, Gertrud; Boch, Steffen; Schall, Peter; Schöning, Ingo; Ammer, Christian; Fischer, Markus; Polle, Andrea

    2017-04-01

    Ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungal taxonomic, phylogenetic, and trait diversity (exploration types) were analyzed in beech and conifer forests along a north-to-south gradient in three biogeographic regions in Germany. The taxonomic community structures of the ectomycorrhizal assemblages in top soil were influenced by stand density and forest type, by biogeographic environmental factors (soil physical properties, temperature, and precipitation), and by nitrogen forms (amino acids, ammonium, and nitrate). While α-diversity did not differ between forest types, β-diversity increased, leading to higher γ-diversity on the landscape level when both forest types were present. The highest taxonomic diversity of EM was found in forests in cool, moist climate on clay and silty soils and the lowest in the forests in warm, dry climate on sandy soils. In the region with higher taxonomic diversity, phylogenetic clustering was found, but not trait clustering. In the warm region, trait clustering occurred despite neutral phylogenetic effects. These results suggest that different forest types and favorable environmental conditions in forests promote high EM species richness in top soil presumably with both high functional diversity and phylogenetic redundancy, while stressful environmental conditions lead to lower species richness and functional redundancy.

  20. Description of Kribbella italica sp. nov., isolated from a Roman catacomb.

    PubMed

    Everest, Gareth J; Curtis, Sarah M; De Leo, Filomena; Urzì, Clara; Meyers, Paul R

    2015-02-01

    A novel actinobacterium, strain BC637(T), was isolated from a biodeteriogenic biofilm sample collected in 2009 in the Saint Callixstus Roman catacomb. The strain was found to belong to the genus Kribbella by analysis of the 16S rRNA gene. Phylogenetic analysis using the 16S rRNA gene and the gyrB, rpoB, relA, recA and atpD concatenated gene sequences showed that strain BC637(T) was most closely related to the type strains of Kribbella lupini and Kribbella endophytica. DNA-DNA hybridization experiments confirmed that strain BC637(T) is a genomic species that is distinct from its closest phylogenetic relatives, K. endophytica DSM 23718(T) (63 % DNA relatedness) and K. lupini LU14(T) (63 % DNA relatedness). Physiological comparisons showed that strain BC637(T) is phenotypically distinct from the type strains of K. endophytica and K. lupini. Thus, strain BC637(T) represents the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Kribella italica sp. nov. is proposed ( = DSM 28967(T) = NRRL B-59155(T)). © 2015 IUMS.

  1. Phylogenetic relationships of the ciliate class Heterotrichea (Protista, Ciliophora, Postciliodesmatophora) inferred from multiple molecular markers and multifaceted analysis strategy.

    PubMed

    Shazib, Shahed Uddin Ahmed; Vd'ačný, Peter; Kim, Ji Hye; Jang, Seok Won; Shin, Mann Kyoon

    2014-09-01

    The ciliate class Heterotrichea is defined by somatic dikinetids bearing postciliodesmata, by an oral apparatus consisting of a paroral membrane and an adoral zone of membranelles, as well as by features of nuclear division involving extramacronuclear microtubules. Although phylogenetic interrelationships among heterotrichs have been analyzed several times, deeper nodes of the heterotrichean tree of life remain poorly resolved. To cast more light on the evolutionary history of heterotricheans, we performed phylogenetic analyses of multiple loci (18S rRNA gene, ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2 region, and 28S rRNA gene) using traditional tree-building phylogenetic methods and statistical tree topology tests as well as phylogenetic networks, split spectrum analysis and quartet likelihood mapping. This multifaceted approach has shown that (1) Peritromus is very likely an adelphotaxon of all other heterotrichs; (2) Spirostomum and Anigsteinia are sister taxa and their common monophyletic origin is strongly supported by a uniquely posteriorly-thickened paroral membrane; (3) the monotypic family Chattonidiidae should be suppressed because its type genus clusters within the family Condylostomatidae; and (4) new families are needed for Gruberia and Fabrea because their affiliation with Spirostomidae and Climacostomidae, respectively, is not supported by molecular phylogenies nor the fine structure of the paroral membrane. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Influence of matrix type on tree community assemblages along tropical dry forest edges.

    PubMed

    Benítez-Malvido, Julieta; Gallardo-Vásquez, Julio César; Alvarez-Añorve, Mariana Y; Avila-Cabadilla, Luis Daniel

    2014-05-01

    • Anthropogenic habitat edges have strong negative consequences for the functioning of tropical ecosystems. However, edge effects on tropical dry forest tree communities have been barely documented.• In Chamela, Mexico, we investigated the phylogenetic composition and structure of tree assemblages (≥5 cm dbh) along edges abutting different matrices: (1) disturbed vegetation with cattle, (2) pastures with cattle and, (3) pastures without cattle. Additionally, we sampled preserved forest interiors.• All edge types exhibited similar tree density, basal area and diversity to interior forests, but differed in species composition. A nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordination showed that the presence of cattle influenced species composition more strongly than the vegetation structure of the matrix; tree assemblages abutting matrices with cattle had lower scores in the ordination. The phylogenetic composition of tree assemblages followed the same pattern. The principal plant families and genera were associated according to disturbance regimes as follows: pastures and disturbed vegetation (1) with cattle and (2) without cattle, and (3) pastures without cattle and interior forests. All habitats showed random phylogenetic structures, suggesting that tree communities are assembled mainly by stochastic processes. Long-lived species persisting after edge creation could have important implications in the phylogenetic structure of tree assemblages.• Edge creation exerts a stronger influence on TDF vegetation pathways than previously documented, leading to new ecological communities. Phylogenetic analysis may, however, be needed to detect such changes. © 2014 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

  3. Chitinase-like (CTL) and cellulose synthase (CESA) gene expression in gelatinous-type cellulosic walls of flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) bast fibers.

    PubMed

    Mokshina, Natalia; Gorshkova, Tatyana; Deyholos, Michael K

    2014-01-01

    Plant chitinases (EC 3.2.1.14) and chitinase-like (CTL) proteins have diverse functions including cell wall biosynthesis and disease resistance. We analyzed the expression of 34 chitinase and chitinase-like genes of flax (collectively referred to as LusCTLs), belonging to glycoside hydrolase family 19 (GH19). Analysis of the transcript expression patterns of LusCTLs in the stem and other tissues identified three transcripts (LusCTL19, LusCTL20, LusCTL21) that were highly enriched in developing bast fibers, which form cellulose-rich gelatinous-type cell walls. The same three genes had low relative expression in tissues with primary cell walls and in xylem, which forms a xylan type of secondary cell wall. Phylogenetic analysis of the LusCTLs identified a flax-specific sub-group that was not represented in any of other genomes queried. To provide further context for the gene expression analysis, we also conducted phylogenetic and expression analysis of the cellulose synthase (CESA) family genes of flax, and found that expression of secondary wall-type LusCESAs (LusCESA4, LusCESA7 and LusCESA8) was correlated with the expression of two LusCTLs (LusCTL1, LusCTL2) that were the most highly enriched in xylem. The expression of LusCTL19, LusCTL20, and LusCTL21 was not correlated with that of any CESA subgroup. These results defined a distinct type of CTLs that may have novel functions specific to the development of the gelatinous (G-type) cellulosic walls.

  4. Phylogenetic diversity and biological activity of culturable Actinobacteria isolated from freshwater fish gut microbiota.

    PubMed

    Jami, Mansooreh; Ghanbari, Mahdi; Kneifel, Wolfgang; Domig, Konrad J

    2015-06-01

    The diversity of Actinobacteria isolated from the gut microbiota of two freshwater fish species namely Schizothorax zarudnyi and Schizocypris altidorsalis was investigated employing classical cultivation techniques, repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR), partial and full 16S rDNA sequencing followed by phylogenetic analysis. A total of 277 isolates were cultured by applying three different agar media. Based on rep-PCR profile analysis a subset of 33 strains was selected for further phylogenetic investigations, antimicrobial activity testing and diversity analysis of secondary-metabolite biosynthetic genes. The identification based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that the isolates belong to eight genera distributed among six families. At the family level, 72% of the 277 isolates belong to the family Streptomycetaceae. Among the non-streptomycetes group, the most dominant group could be allocated to the family of Pseudonocardiaceae followed by the members of Micromonosporaceae. Phylogenetic analysis clearly showed that many of the isolates in the genera Streptomyces, Saccharomonospora, Micromonospora, Nocardiopsis, Arthrobacter, Kocuria, Microbacterium and Agromyces formed a single and distinct cluster with the type strains. Notably, there is no report so far about the occurrence of these Actinobacteria in the microbiota of freshwater fish. Of the 33 isolates, all the strains exhibited antibacterial activity against a set of tested human and fish pathogenic bacteria. Then, to study their associated potential capacity to synthesize diverse bioactive natural products, diversity of genes associated with secondary-metabolite biosynthesis including PKS I, PKS II, NRPS, the enzyme PhzE of the phenazine pathways, the enzyme dTGD of 6-deoxyhexoses glycosylation pathway, the enzyme Halo of halogenation pathway and the enzyme CYP in polyene polyketide biosynthesis were investigated among the isolates. All the strains possess at least two types of the investigated biosynthetic genes, one-fourth of them harbours more than four. This study demonstrates the significant diversity of Actinobacteria in the fish gut microbiota and it's potential to produce biologically active compounds. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  5. Acremonium phylogenetic overview and revision of Gliomastix, Sarocladium, and Trichothecium

    PubMed Central

    Summerbell, R.C.; Gueidan, C.; Schroers, H-J.; de Hoog, G.S.; Starink, M.; Rosete, Y. Arocha; Guarro, J.; Scott, J.A.

    2011-01-01

    Over 200 new sequences are generated for members of the genus Acremonium and related taxa including ribosomal small subunit sequences (SSU) for phylogenetic analysis and large subunit (LSU) sequences for phylogeny and DNA-based identification. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that within the Hypocreales, there are two major clusters containing multiple Acremonium species. One clade contains Acremonium sclerotigenum, the genus Emericellopsis, and the genus Geosmithia as prominent elements. The second clade contains the genera Gliomastix sensu stricto and Bionectria. In addition, there are numerous smaller clades plus two multi-species clades, one containing Acremonium strictum and the type species of the genus Sarocladium, and, as seen in the combined SSU/LSU analysis, one associated subclade containing Acremonium breve and related species plus Acremonium curvulum and related species. This sequence information allows the revision of three genera. Gliomastix is revived for five species, G. murorum, G. polychroma, G. tumulicola, G. roseogrisea, and G. masseei. Sarocladium is extended to include all members of the phylogenetically distinct A. strictum clade including the medically important A. kiliense and the protective maize endophyte A. zeae. Also included in Sarocladium are members of the phylogenetically delimited Acremonium bacillisporum clade, closely linked to the A. strictum clade. The genus Trichothecium is revised following the principles of unitary nomenclature based on the oldest valid anamorph or teleomorph name, and new combinations are made in Trichothecium for the tightly interrelated Acremonium crotocinigenum, Spicellum roseum, and teleomorph Leucosphaerina indica. Outside the Hypocreales, numerous Acremonium-like species fall into the Plectosphaerellaceae, and A. atrogriseum falls into the Cephalothecaceae. PMID:21523192

  6. Marinospirillum insulare sp. nov., a novel halophilic helical bacterium isolated from kusaya gravy.

    PubMed

    Satomi, M; Kimura, B; Hayashi, M; Okuzumi, M; Fujii, T

    2004-01-01

    A novel species that belongs to the genus Marinospirillum is described on the basis of phenotypic characteristics, phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and gyrB gene sequences and DNA-DNA hybridization. Four strains of helical, halophilic, Gram-negative, heterotrophic bacteria were isolated from kusaya gravy, which is fermented brine that is used for the production of traditional dried fish in the Izu Islands of Japan. All of the new isolates were motile by means of bipolar tuft flagella, of small cell size, coccoid-body-forming and aerophilic; it was concluded that they belong to the same bacterial species, based on DNA-DNA hybridization values (>70% DNA relatedness). DNA G+C contents of the new strains were 42-43 mol% and they had isoprenoid quinone Q-8 as the major component. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the new isolates were members of the genus Marinospirillum; sequence similarity of the new isolates to Marinospirillum minutulum, Marinospirillum megaterium and Marinospirillum alkaliphilum was 98.5, 98.2 and 95.2%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on the gyrB gene indicated that the new isolates had enough phylogenetic distance from M. minutulum and M. megaterium to be regarded as different species, with 84.7 and 78.7% sequence similarity, respectively. DNA-DNA hybridization showed that the new isolates had <36% DNA relatedness to M. minutulum and M. megaterium, supporting the phylogenetic conclusion. Thus, a novel species is proposed: Marinospirillum insulare sp. nov. (type strain, KT=LMG 21802T=NBRC 100033T).

  7. Application of unweighted pair group methods with arithmetic average (UPGMA) for identification of kinship types and spreading of ebola virus through establishment of phylogenetic tree

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Andriani, Tri; Irawan, Mohammad Isa

    2017-08-01

    Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a disease caused by a virus of the genus Ebolavirus (EBOV), family Filoviridae. Ebola virus is classifed into five types, namely Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV), Sudan ebolavirus (SEBOV), Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BEBOV), Tai Forest ebolavirus also known as Cote d'Ivoire ebolavirus (CIEBOV), and Reston ebolavirus (REBOV). Identification of kinship types of Ebola virus can be performed using phylogenetic trees. In this study, the phylogenetic tree constructed by UPGMA method in which there are Multiple Alignment using Progressive Method. The results concluded that the phylogenetic tree formation kinship ebola virus types that kind of Tai Forest ebolavirus close to Bundibugyo ebolavirus but the layout state ebola epidemic spread far apart. The genetic distance for this type of Bundibugyo ebolavirus with Tai Forest ebolavirus is 0.3725. Type Tai Forest ebolavirus similar to Bundibugyo ebolavirus not inuenced by the proximity of the area ebola epidemic spread.

  8. Identification, Isolation, and Phylogenetic Analysis of Clostridium perfringens Type A and Type C from Wild Boar ( Sus scrofa ) in the People's Republic of China.

    PubMed

    Li, Meng; Zhang, Xu; Zhu, Lingwei; Wang, Haifeng; Zhao, Na; Luo, Jing; Wang, Chengmin; Wang, Yutian; Liu, Yanhua; Zhou, Wei; Zhang, Bikai; Guo, Huancheng; He, Hongxuan

    2017-07-01

    Clostridium perfringens is a Gram-positive, anaerobic, spore-forming bacterium that can induces gas gangrene or enteritis in poultry and humans and many other mammalian species. Here, we report an outbreak of C. perfringens type A and type C coinfection in wild boars ( Sus scrofa ). In February 2016, 10 dead wild boars, including two fresh carcasses, were found in Zhaosu County, Xinjiang Province, People's Republic of China. The two fresh carcasses were included in this study. Two strains of C. perfringens were isolated, identified, genotyped, and phylogenetically analyzed. Based on postmortem examination, bacterium isolation and identification, enterotoxin detection, and auxiliary tests, we made a diagnosis that the wild boar were killed by C. perfringens . Our findings provide the evidence that wild boar can be killed by C. perfringens intoxication. Wild boars are important reservoirs for many zoonotic agents. Therefore, more actions should be taken on the surveillance, prevention, and control of wild pig-borne diseases.

  9. Functional & phylogenetic diversity of copepod communities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Benedetti, F.; Ayata, S. D.; Blanco-Bercial, L.; Cornils, A.; Guilhaumon, F.

    2016-02-01

    The diversity of natural communities is classically estimated through species identification (taxonomic diversity) but can also be estimated from the ecological functions performed by the species (functional diversity), or from the phylogenetic relationships among them (phylogenetic diversity). Estimating functional diversity requires the definition of specific functional traits, i.e., phenotypic characteristics that impact fitness and are relevant to ecosystem functioning. Estimating phylogenetic diversity requires the description of phylogenetic relationships, for instance by using molecular tools. In the present study, we focused on the functional and phylogenetic diversity of copepod surface communities in the Mediterranean Sea. First, we implemented a specific trait database for the most commonly-sampled and abundant copepod species of the Mediterranean Sea. Our database includes 191 species, described by seven traits encompassing diverse ecological functions: minimal and maximal body length, trophic group, feeding type, spawning strategy, diel vertical migration and vertical habitat. Clustering analysis in the functional trait space revealed that Mediterranean copepods can be gathered into groups that have different ecological roles. Second, we reconstructed a phylogenetic tree using the available sequences of 18S rRNA. Our tree included 154 of the analyzed Mediterranean copepod species. We used these two datasets to describe the functional and phylogenetic diversity of copepod surface communities in the Mediterranean Sea. The replacement component (turn-over) and the species richness difference component (nestedness) of the beta diversity indices were identified. Finally, by comparing various and complementary aspects of plankton diversity (taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity) we were able to gain a better understanding of the relationships among the zooplankton community, biodiversity, ecosystem function, and environmental forcing.

  10. Analysis of chitin-binding proteins from Manduca sexta provides new insights into evolution of peritrophin A-type chitin-binding domains in insects.

    PubMed

    Tetreau, Guillaume; Dittmer, Neal T; Cao, Xiaolong; Agrawal, Sinu; Chen, Yun-Ru; Muthukrishnan, Subbaratnam; Haobo, Jiang; Blissard, Gary W; Kanost, Michael R; Wang, Ping

    2015-07-01

    In insects, chitin is a major structural component of the cuticle and the peritrophic membrane (PM). In nature, chitin is always associated with proteins among which chitin-binding proteins (CBPs) are the most important for forming, maintaining and regulating the functions of these extracellular structures. In this study, a genome-wide search for genes encoding proteins with ChtBD2-type (peritrophin A-type) chitin-binding domains (CBDs) was conducted. A total of 53 genes encoding 56 CBPs were identified, including 15 CPAP1s (cuticular proteins analogous to peritrophins with 1 CBD), 11 CPAP3s (CPAPs with 3 CBDs) and 17 PMPs (PM proteins) with a variable number of CBDs, which are structural components of cuticle or of the PM. CBDs were also identified in enzymes of chitin metabolism including 6 chitinases and 7 chitin deacetylases encoded by 6 and 5 genes, respectively. RNA-seq analysis confirmed that PMP and CPAP genes have differential spatial expression patterns. The expression of PMP genes is midgut-specific, while CPAP genes are widely expressed in different cuticle forming tissues. Phylogenetic analysis of CBDs of proteins in insects belonging to different orders revealed that CPAP1s from different species constitute a separate family with 16 different groups, including 6 new groups identified in this study. The CPAP3s are clustered into a separate family of 7 groups present in all insect orders. Altogether, they reveal that duplication events of CBDs in CPAP1s and CPAP3s occurred prior to the evolutionary radiation of insect species. In contrast to the CPAPs, all CBDs from individual PMPs are generally clustered and distinct from other PMPs in the same species in phylogenetic analyses, indicating that the duplication of CBDs in each of these PMPs occurred after divergence of insect species. Phylogenetic analysis of these three CBP families showed that the CBDs in CPAP1s form a clearly separate family, while those found in PMPs and CPAP3s were clustered together in the phylogenetic tree. For chitinases and chitin deacetylases, most of phylogenetic analysis performed with the CBD sequences resulted in similar clustering to the one obtained by using catalytic domain sequences alone, suggesting that CBDs were incorporated into these enzymes and evolved in tandem with the catalytic domains before the diversification of different insect orders. Based on these results, the evolution of CBDs in insect CBPs is discussed to provide a new insight into the CBD sequence structure and diversity, and their evolution and expression in insects. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Penicillium pedernalense sp. nov., isolated from whiteleg shrimp heads waste compost.

    PubMed

    Laich, Federico; Andrade, Jacinto

    2016-11-01

    Novel Penicillium-like strains were isolated during the characterization of the mycobiota community dynamics associated with shrimp waste composting. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial β-tubulin (BenA) gene and the ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) sequences revealed that the novel strains were members of section Lanata-Divaricata and were closely related to Penicillium infrabuccalum DAOMC 250537T. On the basis of morphological and physiological characterization, and phylogenetic analysis, a novel Penicillium species, Penicillium pedernalense sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is F01-11T (=CBS 140770T=CECT 20949T), which was isolated from whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) heads waste compost in the Pedernales region (Manabí province, Ecuador).

  12. Paleobiogeographic patterns in Late Mississippian trilobites of the United States with new species from Montana

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Brezinski, D.K.

    2005-01-01

    Two new species of trilobites, Weberides chamberlaini new species and Weberides samwaysi new species, are described from the Heath Formation (Serpukhovian, Mississippian) of Montana. Based upon phylogenetic analysis, the assignment of these species to the genus Weberides represents the first recognition of this genus in North America. Brooks Parsimony Analysis of the single phylogenetic tree suggests that the northern Cordillera acted as an ancestral area for the typically European genus Weberides. Thus, the North American vicariants of Weberides share a common ancestral area with the genus Paladin. Vicariance patterns suggest that interchange with the type Weberides areas of Europe was through the northern Cordilleran region rather than through the Rheic Ocean, as others have suggested.

  13. Human papillomavirus infection in females with normal cervical cytology: Genotyping and phylogenetic analysis among women in Punjab, Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Aziz, Hafsa; Iqbal, Huma; Mahmood, Humera; Fatima, Shazia; Faheem, Mohammad; Sattar, Areej Abdul; Tabassum, Sobia; Napper, Sanum; Batool, Syeda; Rasheed, Nuzhat

    2018-01-01

    Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women and the seventh most common cancer overall, accounting for an estimated 300 000 annual deaths. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the second most common cause of cervical cancer worldwide. HPV screening is not a common practice in Pakistan. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of HPV and HPV types in women with a normal cytology of the cervix living in the upper and lower regions of Punjab, Pakistan, and to analyze the risk factors for HPV in this region. PCR analysis was performed for 1011 female patients with a normal cytology of the cervix from various districts of Punjab Province, Pakistan. Risk factors for the acquisition of HPV were studied. High-risk HPV types (HPV16 and HPV18) were detected using the Abbott Real Time HR HPV test. To determine the genotype, partial L1 region sequences of HPV-positive samples were subjected to sequencing using MY/09/MY11 primers, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed using CLC software. The study found a 4.74% prevalence of HPV, with the most frequent HPV type found being the low-risk HPV6 (in 25% of infected individuals), followed by HPV55 (22.9%), HPV11 (20.8%), and high-risk types HPV45 (12.5%), HPV33 (8.33%), HPV18 (6.25%), and HPV16 (4.16%). Phylogenetic analysis of all HPV types in this study showed 80-99% nucleotide identity with types related to the same species. The sequences were clustered with China, India, Mexico, Iran, Slovenia, and Germany, showing the diversity in origin of the various genotypes prevalent in Pakistan. In this population with a normal cervical cytology, the prevalence of high-risk HPV types was very low. The major prevalent HPV genotype in Punjab Province of Pakistan was the low-risk HPV type 6, followed by HPV type 55. Sequencing of the partial L1 region suggested that the region was highly conserved in all reported sequences. This study highlights the need to conduct robust epidemiological studies in the region and to develop regular HPV screening so that the situation does not reach an alarming stage resulting in cervical cancer. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  14. Complete Genome Sequencing of a Novel Type of Omikronpapillomavirus 1 in Indian River Lagoon Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

    PubMed

    Rodrigues, Thaís C S; Subramaniam, Kuttichantran; Cortés-Hinojosa, Galaxia; Wellehan, James F X; Ng, Terry Fei Fan; Delwart, Eric; McCulloch, Stephen D; Goldstein, Juli D; Schaefer, Adam M; Fair, Patricia A; Reif, John S; Bossart, Gregory D; Waltzek, Thomas B

    2018-04-26

    The genome sequence of a papillomavirus was determined from fecal samples collected from bottlenose dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon, FL. The genome was 7,772 bp and displayed a typical papillomavirus genome organization. Phylogenetic analysis supported the bottlenose dolphin papillomavirus as being a novel type of Omikronpapillomavirus 1 . Copyright © 2018 Rodrigues et al.

  15. Complete Genome Sequence of an Avian Paramyxovirus Type 4 from North America Reveals a Shorter Genome and New Genotype

    PubMed Central

    Parthiban, Manoharan; Kaliyaperumal, Manimaran; Xiao, Sa; Nayak, Baibaswata; Paldurai, Anandan; Kim, Shin-Hee; Ladman, Brian S.; Preskenis, Lauren A.; Gelb, Jack; Collins, Peter L.

    2013-01-01

    An avian paramyxovirus type 4 (APMV-4) was isolated from a duck in Delaware in 2010. Its genome is 15,048 nucleotides (nt) long, which is shorter by 6 nt than those for all previously reported strains. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that this strain formed a separate cluster within APMV-4 strains. PMID:23405329

  16. Listeria costaricensis sp. nov.

    PubMed

    Núñez-Montero, Kattia; Leclercq, Alexandre; Moura, Alexandra; Vales, Guillaume; Peraza, Johnny; Pizarro-Cerdá, Javier; Lecuit, Marc

    2018-03-01

    A bacterial strain isolated from a food processing drainage system in Costa Rica fulfilled the criteria as belonging to the genus Listeria, but could not be assigned to any of the known species. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene revealed highest sequence similarity with the type strain of Listeria floridensis (98.7 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on Listeria core genomes placed the novel taxon within the Listeria fleishmannii, L. floridensis and Listeria aquatica clade (Listeria sensu lato). Whole-genome sequence analyses based on the average nucleotide blast identity (ANI<80 %) indicated that this isolate belonged to a novel species. Results of pairwise amino acid identity (AAI>70 %) and percentage of conserved proteins (POCP>68 %) with currently known Listeria species, as well as of biochemical characterization, confirmed that the strain constituted a novel species within the genus Listeria. The name Listeria costaricensis sp. nov. is proposed for the novel species, and is represented by the type strain CLIP 2016/00682 T (=CIP 111400 T =DSM 105474 T ).

  17. The detection and phylogenetic analysis of the alkane 1-monooxygenase gene of members of the genus Rhodococcus.

    PubMed

    Táncsics, András; Benedek, Tibor; Szoboszlay, Sándor; Veres, Péter G; Farkas, Milán; Máthé, István; Márialigeti, Károly; Kukolya, József; Lányi, Szabolcs; Kriszt, Balázs

    2015-02-01

    Naturally occurring and anthropogenic petroleum hydrocarbons are potential carbon sources for many bacteria. The AlkB-related alkane hydroxylases, which are integral membrane non-heme iron enzymes, play a key role in the microbial degradation of many of these hydrocarbons. Several members of the genus Rhodococcus are well-known alkane degraders and are known to harbor multiple alkB genes encoding for different alkane 1-monooxygenases. In the present study, 48 Rhodococcus strains, representing 35 species of the genus, were investigated to find out whether there was a dominant type of alkB gene widespread among species of the genus that could be used as a phylogenetic marker. Phylogenetic analysis of rhodococcal alkB gene sequences indicated that a certain type of alkB gene was present in almost every member of the genus Rhodococcus. These alkB genes were common in a unique nucleotide sequence stretch absent from other types of rhodococcal alkB genes that encoded a conserved amino acid motif: WLG(I/V/L)D(G/D)GL. The sequence identity of the targeted alkB gene in Rhodococcus ranged from 78.5 to 99.2% and showed higher nucleotide sequence variation at the inter-species level compared to the 16S rRNA gene (93.9-99.8%). The results indicated that the alkB gene type investigated might be applicable for: (i) differentiating closely related Rhodococcus species, (ii) properly assigning environmental isolates to existing Rhodococcus species, and finally (iii) assessing whether a new Rhodococcus isolate represents a novel species of the genus. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  18. Bifidobacterium reuteri sp. nov., Bifidobacterium callitrichos sp. nov., Bifidobacterium saguini sp. nov., Bifidobacterium stellenboschense sp. nov. and Bifidobacterium biavatii sp. nov. isolated from faeces of common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) and red-handed tamarin (Saguinus midas).

    PubMed

    Endo, Akihito; Futagawa-Endo, Yuka; Schumann, Peter; Pukall, Rüdiger; Dicks, Leon M T

    2012-03-01

    Five strains of bifidobacteria were isolated from faeces of a common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) and a red-handed tamarin (Saguinus midas). The five isolates clustered inside the phylogenetic group of the genus Bifidobacterium but did not show high sequence similarities between the isolates and to known species in the genus by phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. Sequence analyses of dnaJ1 and hsp60 also indicated their independent phylogenetic positions to each other in the Bifidobacterium cluster. DNA G+C contents of the species ranged from 57.3 to 66.3 mol%, which is within the values recorded for Bifidobacterium species. All isolates showed fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase activity. Based on the data provided, the five isolates represent five novel species, for which the names Bifidobacterium reuteri sp. nov. (type strain: AFB22-1(T) = JCM 17295(T) = DSM 23975(T)), Bifidobacterium callitrichos sp. nov. (type strain: AFB22-5(T) = JCM 17296(T) = DSM 23973(T)), Bifidobacterium saguini sp. nov. (type strain: AFB23-1(T) = JCM 17297(T) = DSM 23967(T)), Bifidobacterium stellenboschense sp. nov. (type strain: AFB23-3(T) = JCM 17298(T) = DSM 23968(T)) and Bifidobacterium biavatii sp. nov. (type strain: AFB23-4(T) = JCM 17299(T) = DSM 23969(T)) are proposed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  19. Genetic Characterization and Comparison of Clostridium botulinum Isolates from Botulism Cases in Japan between 2006 and 2011

    PubMed Central

    Sekizuka, Tsuyoshi; Yamamoto, Akihiko; Iwaki, Masaaki; Komiya, Takako; Hatakeyama, Takashi; Nakajima, Hiroshi; Takahashi, Motohide; Kuroda, Makoto; Shibayama, Keigo

    2014-01-01

    Genetic characterization was performed for 10 group I Clostridium botulinum strains isolated from botulism cases in Japan between 2006 and 2011. Of these, 1 was type A, 2 were type B, and 7 were type A(B) {carrying a silent bont/B [bont/(B)] gene} serotype strains, based on botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) production. The type A strain harbored the subtype A1 BoNT gene (bont/A1), which is associated with the ha gene cluster. The type B strains carried bont/B5 or bont/B6 subtype genes. The type A(B) strains carried bont/A1 identical to that of type A(B) strain NCTC2916. However, bont/(B) genes in these strains showed single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among strains. SNPs at 2 nucleotide positions of bont/(B) enabled classification of the type A(B) strains into 3 groups. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) also provided consistent separation results. In addition, the type A(B) strains were separated into 2 lineages based on their plasmid profiles. One lineage carried a small plasmid (5.9 kb), and another harbored 21-kb plasmids. To obtain more detailed genetic information about the 10 strains, we sequenced their genomes and compared them with 13 group I C. botulinum genomes in a database using whole-genome SNP analysis. This analysis provided high-resolution strain discrimination and enabled us to generate a refined phylogenetic tree that provides effective traceability of botulism cases, as well as bioterrorism materials. In the phylogenetic tree, the subtype B6 strains, Okayama2011 and Osaka05, were distantly separated from the other strains, indicating genomic divergence of subtype B6 strains among group I strains. PMID:25192986

  20. Influenza Virus Database (IVDB): an integrated information resource and analysis platform for influenza virus research.

    PubMed

    Chang, Suhua; Zhang, Jiajie; Liao, Xiaoyun; Zhu, Xinxing; Wang, Dahai; Zhu, Jiang; Feng, Tao; Zhu, Baoli; Gao, George F; Wang, Jian; Yang, Huanming; Yu, Jun; Wang, Jing

    2007-01-01

    Frequent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza and the increasing data available for comparative analysis require a central database specialized in influenza viruses (IVs). We have established the Influenza Virus Database (IVDB) to integrate information and create an analysis platform for genetic, genomic, and phylogenetic studies of the virus. IVDB hosts complete genome sequences of influenza A virus generated by Beijing Institute of Genomics (BIG) and curates all other published IV sequences after expert annotation. Our Q-Filter system classifies and ranks all nucleotide sequences into seven categories according to sequence content and integrity. IVDB provides a series of tools and viewers for comparative analysis of the viral genomes, genes, genetic polymorphisms and phylogenetic relationships. A search system has been developed for users to retrieve a combination of different data types by setting search options. To facilitate analysis of global viral transmission and evolution, the IV Sequence Distribution Tool (IVDT) has been developed to display the worldwide geographic distribution of chosen viral genotypes and to couple genomic data with epidemiological data. The BLAST, multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis tools were integrated for online data analysis. Furthermore, IVDB offers instant access to pre-computed alignments and polymorphisms of IV genes and proteins, and presents the results as SNP distribution plots and minor allele distributions. IVDB is publicly available at http://influenza.genomics.org.cn.

  1. Identification and molecular analysis of infectious bursal disease in broiler farms in the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq.

    PubMed

    Amin, Oumed Gerjis M; Jackwood, Daral J

    2014-10-01

    The present study was undertaken to characterize field isolates of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV). The identification was done using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and partial sequencing of the VP2 gene. Pooled bursal samples were collected from commercial broiler farms located in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of Iraq. The genetic material of the IBDV was detected in 10 out of 29 field samples. Sequences of the hypervariable VP2 region were determined for 10 of these viruses. Molecular analysis of the VP2 gene of five IBDVs showed amino acid sequences consistent with the very virulent (vv) IBDV. Two samples were identified as classic vaccine viruses, and three samples were classic vaccine viruses that appear to have mutated during replication in the field. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all five field IBDV strains of the present study were closely related to each other. On the basis of nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, it is very likely that IBD-causing viruses in this part of Iraq are of the very virulent type. These IBDVs appear to be evolving relative to their type strains.

  2. Detection of porcine circovirus type 2 in pigs imported from Indonesia.

    PubMed

    Manokaran, Gayathri; Lin, Yueh-Nuo; Soh, Moi-Lien; Lim, Elizabeth Ai-Sim; Lim, Chee-Wee; Tan, Boon-Huan

    2008-11-25

    We have detected the presence of porcine circovirus (PCV) type 2 in Indonesian pigs imported to Singapore for food consumption. A total of three viral isolates were identified, and to genetically characterise them further, their full genomes were sequenced. Each genome showed a typical organization of PCV type 2, with the three isolates sharing similar genome lengths of 1767 nucleotide (nt) at high nt identities of 99.8-100%, further indicating that the viral isolates were quite homogeneous. Sequence analysis further revealed that the ORF2 genes contain the nt sequence CCCCGC (from nt position 262 to 267) that was previously reported to be associated with PCV type 2, group 1C. The phylogenetic tree was constructed for the ORF2 genes, and the PCV type 2 isolates distributed into two distinctive groups. The Indonesian PCV type 2 clustered tightly with one China isolate, accession number AY035820, as a sub-cluster in group 1C. The sequence and phylogenetic analyses both confirmed that the three Indonesian PCV type 2 isolates belong to group 1C, and that the genetic changes for the three Indonesian isolates were very stable, possibly due to the low-scale evolution.

  3. Phylogenetic analysis of Mycobacterium massiliense strains having recombinant rpoB gene laterally transferred from Mycobacterium abscessus.

    PubMed

    Kim, Byoung-Jun; Kim, Ga-Na; Kim, Bo-Ram; Shim, Tae-Sun; Kook, Yoon-Hoh; Kim, Bum-Joon

    2017-01-01

    Recent multi locus sequence typing (MLST) and genome based studies indicate that lateral gene transfer (LGT) events in the rpoB gene are prevalent between Mycobacterium abscessus complex strains. To check the prevalence of the M. massiliense strains subject to rpoB LGT (Rec-mas), we applied rpoB typing (711 bp) to 106 Korean strains of M. massiliense infection that had already been identified by hsp65 sequence analysis (603 bp). The analysis indicated 6 smooth strains in M. massiliense Type I (10.0%, 6/60) genotypes but no strains in M. massiliense Type II genotypes (0%, 0/46), showing a discrepancy between the 2 typing methods. Further MLST analysis based on the partial sequencing of seven housekeeping genes, argH, cya, glpK, gnd, murC, pta and purH, as well as erm(41) PCR proved that these 6 Rec-mas strains consisted of two distinct genotypes belonging to M. massiliense and not M. abscessus. The complete rpoB sequencing analysis showed that these 6 Rec-mas strains have an identical hybrid rpoB gene, of which a 478 bp partial rpoB fragment may be laterally transferred from M. abscessus. Notably, five of the 6 Rec-mas strains showed complete identical sequences in a total of nine genes, including the seven MLST genes, hsp65, and rpoB, suggesting their clonal propagation in South Korea. In conclusion, we identified 6 M. massiliense smooth strains of 2 phylogenetically distinct genotypes with a specific hybrid rpoB gene laterally transferred from M. abscessus from Korean patients. Their clinical relevance and bacteriological traits remain to be elucidated.

  4. Phylogenetic analysis of Mycobacterium massiliense strains having recombinant rpoB gene laterally transferred from Mycobacterium abscessus

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Byoung-Jun; Kim, Ga-Na; Kim, Bo-Ram; Shim, Tae-Sun; Kook, Yoon-Hoh

    2017-01-01

    Recent multi locus sequence typing (MLST) and genome based studies indicate that lateral gene transfer (LGT) events in the rpoB gene are prevalent between Mycobacterium abscessus complex strains. To check the prevalence of the M. massiliense strains subject to rpoB LGT (Rec-mas), we applied rpoB typing (711 bp) to 106 Korean strains of M. massiliense infection that had already been identified by hsp65 sequence analysis (603 bp). The analysis indicated 6 smooth strains in M. massiliense Type I (10.0%, 6/60) genotypes but no strains in M. massiliense Type II genotypes (0%, 0/46), showing a discrepancy between the 2 typing methods. Further MLST analysis based on the partial sequencing of seven housekeeping genes, argH, cya, glpK, gnd, murC, pta and purH, as well as erm(41) PCR proved that these 6 Rec-mas strains consisted of two distinct genotypes belonging to M. massiliense and not M. abscessus. The complete rpoB sequencing analysis showed that these 6 Rec-mas strains have an identical hybrid rpoB gene, of which a 478 bp partial rpoB fragment may be laterally transferred from M. abscessus. Notably, five of the 6 Rec-mas strains showed complete identical sequences in a total of nine genes, including the seven MLST genes, hsp65, and rpoB, suggesting their clonal propagation in South Korea. In conclusion, we identified 6 M. massiliense smooth strains of 2 phylogenetically distinct genotypes with a specific hybrid rpoB gene laterally transferred from M. abscessus from Korean patients. Their clinical relevance and bacteriological traits remain to be elucidated. PMID:28604829

  5. Phylogenetic analysis of anaerobic psychrophilic enrichment cultures obtained from a greenland glacier ice core

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sheridan, Peter P.; Miteva, Vanya I.; Brenchley, Jean E.

    2003-01-01

    The examination of microorganisms in glacial ice cores allows the phylogenetic relationships of organisms frozen for thousands of years to be compared with those of current isolates. We developed a method for aseptically sampling a sediment-containing portion of a Greenland ice core that had remained at -9 degrees C for over 100,000 years. Epifluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry results showed that the ice sample contained over 6 x 10(7) cells/ml. Anaerobic enrichment cultures inoculated with melted ice were grown and maintained at -2 degrees C. Genomic DNA extracted from these enrichments was used for the PCR amplification of 16S rRNA genes with bacterial and archaeal primers and the preparation of clone libraries. Approximately 60 bacterial inserts were screened by restriction endonuclease analysis and grouped into 27 unique restriction fragment length polymorphism types, and 24 representative sequences were compared phylogenetically. Diverse sequences representing major phylogenetic groups including alpha, beta, and gamma Proteobacteria as well as relatives of the Thermus, Bacteroides, Eubacterium, and Clostridium groups were found. Sixteen clone sequences were closely related to those from known organisms, with four possibly representing new species. Seven sequences may reflect new genera and were most closely related to sequences obtained only by PCR amplification. One sequence was over 12% distant from its closest relative and may represent a novel order or family. These results show that phylogenetically diverse microorganisms have remained viable within the Greenland ice core for at least 100,000 years.

  6. Phylogenetic Analysis of Anaerobic Psychrophilic Enrichment Cultures Obtained from a Greenland Glacier Ice Core

    PubMed Central

    Sheridan, Peter P.; Miteva, Vanya I.; Brenchley, Jean E.

    2003-01-01

    The examination of microorganisms in glacial ice cores allows the phylogenetic relationships of organisms frozen for thousands of years to be compared with those of current isolates. We developed a method for aseptically sampling a sediment-containing portion of a Greenland ice core that had remained at −9°C for over 100,000 years. Epifluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry results showed that the ice sample contained over 6 × 107 cells/ml. Anaerobic enrichment cultures inoculated with melted ice were grown and maintained at −2°C. Genomic DNA extracted from these enrichments was used for the PCR amplification of 16S rRNA genes with bacterial and archaeal primers and the preparation of clone libraries. Approximately 60 bacterial inserts were screened by restriction endonuclease analysis and grouped into 27 unique restriction fragment length polymorphism types, and 24 representative sequences were compared phylogenetically. Diverse sequences representing major phylogenetic groups including alpha, beta, and gamma Proteobacteria as well as relatives of the Thermus, Bacteroides, Eubacterium, and Clostridium groups were found. Sixteen clone sequences were closely related to those from known organisms, with four possibly representing new species. Seven sequences may reflect new genera and were most closely related to sequences obtained only by PCR amplification. One sequence was over 12% distant from its closest relative and may represent a novel order or family. These results show that phylogenetically diverse microorganisms have remained viable within the Greenland ice core for at least 100,000 years. PMID:12676695

  7. Characterizing the phylogenetic tree community structure of a protected tropical rain forest area in Cameroon.

    PubMed

    Manel, Stéphanie; Couvreur, Thomas L P; Munoz, François; Couteron, Pierre; Hardy, Olivier J; Sonké, Bonaventure

    2014-01-01

    Tropical rain forests, the richest terrestrial ecosystems in biodiversity on Earth are highly threatened by global changes. This paper aims to infer the mechanisms governing species tree assemblages by characterizing the phylogenetic structure of a tropical rain forest in a protected area of the Congo Basin, the Dja Faunal Reserve (Cameroon). We re-analyzed a dataset of 11538 individuals belonging to 372 taxa found along nine transects spanning five habitat types. We generated a dated phylogenetic tree including all sampled taxa to partition the phylogenetic diversity of the nine transects into alpha and beta components at the level of the transects and of the habitat types. The variation in phylogenetic composition among transects did not deviate from a random pattern at the scale of the Dja Faunal Reserve, probably due to a common history and weak environmental variation across the park. This lack of phylogenetic structure combined with an isolation-by-distance pattern of taxonomic diversity suggests that neutral dispersal limitation is a major driver of community assembly in the Dja. To assess any lack of sensitivity to the variation in habitat types, we restricted the analyses of transects to the terra firme primary forest and found results consistent with those of the whole dataset at the level of the transects. Additionally to previous analyses, we detected a weak but significant phylogenetic turnover among habitat types, suggesting that species sort in varying environments, even though it is not predominating on the overall phylogenetic structure. Finer analyses of clades indicated a signal of clustering for species from the Annonaceae family, while species from the Apocynaceae family indicated overdispersion. These results can contribute to the conservation of the park by improving our understanding of the processes dictating community assembly in these hyperdiverse but threatened regions of the world.

  8. The Impact of Media, Phylogenetic Classification, and E. coli Pathotypes on Biofilm Formation in Extraintestinal and Commensal E. coli From Humans and Animals.

    PubMed

    Nielsen, Daniel W; Klimavicz, James S; Cavender, Tia; Wannemuehler, Yvonne; Barbieri, Nicolle L; Nolan, Lisa K; Logue, Catherine M

    2018-01-01

    Extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) include avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC), neonatal meningitis E. coli (NMEC), and uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) and are responsible for significant animal and human morbidity and mortality. This study sought to investigate if biofilm formation by ExPEC likely contributes to these losses since biofilms are associated with recurrent urinary tract infections, antibiotic resistance, and bacterial exchange of genetic material. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine differences in biofilm formation among a collection of ExPEC and to ascertain if there is a relationship between their ability to produce biofilms and their assignment to phylogenetic groups in three media types - M63, diluted TSB, and BHI. Our results suggest that ExPEC produce relatively different levels of biofilm formation in the media tested as APEC (70.4%, p = 0.0064) and NMEC (84.4%, p = 0.0093) isolates were poor biofilm formers in minimal medium M63 while UPEC isolates produced significantly higher ODs under nutrient-limited conditions with 25% of strains producing strong biofilms in diluted TSB ( p = 0.0204). Additionally, E. coli phylogenetic assignment using Clermont's original and revised typing scheme demonstrated significant differences among the phylogenetic groups in the different media. When the original phylogenetic group isolates previously typed as group D were phylogenetically typed under the revised scheme and examined, they showed substantial variation in their ability to form biofilms, which may explain the significant values of revised phylogenetic groups E and F in M63 ( p = 0.0291, p = 0.0024). Our data indicates that biofilm formation is correlated with phylogenetic classification and subpathotype or commensal grouping of E. coli strains.

  9. Cryptic Diversity of Malassezia pachydermatis from Healthy and Diseased Domestic Animals.

    PubMed

    Puig, Laura; Castellá, Gemma; Cabañes, F Javier

    2016-10-01

    Malassezia pachydermatis is part of the normal cutaneous microbiota of wild and domestic carnivores. However, under certain conditions this yeast can overproliferate and cause several diseases in its host, mainly otitis and dermatitis in dogs. The aim of this study was to conduct a molecular characterization of M. pachydermatis isolates from healthy and diseased domestic animals, in order to assess the molecular diversity and phylogenetic relationship within this species. The large subunit (LSU) and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of ribosomal RNA, chitin synthase 2 (CHS2) and β-tubulin genes from sixteen strains isolated from dogs, cats, a goat, a pig and a horse were sequenced. A different number of types of sequences were identified for each target gene, including some types described for the first time. Five sequence types were characterized for the LSU, eleven for the ITS region, nine for CHS2 and eight for β-tubulin. A multilocus analysis was performed including the four genes, and the resulting phylogenetic tree revealed fifteen genotypes. Genotypes were distributed in two well-supported clades. One clade comprised strains isolated from different domestic animals and a strongly supported cluster constituted by strains isolated from cats. The second clade included strains isolated mainly from dogs and an outlier strain isolated from a horse. No apparent association could be observed between the health status of the animal hosts and concrete strains. The multilocus phylogenetic analysis is a useful tool to assess the intraspecific variation within this species and could help understand the ecology, epidemiology and speciation process of M. pachydermatis.

  10. In Depth Characterization of Repetitive DNA in 23 Plant Genomes Reveals Sources of Genome Size Variation in the Legume Tribe Fabeae.

    PubMed

    Macas, Jiří; Novák, Petr; Pellicer, Jaume; Čížková, Jana; Koblížková, Andrea; Neumann, Pavel; Fuková, Iva; Doležel, Jaroslav; Kelly, Laura J; Leitch, Ilia J

    2015-01-01

    The differential accumulation and elimination of repetitive DNA are key drivers of genome size variation in flowering plants, yet there have been few studies which have analysed how different types of repeats in related species contribute to genome size evolution within a phylogenetic context. This question is addressed here by conducting large-scale comparative analysis of repeats in 23 species from four genera of the monophyletic legume tribe Fabeae, representing a 7.6-fold variation in genome size. Phylogenetic analysis and genome size reconstruction revealed that this diversity arose from genome size expansions and contractions in different lineages during the evolution of Fabeae. Employing a combination of low-pass genome sequencing with novel bioinformatic approaches resulted in identification and quantification of repeats making up 55-83% of the investigated genomes. In turn, this enabled an analysis of how each major repeat type contributed to the genome size variation encountered. Differential accumulation of repetitive DNA was found to account for 85% of the genome size differences between the species, and most (57%) of this variation was found to be driven by a single lineage of Ty3/gypsy LTR-retrotransposons, the Ogre elements. Although the amounts of several other lineages of LTR-retrotransposons and the total amount of satellite DNA were also positively correlated with genome size, their contributions to genome size variation were much smaller (up to 6%). Repeat analysis within a phylogenetic framework also revealed profound differences in the extent of sequence conservation between different repeat types across Fabeae. In addition to these findings, the study has provided a proof of concept for the approach combining recent developments in sequencing and bioinformatics to perform comparative analyses of repetitive DNAs in a large number of non-model species without the need to assemble their genomes.

  11. The systematic position and structure of the genus Leyogonimus Ginetsinskaya, 1948 (Platyhelminthes: Digenea) with comments on the taxonomy of the superfamily Microphalloidea Ward, 1901.

    PubMed

    Kanarek, Gerard; Zaleśny, Grzegorz; Sitko, Jiljí; Tkach, Vasyl V

    2017-09-26

    The systematic position, phylogenetic relationships and composition of the genus Leyogonimus Ginetsinskaya, 1948 have always been uncertain. In the present study, we investigate the taxonomic position and phylogenetic relationships between the type-species L. polyoon (Linstow, 1887) and L. postgonoporus (Neiland, 1951) (previously classified as Macyella), based on newly obtained partial sequences of the nuclear large ribosomal subunit DNA. To test some of the previously proposed systematic arrangements, we have also sequenced specimens of Stomylotrema vicarium Braun, 1901 and Phaneropsolus sp. Our results clearly demonstrate that both L. polyoon and L. postgonoporus belong to the family Pleurogenidae Looss, 1899 within the superfamily Microphalloidea. Thus, the Leyogonimidae Dollfus, 1951 should be recognized as a synonym of the Pleurogenidae. Leyogonimus polyoon clearly constitutes a separate, sister branch to the clade consisting of Collyricloides massanae Vaucher, 1969 and L. postgonoporus. Based on these results, we resurrect the genus Macyella Neiland, 1951 with type-species M. postgonoporus. Besides, Collyricloides Vaucher, 1968 is synonymized with Macyella resulting in new combination Macyella massanae (Vaucher, 1968) comb. nov. Molecular phylogenetic analysis has demonstrated the lack of a close phylogenetic relationships between Stomylotema vicarium and Leyogonimus previously placed by several authors into the family Stomylotrematidae Poche, 1925. The status of the Phaneropsolidae Mehra, 1935 as independent family was confirmed with the addition of the newly sequenced Phaneropsolus sp. from China.

  12. Confirmation of a novel siadenovirus species detected in raptors: partial sequence and phylogenetic analysis.

    PubMed

    Kovács, Endre R; Benko, Mária

    2009-03-01

    Partial genome characterisation of a novel adenovirus, found recently in organ samples of multiple species of dead birds of prey, was carried out by sequence analysis of PCR-amplified DNA fragments. The virus, named as raptor adenovirus 1 (RAdV-1), has originally been detected by a nested PCR method with consensus primers targeting the adenoviral DNA polymerase gene. Phylogenetic analysis with the deduced amino acid sequence of the small PCR product has implied a new siadenovirus type present in the samples. Since virus isolation attempts remained unsuccessful, further characterisation of this putative novel siadenovirus was carried out with the use of PCR on the infected organ samples. The DNA sequence of the central genome part of RAdV-1, encompassing nine full (pTP, 52K, pIIIa, III, pVII, pX, pVI, hexon, protease) and two partial (DNA polymerase and DBP) genes and exceeding 12 kb pairs in size, was determined. Phylogenetic tree reconstructions, based on several genes, unambiguously confirmed the preliminary classification of RAdV-1 as a new species within the genus Siadenovirus. Further study of RAdV-1 is of interest since it represents a rare adenovirus genus of yet undetermined host origin.

  13. Lactobacillus gorillae sp. nov., isolated from the faeces of captive and wild western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla).

    PubMed

    Tsuchida, Sayaka; Kitahara, Maki; Nguema, Pierre Philippe Mbehang; Norimitsu, Saeko; Fujita, Shiho; Yamagiwa, Juichi; Ngomanda, Alfred; Ohkuma, Moriya; Ushida, Kazunari

    2014-12-01

    Four strains of Gram-staining-positive, anaerobic rods were isolated from the faeces of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). Three strains, KZ01(T), KZ02 and KZ03, were isolated at the Kyoto City Zoo, Japan, and one strain, GG02, was isolated in the Moukalaba-Doudou National Park, Gabon. These strains were investigated taxonomically. These strains belonged to the Lactobacillus reuteri phylogenetic group according to phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and specific phenotypic characteristics. Phylogenetic analysis of their 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strains KZ01(T), KZ02, KZ03 and GG02 formed a single monophyletic cluster and had a distinct line of descent. Based on sequence similarity of the 16S rRNA gene, Lactobacillus fermentum JCM 1173(T) (96.6 %) was the closest neighbour to these novel strains, although it was clear that these strains belonged to a different species. Partial pheS sequences also supported these relationships. DNA-DNA relatedness between strain KZ01(T) and L. fermentum JCM 1173(T) was less than 22 % and the DNA G+C content of strain KZ01(T) was 50.7 mol%. The cell-wall peptidoglycan type was A4β (l-Orn-d-Asp) and the major fatty acids were C16 : 0, C18 : 1ω9c and C19 : 1 cyclo 9,10. Therefore, based on phylogenetic, phenotypic and physiological evidence, these strains represent a novel species of the genus Lactobacillus, for which the name Lactobacillus gorillae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KZ01(T) ( = JCM 19575(T) = DSM 28356(T)). © 2014 IUMS.

  14. Phylogenetically Novel LuxI/LuxR-Type Quorum Sensing Systems Isolated Using a Metagenomic Approach

    PubMed Central

    Nasuno, Eri; Fujita, Masaki J.; Nakatsu, Cindy H.; Kamagata, Yoichi; Hanada, Satoshi

    2012-01-01

    A great deal of research has been done to understand bacterial cell-to-cell signaling systems, but there is still a large gap in our current knowledge because the majority of microorganisms in natural environments do not have cultivated representatives. Metagenomics is one approach to identify novel quorum sensing (QS) systems from uncultured bacteria in environmental samples. In this study, fosmid metagenomic libraries were constructed from a forest soil and an activated sludge from a coke plant, and the target genes were detected using a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-based Escherichia coli biosensor strain whose fluorescence was screened by spectrophotometry. DNA sequence analysis revealed two pairs of new LuxI family N-acyl-l-homoserine lactone (AHL) synthases and LuxR family transcriptional regulators (clones N16 and N52, designated AubI/AubR and AusI/AusR, respectively). AubI and AusI each produced an identical AHL, N-dodecanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C12-HSL), as determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry. Phylogenetic analysis based on amino acid sequences suggested that AusI/AusR was from an uncultured member of the Betaproteobacteria and AubI/AubR was very deeply branched from previously described LuxI/LuxR homologues in isolates of the Proteobacteria. The phylogenetic position of AubI/AubR indicates that they represent a QS system not acquired recently from the Proteobacteria by horizontal gene transfer but share a more ancient ancestry. We demonstrated that metagenomic screening is useful to provide further insight into the phylogenetic diversity of bacterial QS systems by describing two new LuxI/LuxR-type QS systems from uncultured bacteria. PMID:22983963

  15. Conservation threats and the phylogenetic utility of IUCN Red List rankings in Incilius toads.

    PubMed

    Schachat, Sandra R; Mulcahy, Daniel G; Mendelson, Joseph R

    2016-02-01

    Phylogenetic analysis of extinction threat is an emerging tool in the field of conservation. However, there are problems with the methods and data as commonly used. Phylogenetic sampling usually extends to the level of family or genus, but International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) rankings are available only for individual species, and, although different species within a taxonomic group may have the same IUCN rank, the species may have been ranked as such for different reasons. Therefore, IUCN rank may not reflect evolutionary history and thus may not be appropriate for use in a phylogenetic context. To be used appropriately, threat-risk data should reflect the cause of extinction threat rather than the IUCN threat ranking. In a case study of the toad genus Incilius, with phylogenetic sampling at the species level (so that the resolution of the phylogeny matches character data from the IUCN Red List), we analyzed causes of decline and IUCN threat rankings by calculating metrics of phylogenetic signal (such as Fritz and Purvis' D). We also analyzed the extent to which cause of decline and threat ranking overlap by calculating phylogenetic correlation between these 2 types of character data. Incilius species varied greatly in both threat ranking and cause of decline; this variability would be lost at a coarser taxonomic resolution. We found far more phylogenetic signal, likely correlated with evolutionary history, for causes of decline than for IUCN threat ranking. Individual causes of decline and IUCN threat rankings were largely uncorrelated on the phylogeny. Our results demonstrate the importance of character selection and taxonomic resolution when extinction threat is analyzed in a phylogenetic context. © 2015 Society for Conservation Biology.

  16. Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis of Archaeal Intron-Containing Genes Coding for rRNA Obtained from a Deep-Subsurface Geothermal Water Pool

    PubMed Central

    Takai, Ken; Horikoshi, Koki

    1999-01-01

    Molecular phylogenetic analysis of a naturally occurring microbial community in a deep-subsurface geothermal environment indicated that the phylogenetic diversity of the microbial population in the environment was extremely limited and that only hyperthermophilic archaeal members closely related to Pyrobaculum were present. All archaeal ribosomal DNA sequences contained intron-like sequences, some of which had open reading frames with repeated homing-endonuclease motifs. The sequence similarity analysis and the phylogenetic analysis of these homing endonucleases suggested the possible phylogenetic relationship among archaeal rRNA-encoded homing endonucleases. PMID:10584021

  17. An outbreak of dengue virus (DENV) type 2 Cosmopolitan genotype in Israeli travellers returning from the Seychelles, April 2017.

    PubMed

    Lustig, Yaniv; Wolf, Dana; Halutz, Ora; Schwartz, Eli

    2017-06-29

    Dengue virus infection was diagnosed in six Israeli travellers returning from the Seychelles in April 2017. Phylogenetic analysis identified identical sequences belonging to the Cosmopolitan genotype of dengue virus type 2 in all samples sequenced, thus providing evidence for a probable dengue type 2 outbreak in the Seychelles. This report further demonstrates the role of travellers as sentinels for arboviral infections, especially in countries with limited diagnostic capabilities. This article is copyright of The Authors, 2017.

  18. Genome Re-Sequencing of Semi-Wild Soybean Reveals a Complex Soja Population Structure and Deep Introgression

    PubMed Central

    Wu, Sanling; Wang, Ying-Ying; Ye, Chu-Yu; Bai, Xuefei; Li, Zefeng; Yan, Chenghai; Wang, Weidi; Wang, Ziqiang; Shu, Qingyao; Xie, Jiahua; Lee, Suk-Ha; Fan, Longjiang

    2014-01-01

    Semi-wild soybean is a unique type of soybean that retains both wild and domesticated characteristics, which provides an important intermediate type for understanding the evolution of the subgenus Soja population in the Glycine genus. In this study, a semi-wild soybean line (Maliaodou) and a wild line (Lanxi 1) collected from the lower Yangtze regions were deeply sequenced while nine other semi-wild lines were sequenced to a 3-fold genome coverage. Sequence analysis revealed that (1) no independent phylogenetic branch covering all 10 semi-wild lines was observed in the Soja phylogenetic tree; (2) besides two distinct subpopulations of wild and cultivated soybean in the Soja population structure, all semi-wild lines were mixed with some wild lines into a subpopulation rather than an independent one or an intermediate transition type of soybean domestication; (3) high heterozygous rates (0.19–0.49) were observed in several semi-wild lines; and (4) over 100 putative selective regions were identified by selective sweep analysis, including those related to the development of seed size. Our results suggested a hybridization origin for the semi-wild soybean, which makes a complex Soja population structure. PMID:25265539

  19. Phylogenetic analysis and protein structure modelling identifies distinct Ca(2+)/Cation antiporters and conservation of gene family structure within Arabidopsis and rice species.

    PubMed

    Pittman, Jon K; Hirschi, Kendal D

    2016-12-01

    The Ca(2+)/Cation Antiporter (CaCA) superfamily is an ancient and widespread family of ion-coupled cation transporters found in nearly all kingdoms of life. In animals, K(+)-dependent and K(+)-indendent Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchangers (NCKX and NCX) are important CaCA members. Recently it was proposed that all rice and Arabidopsis CaCA proteins should be classified as NCX proteins. Here we performed phylogenetic analysis of CaCA genes and protein structure homology modelling to further characterise members of this transporter superfamily. Phylogenetic analysis of rice and Arabidopsis CaCAs in comparison with selected CaCA members from non-plant species demonstrated that these genes form clearly distinct families, with the H(+)/Cation exchanger (CAX) and cation/Ca(2+) exchanger (CCX) families dominant in higher plants but the NCKX and NCX families absent. NCX-related Mg(2+)/H(+) exchanger (MHX) and CAX-related Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger-like (NCL) proteins are instead present. Analysis of genomes of ten closely-related rice species and four Arabidopsis-related species found that CaCA gene family structures are highly conserved within related plants, apart from minor variation. Protein structures were modelled for OsCAX1a and OsMHX1. Despite exhibiting broad structural conservation, there are clear structural differences observed between the different CaCA types. Members of the CaCA superfamily form clearly distinct families with different phylogenetic, structural and functional characteristics, and therefore should not be simply classified as NCX proteins, which should remain as a separate gene family.

  20. A novel prophage identified in strains from Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is a phylogenetic signature of the lineage ST-1974

    PubMed Central

    D'Alessandro, Bruno; Pérez Escanda, Victoria; Balestrazzi, Lucía; Iriarte, Andrés; Pickard, Derek; Yim, Lucía; Chabalgoity, José Alejandro; Betancor, Laura

    2018-01-01

    Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is a major agent of foodborne diseases worldwide. In Uruguay, this serovar was almost negligible until the mid 1990s but since then it has become the most prevalent. Previously, we characterized a collection of strains isolated from 1988 to 2005 and found that the two oldest strains were the most genetically divergent. In order to further characterize these strains, we sequenced and annotated eight genomes including those of the two oldest isolates. We report on the identification and characterization of a novel 44 kbp Salmonella prophage found exclusively in these two genomes. Sequence analysis reveals that the prophage is a mosaic, with homologous regions in different Salmonella prophages. It contains 60 coding sequences, including two genes, gogB and sseK3, involved in virulence and modulation of host immune response. Analysis of serovar Enteritidis genomes available in public databases confirmed that this prophage is absent in most of them, with the exception of a group of 154 genomes. All 154 strains carrying this prophage belong to the same sequence type (ST-1974), suggesting that its acquisition occurred in a common ancestor. We tested this by phylogenetic analysis of 203 genomes representative of the intraserovar diversity. The ST-1974 forms a distinctive monophyletic lineage, and the newly described prophage is a phylogenetic signature of this lineage that could be used as a molecular marker. The phylogenetic analysis also shows that the major ST (ST-11) is polyphyletic and might have given rise to almost all other STs, including ST-1974. PMID:29509137

  1. Characterization of Mycobacteria from a Major Brazilian Outbreak Suggests that Revision of the Taxonomic Status of Members of the Mycobacterium chelonae-M. abscessus Group Is Needed ▿

    PubMed Central

    Leao, Sylvia Cardoso; Tortoli, Enrico; Viana-Niero, Cristina; Ueki, Suely Yoko Mizuka; Lima, Karla Valeria Batista; Lopes, Maria Luiza; Yubero, Jesus; Menendez, Maria Carmen; Garcia, Maria Jesus

    2009-01-01

    An outbreak of postsurgical infections caused by rapidly growing mycobacteria has been ongoing in Brazil since 2004. The degrees of similarity of the rpoB and hsp65 sequences from the clinical isolates and the corresponding sequences from both the Mycobacterium massiliense and the M. bolletii type strains were above the accepted limit for interspecies variability, leading to conflicting identification results. Therefore, an extensive characterization of members of the M. chelonae-M. abscessus group was carried out. The M. abscessus, M. chelonae, M. immunogenum, M. massiliense, and M. bolletii type strains and a subset of clinical isolates were analyzed by biochemical tests, high-performance liquid chromatography, drug susceptibility testing, PCR-restriction enzyme analysis of hsp65 (PRA-hsp65), rpoB, and hsp65 gene sequencing and analysis of phylogenetic trees, DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH), and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the 16S rRNA gene (RFLP-16S rRNA). The clinical isolates and the M. abscessus, M. massiliense, and M. bolletii type strains could not be separated by phenotypic tests and were grouped in the phylogenetic trees obtained. The results of DDH also confirmed the >70% relatedness of the clinical isolates and the M. abscessus, M. massiliense, and M. bolletii type strains; and indistinguishable RFLP-16S rRNA patterns were obtained. On the contrary, the separation of clinical isolates and the M. abscessus, M. massiliense, and M. bolletii type strains from M. chelonae and M. immunogenum was supported by the results of PRA-hsp65, DDH, and RFLP-16S rRNA and by the rpoB and hsp65 phylogenetic trees. Taken together, these results led to the proposition that M. abscessus, M. massiliense, and M. bolletii represent a single species, that of M. abscessus. Two subspecies are also proposed, M. abscessus subsp. abscessus and M. abscessus subsp. massiliense, and these two subspecies can be distinguished by two different PRA-hsp65 patterns, which differ by a single HaeIII band, and by differences in their rpoB (3.4%) and hsp65 (1.3%) sequences. PMID:19571015

  2. Genome-wide comparative analysis reveals similar types of NBS genes in hybrid Citrus sinensis genome and original Citrus clementine genome and provides new insights into non-TIR NBS genes

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    In this study, we identified and compared nucleotide-binding site (NBS) domain-containing genes from three Citrus genomes (C. clementina, C. sinensis from USA and C. sinensis from China). Phylogenetic analysis of all Citrus NBS genes across these three genomes revealed that there are three approxima...

  3. Genomic analysis of diploid plants.

    PubMed Central

    Kimber, G; Yen, Y

    1990-01-01

    The numerical analysis of meiosis in the triploid hybrid between an induced autotetraploid and a related diploid provides the basis for investigations of the genomic relationships of diploid species based on chromosome pairing. It is also possible to make legitimate comparisons between different triploid hybrids of this type so that the genomic relationships can be converted into measures of phylogenetic distance for taxa where only diploids are known. PMID:11607075

  4. Phylogenetic analysis of the haemagglutinin gene of canine distemper virus strains detected from giant panda and raccoon dogs in China

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Canine distemper virus (CDV) infects a variety of carnivores, including wild and domestic Canidae. In this study, we sequenced and phylogenetic analyses of the hemagglutinin (H) genes from eight canine distemper virus (CDV) isolates obtained from seven raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and a giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) in China. Results Phylogenetic analysis of the partial hemagglutinin gene sequences showed close clustering for geographic lineages, clearly distinct from vaccine strains and other wild-type foreign CDV strains, all the CDV strains were characterized as Asia-1 genotype and were highly similar to each other (91.5-99.8% nt and 94.4-99.8% aa). The giant panda and raccoon dogs all were 549Y on the HA protein in this study, irrespective of the host species. Conclusions These findings enhance our knowledge of the genetic characteristics of Chinese CDV isolates, and may facilitate the development of effective strategies for monitoring and controlling CDV for wild canids and non-cainds in China. PMID:23566727

  5. Emendation of Propionibacterium acnes subsp. acnes (Deiko et al. 2015) and proposal of Propionibacterium acnes type II as Propionibacterium acnes subsp. defendens subsp. nov.

    PubMed

    McDowell, Andrew; Barnard, Emma; Liu, Jared; Li, Huiying; Patrick, Sheila

    2016-12-01

    Recently, it has been proposed that strains of Propionibacterium acnes from the type III genetic division should be classified as P. acnessubsp. elongatum subsp. nov., with strains from the type I and II divisions collectively classified as P. acnessubsp. acnes subsp. nov. Under such a taxonomic re-appraisal, we believe that types I and II should also have their own separate rank of subspecies. In support of this, we describe a polyphasic taxonomic study based on the analysis of publicly available multilocus and whole-genome sequence datasets, alongside a systematic review of previously published phylogenetic, genomic, phenotypic and clinical data. Strains of types I and II form highly distinct clades on the basis of multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) and whole-genome phylogenetic reconstructions. In silico or digital DNA-DNA similarity values also fall within the 70-80 % boundary recommended for bacterial subspecies. Furthermore, we see important differences in genome content, including the presence of an active CRISPR/Cas system in type II strains, but not type I, and evidence for increasing linkage equilibrium within the separate divisions. Key biochemical differences include positive test results for β-haemolytic, neuraminidase and sorbitol fermentation activities with type I strains, but not type II. We now propose that type I strains should be classified as P. acnessubsp. acnes subsp. nov., and type II as P. acnessubsp. defendens subsp. nov. The type strain of P. acnessubsp. acnes subsp. nov. is NCTC 737T (=ATCC 6919T=JCM 6425T=DSM 1897T=CCUG 1794T), while the type strain of P. acnessubsp. defendens subsp. nov. is ATCC 11828 (=JCM 6473=CCUG 6369).

  6. Lactobacillus micheneri sp. nov., Lactobacillus timberlakei sp. nov. and Lactobacillus quenuiae sp. nov., lactic acid bacteria isolated from wild bees and flowers.

    PubMed

    McFrederick, Quinn S; Vuong, Hoang Q; Rothman, Jason A

    2018-06-01

    Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped, non-spore forming bacteria have been isolated from flowers and the guts of adult wild bees in the families Megachilidae and Halictidae. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene indicated that these bacteria belong to the genus Lactobacillus, and are most closely related to the honey-bee associated bacteria Lactobacillus kunkeei (97.0 % sequence similarity) and Lactobacillus apinorum (97.0 % sequence similarity). Phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA genes and six single-copy protein coding genes, in situ and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization, and fatty-acid profiling differentiates the newly isolated bacteria as three novel Lactobacillus species: Lactobacillus micheneri sp. nov. with the type strain Hlig3 T (=DSM 104126 T ,=NRRL B-65473 T ), Lactobacillus timberlakei with the type strain HV_12 T (=DSM 104128 T ,=NRRL B-65472 T ), and Lactobacillus quenuiae sp. nov. with the type strain HV_6 T (=DSM 104127 T ,=NRRL B-65474 T ).

  7. Evaluation of a Method Using Three Genomic Guided Escherichia coli Markers for Phylogenetic Typing of E. coli Isolates of Various Genetic Backgrounds

    PubMed Central

    Hamamoto, Kouta; Ueda, Shuhei; Yamamoto, Yoshimasa

    2015-01-01

    Genotyping and characterization of bacterial isolates are essential steps in the identification and control of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Recently, one novel genotyping method using three genomic guided Escherichia coli markers (GIG-EM), dinG, tonB, and dipeptide permease (DPP), was reported. Because GIG-EM has not been fully evaluated using clinical isolates, we assessed this typing method with 72 E. coli collection of reference (ECOR) environmental E. coli reference strains and 63 E. coli isolates of various genetic backgrounds. In this study, we designated 768 bp of dinG, 745 bp of tonB, and 655 bp of DPP target sequences for use in the typing method. Concatenations of the processed marker sequences were used to draw GIG-EM phylogenetic trees. E. coli isolates with identical sequence types as identified by the conventional multilocus sequence typing (MLST) method were localized to the same branch of the GIG-EM phylogenetic tree. Sixteen clinical E. coli isolates were utilized as test isolates without prior characterization by conventional MLST and phylogenetic grouping before GIG-EM typing. Of these, 14 clinical isolates were assigned to a branch including only isolates of a pandemic clone, E. coli B2-ST131-O25b, and these results were confirmed by conventional typing methods. Our results suggested that the GIG-EM typing method and its application to phylogenetic trees might be useful tools for the molecular characterization and determination of the genetic relationships among E. coli isolates. PMID:25809972

  8. Evaluation of a Method Using Three Genomic Guided Escherichia coli Markers for Phylogenetic Typing of E. coli Isolates of Various Genetic Backgrounds.

    PubMed

    Hamamoto, Kouta; Ueda, Shuhei; Yamamoto, Yoshimasa; Hirai, Itaru

    2015-06-01

    Genotyping and characterization of bacterial isolates are essential steps in the identification and control of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Recently, one novel genotyping method using three genomic guided Escherichia coli markers (GIG-EM), dinG, tonB, and dipeptide permease (DPP), was reported. Because GIG-EM has not been fully evaluated using clinical isolates, we assessed this typing method with 72 E. coli collection of reference (ECOR) environmental E. coli reference strains and 63 E. coli isolates of various genetic backgrounds. In this study, we designated 768 bp of dinG, 745 bp of tonB, and 655 bp of DPP target sequences for use in the typing method. Concatenations of the processed marker sequences were used to draw GIG-EM phylogenetic trees. E. coli isolates with identical sequence types as identified by the conventional multilocus sequence typing (MLST) method were localized to the same branch of the GIG-EM phylogenetic tree. Sixteen clinical E. coli isolates were utilized as test isolates without prior characterization by conventional MLST and phylogenetic grouping before GIG-EM typing. Of these, 14 clinical isolates were assigned to a branch including only isolates of a pandemic clone, E. coli B2-ST131-O25b, and these results were confirmed by conventional typing methods. Our results suggested that the GIG-EM typing method and its application to phylogenetic trees might be useful tools for the molecular characterization and determination of the genetic relationships among E. coli isolates. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  9. Phylogenetics of Australasian gall flies (Diptera: Fergusoninidae): Evolutionary patterns of host-shifting and gall morphology.

    PubMed

    Scheffer, S J; Davies, K A; Taylor, G S; Thornhill, A H; Lewis, M L; Winkler, I S; Yeates, D K; Purcell, M F; Makinson, J; Giblin-Davis, R M

    2017-10-01

    This study investigated host-specificity and phylogenetic relationships in Australian galling flies, Fergusonina Malloch (Diptera: Fergusoninidae), in order to assess diversity and explore the evolutionary history of host plant affiliation and gall morphology. A DNA barcoding approach using COI data from 203 Fergusonina specimens from 5gall types on 56 host plant species indicated 85 presumptive fly species. These exhibited a high degree of host specificity; of the 40 species with multiple representatives, each fed only on a single host genus, 29 (72.5%) were strictly monophagous, and 11 (27.5%) were reared from multiple closely related hosts. COI variation within species was not correlated with either sample size or geographic distance. However variation was greater within oligophagous species, consistent with expectations of the initial stages of host-associated divergence during speciation. Phylogenetic analysis using both nuclear and mitochondrial genes revealed host genus-restricted clades but also clear evidence of multiple colonizations of both host plant genus and host species. With the exception of unilocular peagalls, evolution of gall type was somewhat constrained, but to a lesser degree than host plant association. Unilocular peagalls arose more often than any other gall type, were primarily located at the tips of the phylogeny, and did not form clades comprising more than a few species. For ecological reasons, species of this gall type are predicted to harbor substantially less genetic variation than others, possibly reducing evolutionary flexibility resulting in reduced diversification in unilocular gallers. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  10. Open Reading Frame Phylogenetic Analysis on the Cloud

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Phylogenetic analysis has become essential in researching the evolutionary relationships between viruses. These relationships are depicted on phylogenetic trees, in which viruses are grouped based on sequence similarity. Viral evolutionary relationships are identified from open reading frames rather than from complete sequences. Recently, cloud computing has become popular for developing internet-based bioinformatics tools. Biocloud is an efficient, scalable, and robust bioinformatics computing service. In this paper, we propose a cloud-based open reading frame phylogenetic analysis service. The proposed service integrates the Hadoop framework, virtualization technology, and phylogenetic analysis methods to provide a high-availability, large-scale bioservice. In a case study, we analyze the phylogenetic relationships among Norovirus. Evolutionary relationships are elucidated by aligning different open reading frame sequences. The proposed platform correctly identifies the evolutionary relationships between members of Norovirus. PMID:23671843

  11. Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) genetic typing in Kakeroma Island, an island at the crossroads of the ryukyuans and Wajin in Japan, providing further insights into the origin of the virus in Japan.

    PubMed

    Eguchi, Katsuyuki; Fujii, Hidefumi; Oshima, Kengo; Otani, Masashi; Matsuo, Toshiaki; Yamamoto, Taro

    2009-08-01

    Peripheral blood samples were collected from 23 human T-lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) carriers residing in Kakeroma Island, Japan (Kagoshima Prefecture, Oshima County, Setouchi Town), one of the most highly endemic areas in Japan. The samples were subjected to amplification by PCR and sequencing of the Long Terminal Repeat in order to reconstruct a phylogenetic tree of HTLV-1 isolates. Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of env region was also conducted for subgrouping of HTLV-1. Although one sample could not be amplified by PCR, and three more could not be sequenced due to the existence of conspicuous nonspecific bands or repeated sequences, the phylogenetic analysis revealed that the remaining 19 isolates obtained from Kakeroma Island belonged to either the Transcontinental or the Japanese subgroups of the Cosmopolitan subtype, one of the three major subtypes. The RFLP data corresponded closely with the typing data throughout the sequencing. The proportion of the Transcontinental subgroup among the isolates was 26.3% (5 of 19) by sequence analysis and 27.3% (6 of 22) by RFLP. Unlike in Taiwan, China and Okinawa, the Japanese subgroup was dominant in Kakeroma Island. The analysis would also suggest that the Japanese subgroup seems not to have derived from the Transcontinental subgroup, but rather that the Transcontinental subgroup came to Japan first and was followed later by the Japanese one. 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  12. Phylogenetic Distribution of CRISPR-Cas Systems in Antibiotic-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

    PubMed

    van Belkum, Alex; Soriaga, Leah B; LaFave, Matthew C; Akella, Srividya; Veyrieras, Jean-Baptiste; Barbu, E Magda; Shortridge, Dee; Blanc, Bernadette; Hannum, Gregory; Zambardi, Gilles; Miller, Kristofer; Enright, Mark C; Mugnier, Nathalie; Brami, Daniel; Schicklin, Stéphane; Felderman, Martina; Schwartz, Ariel S; Richardson, Toby H; Peterson, Todd C; Hubby, Bolyn; Cady, Kyle C

    2015-11-24

    Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an antibiotic-refractory pathogen with a large genome and extensive genotypic diversity. Historically, P. aeruginosa has been a major model system for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying type I clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated protein (CRISPR-Cas)-based bacterial immune system function. However, little information on the phylogenetic distribution and potential role of these CRISPR-Cas systems in molding the P. aeruginosa accessory genome and antibiotic resistance elements is known. Computational approaches were used to identify and characterize CRISPR-Cas systems within 672 genomes, and in the process, we identified a previously unreported and putatively mobile type I-C P. aeruginosa CRISPR-Cas system. Furthermore, genomes harboring noninhibited type I-F and I-E CRISPR-Cas systems were on average ~300 kb smaller than those without a CRISPR-Cas system. In silico analysis demonstrated that the accessory genome (n = 22,036 genes) harbored the majority of identified CRISPR-Cas targets. We also assembled a global spacer library that aided the identification of difficult-to-characterize mobile genetic elements within next-generation sequencing (NGS) data and allowed CRISPR typing of a majority of P. aeruginosa strains. In summary, our analysis demonstrated that CRISPR-Cas systems play an important role in shaping the accessory genomes of globally distributed P. aeruginosa isolates. P. aeruginosa is both an antibiotic-refractory pathogen and an important model system for type I CRISPR-Cas bacterial immune systems. By combining the genome sequences of 672 newly and previously sequenced genomes, we were able to provide a global view of the phylogenetic distribution, conservation, and potential targets of these systems. This analysis identified a new and putatively mobile P. aeruginosa CRISPR-Cas subtype, characterized the diverse distribution of known CRISPR-inhibiting genes, and provided a potential new use for CRISPR spacer libraries in accessory genome analysis. Our data demonstrated the importance of CRISPR-Cas systems in modulating the accessory genomes of globally distributed strains while also providing substantial data for subsequent genomic and experimental studies in multiple fields. Understanding why certain genotypes of P. aeruginosa are clinically prevalent and adept at horizontally acquiring virulence and antibiotic resistance elements is of major clinical and economic importance. Copyright © 2015 van Belkum et al.

  13. Differential Distribution of Type II CRISPR-Cas Systems in Agricultural and Nonagricultural Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni Isolates Correlates with Lack of Shared Environments

    PubMed Central

    Pearson, Bruce M.; Louwen, Rogier; van Baarlen, Peter; van Vliet, Arnoud H.M.

    2015-01-01

    CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats)-Cas (CRISPR-associated) systems are sequence-specific adaptive defenses against phages and plasmids which are widespread in prokaryotes. Here we have studied whether phylogenetic relatedness or sharing of environmental niches affects the distribution and dissemination of Type II CRISPR-Cas systems, first in 132 bacterial genomes from 15 phylogenetic classes, ranging from Proteobacteria to Actinobacteria. There was clustering of distinct Type II CRISPR-Cas systems in phylogenetically distinct genera with varying G+C%, which share environmental niches. The distribution of CRISPR-Cas within a genus was studied using a large collection of genome sequences of the closely related Campylobacter species Campylobacter jejuni (N = 3,746) and Campylobacter coli (N = 486). The Cas gene cas9 and CRISPR-repeat are almost universally present in C. jejuni genomes (98.0% positive) but relatively rare in C. coli genomes (9.6% positive). Campylobacter jejuni and agricultural C. coli isolates share the C. jejuni CRISPR-Cas system, which is closely related to, but distinct from the C. coli CRISPR-Cas system found in C. coli isolates from nonagricultural sources. Analysis of the genomic position of CRISPR-Cas insertion suggests that the C. jejuni-type CRISPR-Cas has been transferred to agricultural C. coli. Conversely, the absence of the C. coli-type CRISPR-Cas in agricultural C. coli isolates may be due to these isolates not sharing the same environmental niche, and may be affected by farm hygiene and biosecurity practices in the agricultural sector. Finally, many CRISPR spacer alleles were linked with specific multilocus sequence types, suggesting that these can assist molecular epidemiology applications for C. jejuni and C. coli. PMID:26338188

  14. Re-evaluation of the taxonomy of the Mitis group of the genus Streptococcus based on whole genome phylogenetic analyses, and proposed reclassification of Streptococcus dentisani as Streptococcus oralis subsp. dentisani comb. nov., Streptococcus tigurinus as Streptococcus oralis subsp. tigurinus comb. nov., and Streptococcus oligofermentans as a later synonym of Streptococcus cristatus.

    PubMed

    Jensen, Anders; Scholz, Christian F P; Kilian, Mogens

    2016-11-01

    The Mitis group of the genus Streptococcus currently comprises 20 species with validly published names, including the pathogen S. pneumoniae. They have been the subject of much taxonomic confusion, due to phenotypic overlap and genetic heterogeneity, which has hampered a full appreciation of their clinical significance. The purpose of this study was to critically re-examine the taxonomy of the Mitis group using 195 publicly available genomes, including designated type strains for phylogenetic analyses based on core genomes, multilocus sequences and 16S rRNA gene sequences, combined with estimates of average nucleotide identity (ANI) and in silico and in vitro analyses of specific phenotypic characteristics. Our core genomic phylogenetic analyses revealed distinct clades that, to some extent, and from the clustering of type strains represent known species. However, many of the genomes have been incorrectly identified adding to the current confusion. Furthermore, our data show that 16S rRNA gene sequences and ANI are unsuitable for identifying and circumscribing new species of the Mitis group of the genus Streptococci. Based on the clustering patterns resulting from core genome phylogenetic analysis, we conclude that S. oligofermentans is a later synonym of S. cristatus. The recently described strains of the species Streptococcus dentisani includes one previously referred to as 'S. mitis biovar 2'. Together with S. oralis, S. dentisani and S. tigurinus form subclusters within a coherent phylogenetic clade. We propose that the species S. oralis consists of three subspecies: S. oralis subsp. oralis subsp. nov., S. oralis subsp. tigurinus comb. nov., and S. oralis subsp. dentisani comb. nov.

  15. Streptococcus himalayensis sp. nov., isolated from the respiratory tract of Marmota himalayana.

    PubMed

    Niu, Lina; Lu, Shan; Lai, Xin-He; Hu, Shoukui; Chen, Cuixia; Zhang, Gui; Yang, Jing; Jin, Dong; Wang, Yi; Lan, Ruiting; Lu, Gang; Xie, Yingping; Ye, Changyun; Xu, Jianguo

    2017-02-01

    Five strains of Gram-positive-staining, catalase-negative, coccus-shaped, chain-forming organisms isolated separately from the respiratory tracts of five Marmota himalayana animals in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of China were subjected to phenotypic and molecular taxonomic analyses. Comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene indicated that these singular organisms represent a new member of the genus Streptococcus, being phylogenetically closest to Streptococcus marmotae DSM 101995T (98.4 % similarity). The groEL, sodA and rpoB sequence analysis showed interspecies similarity values between HTS2T and Streptococcus. marmotae DSM 101995T, its closest phylogenetic relative based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, of 98.2, 78.8 and 93.7 %, respectively. A whole-genome phylogenetic tree built from 82 core genes of genomes from 16 species of the genus Streptococcus validated that HTS2T forms a distinct subline and exhibits specific phylogenetic affinity with S. marmotae. In silico DNA-DNA hybridization of HTS2T showed an estimated DNA reassociation value of 40.5 % with Streptococcus. marmotae DSM 101995T. On the basis of their phenotypic characteristics and phylogenetic findings, it is proposed that the five isolates be classified as representatives of a novel species of the genus Streptococcus, Streptococcus himalayensis sp. nov. The type strain is HTS2T (=DSM 101997T=CGMCC 1.15533T). The genome of Streptococcus himalayensis sp. nov. strain HTS2T contains 2195 genes with a size of 2 275 471 bp and a mean DNA G+C content of 41.3 mol%.

  16. Molecular Phylogenetics: Concepts for a Newcomer.

    PubMed

    Ajawatanawong, Pravech

    Molecular phylogenetics is the study of evolutionary relationships among organisms using molecular sequence data. The aim of this review is to introduce the important terminology and general concepts of tree reconstruction to biologists who lack a strong background in the field of molecular evolution. Some modern phylogenetic programs are easy to use because of their user-friendly interfaces, but understanding the phylogenetic algorithms and substitution models, which are based on advanced statistics, is still important for the analysis and interpretation without a guide. Briefly, there are five general steps in carrying out a phylogenetic analysis: (1) sequence data preparation, (2) sequence alignment, (3) choosing a phylogenetic reconstruction method, (4) identification of the best tree, and (5) evaluating the tree. Concepts in this review enable biologists to grasp the basic ideas behind phylogenetic analysis and also help provide a sound basis for discussions with expert phylogeneticists.

  17. Evidence for mitochondrial DNA recombination in a human population of island Melanesia.

    PubMed Central

    Hagelberg, E; Goldman, N; Lió, P; Whelan, S; Schiefenhövel, W; Clegg, J B; Bowden, D K

    1999-01-01

    Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis has proved useful in studies of recent human evolution and the genetic affinities of human groups of different geographical regions. As part of an extensive survey of mtDNA diversity in present-day Pacific populations, we obtained sequence information of the hypervariable mtDNA control region of 452 individuals from various localities in the western Pacific. The mtDNA types fell into three major groups which reflect the settlement history of the area. Interestingly, we detected an extremely rare point mutation at high frequency in the small island of Nguna in the Melanesian archipelago of Vanuatu. Phylogenetic analysis of the mtDNA data indicated that the mutation was present in individuals of separate mtDNA lineages. We propose that the multiple occurrence of a rare mutation event in one isolated locality is highly improbable, and that recombination between different mtDNA types is a more likely explanation for our observation. If correct, this conclusion has important implications for the use of mtDNA in phylogenetic and evolutionary studies. PMID:10189712

  18. Evidence for mitochondrial DNA recombination in a human population of island Melanesia.

    PubMed

    Hagelberg, E; Goldman, N; Lió, P; Whelan, S; Schiefenhövel, W; Clegg, J B; Bowden, D K

    1999-03-07

    Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis has proved useful in studies of recent human evolution and the genetic affinities of human groups of different geographical regions. As part of an extensive survey of mtDNA diversity in present-day Pacific populations, we obtained sequence information of the hypervariable mtDNA control region of 452 individuals from various localities in the western Pacific. The mtDNA types fell into three major groups which reflect the settlement history of the area. Interestingly, we detected an extremely rare point mutation at high frequency in the small island of Nguna in the Melanesian archipelago of Vanuatu. Phylogenetic analysis of the mtDNA data indicated that the mutation was present in individuals of separate mtDNA lineages. We propose that the multiple occurrence of a rare mutation event in one isolated locality is highly improbable, and that recombination between different mtDNA types is a more likely explanation for our observation. If correct, this conclusion has important implications for the use of mtDNA in phylogenetic and evolutionary studies.

  19. The phylogenetic and evolutionary history of a novel alpha-globin-type gene in orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus).

    PubMed

    Steiper, Michael E; Wolfe, Nathan D; Karesh, William B; Kilbourn, Annelisa M; Bosi, Edwin J; Ruvolo, Maryellen

    2006-07-01

    The alpha-globin genes are implicated in human resistance to malaria, a disease caused by Plasmodium parasites. This study is the first to analyze DNA sequences from a novel alpha-globin-type gene in orangutans, a species affected by Plasmodium. Phylogenetic methods show that the gene is a duplication of an alpha-globin gene and is located 5' of alpha-2 globin. The alpha-globin-type gene is notable for having four amino acid replacements relative to the orangutan's alpha-1 and alpha-2 globin genes, with no synonymous differences. Pairwise K(a)/K(s) methods and likelihood ratio tests (LRTs) revealed that the evolutionary history of the alpha-globin-type gene has been marked by either neutral or positive evolution, but not purifying selection. A comparative analysis of the amino acid replacements of the alpha-globin-type gene with human hemoglobinopathies and hemoglobin structure showed that two of the four replaced sites are members of the same molecular bond, one that is crucial to the proper functioning of the hemoglobin molecule. This suggested an adaptive evolutionary change. Functionally, this locus may result in a thalassemia-like phenotype in orangutans, possibly as an adaptation to combat Plasmodium.

  20. Microbial composition in microcosms amended with natural and mineral fertilizers under different water regimes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brad, Traian; Chiriac, Cecilia; Szekeres, Edina; Coman, Cristian; Rudi, Knut; Sandor, Mignon

    2017-04-01

    Twenty microcosm enclosures containing two types of soil (i.e. a rich Chernozemic and a poorer soil) were fertilized with mineral (NPK-complex) and organic (Gülle, manure and a green fertilizer) materials and placed under dry and wet water regimes. After 10, 20 and 30 days of the experiment, soil samples were analyzed for the structure and composition of microbial communities using next generation sequencing techniques (Illumina) and statistical analysis. The differences between bacteria communities in different soil types, and in different fertilization and hydric treatments were analyzed using quantitative phylogenetic distances and the ANOSIM test. The two types of soil especially selected for the structure of microbial communities, while moisture and the type of fertilizer appeared to have a smaller influence on microbial diversity in microcosms. The alpha-diversity indices (species richness, evenness and phylogenetic diversity) had higher values for the poorer soil compared to the rich Chernozemic soil. For both soil types, the highest bacteria diversity values were obtained after fertilization with manure. The microbial communities in the analyzed soils were complex and dominated by sequences belonging to Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria and Firmicutes.

  1. SNP-Based Typing: A Useful Tool to Study Bordetella pertussis Populations

    PubMed Central

    van der Heide, Han G. J.; Heuvelman, Kees J.; Kallonen, Teemu; He, Qiushui; Mertsola, Jussi; Advani, Abdolreza; Hallander, Hans O.; Janssens, Koen; Hermans, Peter W.; Mooi, Frits R.

    2011-01-01

    To monitor changes in Bordetella pertussis populations, mainly two typing methods are used; Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) and Multiple-Locus Variable-Number Tandem Repeat Analysis (MLVA). In this study, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing method, based on 87 SNPs, was developed and compared with PFGE and MLVA. The discriminatory indices of SNP typing, PFGE and MLVA were found to be 0.85, 0.95 and 0.83, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis, using SNP typing as Gold Standard, revealed false homoplasies in the PFGE and MLVA trees. Further, in contrast to the SNP-based tree, the PFGE- and MLVA-based trees did not reveal a positive correlation between root-to-tip distance and the isolation year of strains. Thus PFGE and MLVA do not allow an estimation of the relative age of the selected strains. In conclusion, SNP typing was found to be phylogenetically more informative than PFGE and more discriminative than MLVA. Further, in contrast to PFGE, it is readily standardized allowing interlaboratory comparisons. We applied SNP typing to study strains with a novel allele for the pertussis toxin promoter, ptxP3, which have a worldwide distribution and which have replaced the resident ptxP1 strains in the last 20 years. Previously, we showed that ptxP3 strains showed increased pertussis toxin expression and that their emergence was associated with increased notification in the Netherlands. SNP typing showed that the ptxP3 strains isolated in the Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe formed a monophyletic branch which recently diverged from ptxP1 strains. Two predominant ptxP3 SNP types were identified which spread worldwide. The widespread use of SNP typing will enhance our understanding of the evolution and global epidemiology of B. pertussis. PMID:21647370

  2. Candida andamanensis sp. nov., Candida laemsonensis sp. nov. and Candida ranongensis sp. nov., anamorphic yeast species isolated from estuarine waters in a Thai mangrove forest.

    PubMed

    Am-In, Somjit; Limtong, Savitree; Yongmanitchai, Wichien; Jindamorakot, Sasitorn

    2011-02-01

    Five strains (RV5(T), RV140, R31(T), RS17 and RS28(T)) representing three novel anamorphic ascomycetous yeast species were isolated by membrane filtration from estuarine waters collected from a mangrove forest in Laem Son National Park, Ranong Province, Thailand, on different occasions. On the basis of morphological, biochemical, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domain of the large-subunit rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer region and phylogenetic analysis, three strains were found to represent two novel Candida species. Two strains (RV5(T) and RV140) represented a single novel species, for which the name Candida laemsonensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is RV5(T) (=BCC 35154(T) =NBRC 105873(T) =CBS 11419(T)). Strain R31(T) was assigned to a novel species that was named Candida andamanensis sp. nov. (type strain R31(T) =BCC 25965(T) =NBRC 103862(T) =CBS 10859(T)). On the basis of morphological, biochemical, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics, sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domain of the large-subunit rRNA gene and phylogenetic analysis, strains RS17 and RS28(T) represented another novel species of Candida, for which the name Candida ranongensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is RS28(T) (=BCC 25964(T) =NBRC 103861(T) =CBS 10861(T)).

  3. Characterizing the Phylogenetic Tree Community Structure of a Protected Tropical Rain Forest Area in Cameroon

    PubMed Central

    Munoz, François; Couteron, Pierre; Hardy, Olivier J.; Sonké, Bonaventure

    2014-01-01

    Tropical rain forests, the richest terrestrial ecosystems in biodiversity on Earth are highly threatened by global changes. This paper aims to infer the mechanisms governing species tree assemblages by characterizing the phylogenetic structure of a tropical rain forest in a protected area of the Congo Basin, the Dja Faunal Reserve (Cameroon). We re-analyzed a dataset of 11538 individuals belonging to 372 taxa found along nine transects spanning five habitat types. We generated a dated phylogenetic tree including all sampled taxa to partition the phylogenetic diversity of the nine transects into alpha and beta components at the level of the transects and of the habitat types. The variation in phylogenetic composition among transects did not deviate from a random pattern at the scale of the Dja Faunal Reserve, probably due to a common history and weak environmental variation across the park. This lack of phylogenetic structure combined with an isolation-by-distance pattern of taxonomic diversity suggests that neutral dispersal limitation is a major driver of community assembly in the Dja. To assess any lack of sensitivity to the variation in habitat types, we restricted the analyses of transects to the terra firme primary forest and found results consistent with those of the whole dataset at the level of the transects. Additionally to previous analyses, we detected a weak but significant phylogenetic turnover among habitat types, suggesting that species sort in varying environments, even though it is not predominating on the overall phylogenetic structure. Finer analyses of clades indicated a signal of clustering for species from the Annonaceae family, while species from the Apocynaceae family indicated overdispersion. These results can contribute to the conservation of the park by improving our understanding of the processes dictating community assembly in these hyperdiverse but threatened regions of the world. PMID:24936786

  4. Evaluation of positive Rift Valley fever virus formalin-fixed paraffin embedded samples as a source of sequence data for retrospective phylogenetic analysis.

    PubMed

    Mubemba, B; Thompson, P N; Odendaal, L; Coetzee, P; Venter, E H

    2017-05-01

    Rift Valley fever (RVF), caused by an arthropod borne Phlebovirus in the family Bunyaviridae, is a haemorrhagic disease that affects ruminants and humans. Due to the zoonotic nature of the virus, a biosafety level 3 laboratory is required for isolation of the virus. Fresh and frozen samples are the preferred sample type for isolation and acquisition of sequence data. However, these samples are scarce in addition to posing a health risk to laboratory personnel. Archived formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples are safe and readily available, however FFPE derived RNA is in most cases degraded and cross-linked in peptide bonds and it is unknown whether the sample type would be suitable as reference material for retrospective phylogenetic studies. A RT-PCR assay targeting a 490 nt portion of the structural G N glycoprotein encoding gene of the RVFV M-segment was applied to total RNA extracted from archived RVFV positive FFPE samples. Several attempts to obtain target amplicons were unsuccessful. FFPE samples were then analysed using next generation sequencing (NGS), i.e. Truseq ® (Illumina) and sequenced on the Miseq ® genome analyser (Illumina). Using reference mapping, gapped virus sequence data of varying degrees of shallow depth was aligned to a reference sequence. However, the NGS did not yield long enough contigs that consistently covered the same genome regions in all samples to allow phylogenetic analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 prevalence in northeastern Iran, Sabzevar: an epidemiologic-based study and phylogenetic analysis.

    PubMed

    Azarpazhooh, Mahmoud Reza; Hasanpour, Kazem; Ghanbari, Mohsen; Rezaee, S A Rahim; Mashkani, Baratali; Hedayati-Moghaddam, Mohammad Reza; Valizadeh, Narges; Farid Hosseini, Reza; Foroghipoor, Mohsen; Soltanifar, Azadeh; Sahebari, Maryam; Azadmanesh, Keyhan; Hassanshahi, Gholahossein; Rafatpanah, Houshang

    2012-09-01

    Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-I) is an important global health problem in the world mainly in the endemic areas of HTLV-I infection. It was previously reported that Mashhad, in northeastern Iran, is a new endemic region of HTLV-I. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of HTLV-I in Sabzevar, located in the southeast of Mashhad. In this cross-sectional study 1445 individuals were selected by multistage cluster sampling. Serum samples were screened for anti-HTLV-I antibody using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); all of the ELISA-positive samples were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Long terminal repeat (LTR) sequencing was carried out to determine the type of HTLV-I in Sabzevar. In the primary screening by ELISA, 26/1445 (1.8%) of those sampled were reactive for HTLV-I antibody. Twenty-four out of 26 samples were confirmed HTLV-I infection by PCR (24/1445). The overall prevalence of HTLV-I infection in Sabzevar is 1.66%. The prevalence of the virus infection in men and women was 2.42% (11/455) and 1.31% (13/989), respectively. Seroprevalence was associated with age, increasing significantly among those older than 30 years (p=0.015), and a history of surgery (p=0.002), imprisonment (p=0.018), and hospitalization (p=0.005). Three out of 24 positive HTLV-I samples were selected for sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of LTR. The results showed that HTLV-I in Sabzevar belonged to the cosmopolitan subtype. The present study showed Sabzevar is a new endemic area for HTLV-I infection. Our study emphasizes that systemic HTLV-I screening of blood donors in Sabzevar and other cities in Khorasan province is important and should be taken into account.

  6. Comparative Analysis of Four Buckwheat Species Based on Morphology and Complete Chloroplast Genome Sequences.

    PubMed

    Wang, Cheng-Long; Ding, Meng-Qi; Zou, Chen-Yan; Zhu, Xue-Mei; Tang, Yu; Zhou, Mei-Liang; Shao, Ji-Rong

    2017-07-26

    Buckwheat is a nutritional and economically crop belonging to Polygonaceae, Fagopyrum. To better understand the mutation patterns and evolution trend in the chloroplast (cp) genome of buckwheat, and found sufficient number of variable regions to explore the phylogenetic relationships of this genus, two complete cp genomes of buckwheat including Fagopyrum dibotrys (F. dibotrys) and Fagopyrum luojishanense (F. luojishanense) were sequenced, and other two Fagopyrum cp genomes were used for comparative analysis. After morphological analysis, the main difference among these buckwheat were height, leaf shape, seeds and flower type. F. luojishanense was distinguishable from the cultivated species easily. Although the F. dibotrys and two cultivated species has some similarity, they different in habit and component contents. The cp genome of F. dibotrys was 159,320 bp while the F. luojishanense was 159,265 bp. 48 and 61 SSRs were found in F. dibotrys and F. luojishanense respectively. Meanwhile, 10 highly variable regions among these buckwheat species were located precisely. The phylogenetic relationships among four Fagopyrum species based on complete cp genomes was showed. The results suggested that F. dibotrys is more closely related to Fagopyrum tataricum. These data provided valuable genetic information for Fagopyrum species identification, taxonomy, phylogenetic study and molecular breeding.

  7. Taking the First Steps towards a Standard for Reporting on Phylogenies: Minimal Information about a Phylogenetic Analysis (MIAPA)

    PubMed Central

    LEEBENS-MACK, JIM; VISION, TODD; BRENNER, ERIC; BOWERS, JOHN E.; CANNON, STEVEN; CLEMENT, MARK J.; CUNNINGHAM, CLIFFORD W.; dePAMPHILIS, CLAUDE; deSALLE, ROB; DOYLE, JEFF J.; EISEN, JONATHAN A.; GU, XUN; HARSHMAN, JOHN; JANSEN, ROBERT K.; KELLOGG, ELIZABETH A.; KOONIN, EUGENE V.; MISHLER, BRENT D.; PHILIPPE, HERVÉ; PIRES, J. CHRIS; QIU, YIN-LONG; RHEE, SEUNG Y.; SJÖLANDER, KIMMEN; SOLTIS, DOUGLAS E.; SOLTIS, PAMELA S.; STEVENSON, DENNIS W.; WALL, KERR; WARNOW, TANDY; ZMASEK, CHRISTIAN

    2011-01-01

    In the eight years since phylogenomics was introduced as the intersection of genomics and phylogenetics, the field has provided fundamental insights into gene function, genome history and organismal relationships. The utility of phylogenomics is growing with the increase in the number and diversity of taxa for which whole genome and large transcriptome sequence sets are being generated. We assert that the synergy between genomic and phylogenetic perspectives in comparative biology would be enhanced by the development and refinement of minimal reporting standards for phylogenetic analyses. Encouraged by the development of the Minimum Information About a Microarray Experiment (MIAME) standard, we propose a similar roadmap for the development of a Minimal Information About a Phylogenetic Analysis (MIAPA) standard. Key in the successful development and implementation of such a standard will be broad participation by developers of phylogenetic analysis software, phylogenetic database developers, practitioners of phylogenomics, and journal editors. PMID:16901231

  8. From learning taxonomies to phylogenetic learning: integration of 16S rRNA gene data into FAME-based bacterial classification.

    PubMed

    Slabbinck, Bram; Waegeman, Willem; Dawyndt, Peter; De Vos, Paul; De Baets, Bernard

    2010-01-30

    Machine learning techniques have shown to improve bacterial species classification based on fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) data. Nonetheless, FAME analysis has a limited resolution for discrimination of bacteria at the species level. In this paper, we approach the species classification problem from a taxonomic point of view. Such a taxonomy or tree is typically obtained by applying clustering algorithms on FAME data or on 16S rRNA gene data. The knowledge gained from the tree can then be used to evaluate FAME-based classifiers, resulting in a novel framework for bacterial species classification. In view of learning in a taxonomic framework, we consider two types of trees. First, a FAME tree is constructed with a supervised divisive clustering algorithm. Subsequently, based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, phylogenetic trees are inferred by the NJ and UPGMA methods. In this second approach, the species classification problem is based on the combination of two different types of data. Herein, 16S rRNA gene sequence data is used for phylogenetic tree inference and the corresponding binary tree splits are learned based on FAME data. We call this learning approach 'phylogenetic learning'. Supervised Random Forest models are developed to train the classification tasks in a stratified cross-validation setting. In this way, better classification results are obtained for species that are typically hard to distinguish by a single or flat multi-class classification model. FAME-based bacterial species classification is successfully evaluated in a taxonomic framework. Although the proposed approach does not improve the overall accuracy compared to flat multi-class classification, it has some distinct advantages. First, it has better capabilities for distinguishing species on which flat multi-class classification fails. Secondly, the hierarchical classification structure allows to easily evaluate and visualize the resolution of FAME data for the discrimination of bacterial species. Summarized, by phylogenetic learning we are able to situate and evaluate FAME-based bacterial species classification in a more informative context.

  9. Nannochloropsis plastid and mitochondrial phylogenomes reveal organelle diversification mechanism and intragenus phylotyping strategy in microalgae.

    PubMed

    Wei, Li; Xin, Yi; Wang, Dongmei; Jing, Xiaoyan; Zhou, Qian; Su, Xiaoquan; Jia, Jing; Ning, Kang; Chen, Feng; Hu, Qiang; Xu, Jian

    2013-08-05

    Microalgae are promising feedstock for production of lipids, sugars, bioactive compounds and in particular biofuels, yet development of sensitive and reliable phylotyping strategies for microalgae has been hindered by the paucity of phylogenetically closely-related finished genomes. Using the oleaginous eustigmatophyte Nannochloropsis as a model, we assessed current intragenus phylotyping strategies by producing the complete plastid (pt) and mitochondrial (mt) genomes of seven strains from six Nannochloropsis species. Genes on the pt and mt genomes have been highly conserved in content, size and order, strongly negatively selected and evolving at a rate 33% and 66% of nuclear genomes respectively. Pt genome diversification was driven by asymmetric evolution of two inverted repeats (IRa and IRb): psbV and clpC in IRb are highly conserved whereas their counterparts in IRa exhibit three lineage-associated types of structural polymorphism via duplication or disruption of whole or partial genes. In the mt genomes, however, a single evolution hotspot varies in copy-number of a 3.5 Kb-long, cox1-harboring repeat. The organelle markers (e.g., cox1, cox2, psbA, rbcL and rrn16_mt) and nuclear markers (e.g., ITS2 and 18S) that are widely used for phylogenetic analysis obtained a divergent phylogeny for the seven strains, largely due to low SNP density. A new strategy for intragenus phylotyping of microalgae was thus proposed that includes (i) twelve sequence markers that are of higher sensitivity than ITS2 for interspecies phylogenetic analysis, (ii) multi-locus sequence typing based on rps11_mt-nad4, rps3_mt and cox2-rrn16_mt for intraspecies phylogenetic reconstruction and (iii) several SSR loci for identification of strains within a given species. This first comprehensive dataset of organelle genomes for a microalgal genus enabled exhaustive assessment and searches of all candidate phylogenetic markers on the organelle genomes. A new strategy for intragenus phylotyping of microalgae was proposed which might be generally applicable to other microalgal genera and should serve as a valuable tool in the expanding algal biotechnology industry.

  10. From learning taxonomies to phylogenetic learning: Integration of 16S rRNA gene data into FAME-based bacterial classification

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Machine learning techniques have shown to improve bacterial species classification based on fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) data. Nonetheless, FAME analysis has a limited resolution for discrimination of bacteria at the species level. In this paper, we approach the species classification problem from a taxonomic point of view. Such a taxonomy or tree is typically obtained by applying clustering algorithms on FAME data or on 16S rRNA gene data. The knowledge gained from the tree can then be used to evaluate FAME-based classifiers, resulting in a novel framework for bacterial species classification. Results In view of learning in a taxonomic framework, we consider two types of trees. First, a FAME tree is constructed with a supervised divisive clustering algorithm. Subsequently, based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, phylogenetic trees are inferred by the NJ and UPGMA methods. In this second approach, the species classification problem is based on the combination of two different types of data. Herein, 16S rRNA gene sequence data is used for phylogenetic tree inference and the corresponding binary tree splits are learned based on FAME data. We call this learning approach 'phylogenetic learning'. Supervised Random Forest models are developed to train the classification tasks in a stratified cross-validation setting. In this way, better classification results are obtained for species that are typically hard to distinguish by a single or flat multi-class classification model. Conclusions FAME-based bacterial species classification is successfully evaluated in a taxonomic framework. Although the proposed approach does not improve the overall accuracy compared to flat multi-class classification, it has some distinct advantages. First, it has better capabilities for distinguishing species on which flat multi-class classification fails. Secondly, the hierarchical classification structure allows to easily evaluate and visualize the resolution of FAME data for the discrimination of bacterial species. Summarized, by phylogenetic learning we are able to situate and evaluate FAME-based bacterial species classification in a more informative context. PMID:20113515

  11. Dissemination of ST131 and ST393 community-onset, ciprofloxacin-resistant Escherichia coli clones causing urinary tract infections in Korea.

    PubMed

    Lee, Mi Young; Choi, Hyeon Jin; Choi, Ji Young; Song, Minsuk; Song, Yoosuk; Kim, Shin-Woo; Chang, Hyun-Ha; Jung, Sook-In; Kim, Yeon-Sook; Ki, Hyun Kyun; Son, Jun Seong; Kwon, Ki Tae; Heo, Sang Taek; Yeom, Joon-Sup; Shin, Sang Yop; Chung, Doo Ryeon; Peck, Kyong Ran; Song, Jae-Hoon; Ko, Kwan Soo

    2010-02-01

    Ciprofloxacin-resistant Escherichia coli is growing concern in clinical settings. In this study, we investigated the distribution of virulence determinants and phylogenetic groups among community-onset, ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli isolates causing urinary tract infections (UTIs) in Korea. In addition, the evidence of clonal spread in the community was also examined. From November 2006 to August 2007, 543 community-onset E. coli isolates causing UTIs were collected as part of a multicenter surveillance study. In vitro susceptibility testing was performed using broth microdilution method. Distribution of virulence determinants and phylogenetic groupings were examined. In addition, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis was performed. In vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that 154 isolates (28.4%) were ciprofloxacin-resistant. Of these, 129 ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli isolates were further characterized. As a result of phylogenetic subgrouping, we found that phylogenetic subgroup D was the most predominant (46 isolates, 35.7%), followed by B2 (44 isolates, 34.1%), A (21 isolates, 16.3%), and B1 (18 isolates, 14.0%). MLST analysis showed 48 sequence types (STs). The most prevalent ST was ST131 (32 isolates, 24.8%), followed by ST393 (23 isolates, 17.8%). While all ST131 isolates belonged to phylogenetic subgroup B2, which is known to be a highly virulent, all ST393 isolates belonged to subgroup D. ST131 and ST393 showed different profiles of virulence factors; papA, papG allele III, and traT genes were significantly more prevalent in ST131 than in ST393 (p values, <0.001). Based on genotyping, it is suggested that epidemic and virulent ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli clones such as ST131 and ST393 have disseminated in Korea. However, the diversity of CTX-M genes in ST131 isolates may indicate that ESBL genes have been acquired independently or several ESBL-producing, ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli clones may have disseminated in the Korean community. Copyright 2009 The British Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Human T Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 2a Strains Among HIV Type 1-Coinfected Patients from Brazil Have Originated Mostly from Brazilian Amerindians

    PubMed Central

    Magri, Mariana Cavalheiro; Brigido, Luis Fernando de Macedo; Morimoto, Helena Kaminami

    2013-01-01

    Abstract The human T cell lymphotropic virus type 2 (HTLV-2) is found mainly in Amerindians and in intravenous drug users (IDUs) from urban areas of the United States, Europe, and Latin America. Worldwide, HTLV-2a and HTLV-2b subtypes are the most prevalent. Phylogenetic analysis of HTLV-2 isolates from Brazil showed the HTLV-2a subtype, variant -2c, which spread from Indians to the general population and IDUs. The present study searched for the types of HTLV-2 that predominate among HIV-1-coinfected patients from southern and southeastern Brazil. Molecular characterization of the LTR, env, and tax regions of 38 isolates confirmed the HTLV-2c variant in 37 patients, and one HTLV-2b in a patient from Paraguay. Phylogenetic analysis of sequences showed different clades of HTLV-2 associated with risk factors and geographic region. These clades could represent different routes of virus transmission and/or little diverse evolutionary rates of virus. Taking into account the results obtained in the present study and the lack of the prototypic North American HTLV-2a strain and HTLV-2b subtypes commonly detected among HIV-coinfected individuals worldwide, we could speculate on the introduction of Brazilian HTLV-2 strains in such populations before the introduction of HIV. PMID:23484539

  13. Characterization of two pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 isolates in China.

    PubMed

    Awu, Abie; Shao, Meng-yu; Liu, Meng-meng; Hu, Yan-xin; Qin, Zhuo-ming; Tian, Fu-lin; Zhang, Guo-zhong

    2015-01-01

    For over three decades, there has been a continuing panzootic caused by a virulent variant avian paramyxovirus type 1 strain, the so-called pigeon paramyxovirus type 1. It is found primarily in racing pigeons, but it has also spread to wild birds and poultry. In this study, two pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 strains, SD12 and BJ13, obtained from diseased pigeons in China, were characterized. Phylogenetic analysis based on complete sequences allowed characterization of both strains as genotype VI, class II. Further phylogenetic analysis of a 374-nucleotide section of the fusion gene showed that SD12 fell into lineage VIbii-d and BJ13 into VIbii-f. The deduced amino acid sequence of the cleavage site of the fusion protein confirmed that both isolates contained the virulent motif (112)K/RRQKR↓F(117) at the cleavage site. Nevertheless, the values of intracerebral pathogenicity indices showed the SD12 isolate to be a velogenic strain and BJ13 isolate to be a mesogenic strain. The SD12 isolate was further investigated via clinical observation, RNA detection, histopathology and viral serology in experimentally infected 3-week-old chickens. It showed a mild pathological phenotype in chickens, with viral replication restricted to a few tissues. The molecular mechanism for the SD12 isolate to have a virulent motif but low levels of virulence for chickens requires further study.

  14. Phylogenetic Distribution of CRISPR-Cas Systems in Antibiotic-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa

    PubMed Central

    van Belkum, Alex; Soriaga, Leah B.; LaFave, Matthew C.; Akella, Srividya; Veyrieras, Jean-Baptiste; Barbu, E. Magda; Shortridge, Dee; Blanc, Bernadette; Hannum, Gregory; Zambardi, Gilles; Miller, Kristofer; Enright, Mark C.; Mugnier, Nathalie; Brami, Daniel; Schicklin, Stéphane; Felderman, Martina; Schwartz, Ariel S.; Richardson, Toby H.; Peterson, Todd C.; Hubby, Bolyn

    2015-01-01

    ABSTRACT Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an antibiotic-refractory pathogen with a large genome and extensive genotypic diversity. Historically, P. aeruginosa has been a major model system for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying type I clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated protein (CRISPR-Cas)-based bacterial immune system function. However, little information on the phylogenetic distribution and potential role of these CRISPR-Cas systems in molding the P. aeruginosa accessory genome and antibiotic resistance elements is known. Computational approaches were used to identify and characterize CRISPR-Cas systems within 672 genomes, and in the process, we identified a previously unreported and putatively mobile type I-C P. aeruginosa CRISPR-Cas system. Furthermore, genomes harboring noninhibited type I-F and I-E CRISPR-Cas systems were on average ~300 kb smaller than those without a CRISPR-Cas system. In silico analysis demonstrated that the accessory genome (n = 22,036 genes) harbored the majority of identified CRISPR-Cas targets. We also assembled a global spacer library that aided the identification of difficult-to-characterize mobile genetic elements within next-generation sequencing (NGS) data and allowed CRISPR typing of a majority of P. aeruginosa strains. In summary, our analysis demonstrated that CRISPR-Cas systems play an important role in shaping the accessory genomes of globally distributed P. aeruginosa isolates. PMID:26604259

  15. Phylogenetic analysis of honey bee behavioral evolution.

    PubMed

    Raffiudin, Rika; Crozier, Ross H

    2007-05-01

    DNA sequences from three mitochondrial (rrnL, cox2, nad2) and one nuclear gene (itpr) from all 9 known honey bee species (Apis), a 10th possible species, Apis dorsata binghami, and three outgroup species (Bombus terrestris, Melipona bicolor and Trigona fimbriata) were used to infer Apis phylogenetic relationships using Bayesian analysis. The dwarf honey bees were confirmed as basal, and the giant and cavity-nesting species to be monophyletic. All nodes were strongly supported except that grouping Apis cerana with A. nigrocincta. Two thousand post-burnin trees from the phylogenetic analysis were used in a Bayesian comparative analysis to explore the evolution of dance type, nest structure, comb structure and dance sound within Apis. The ancestral honey bee species was inferred with high support to have nested in the open, and to have more likely than not had a silent vertical waggle dance and a single comb. The common ancestor of the giant and cavity-dwelling bees is strongly inferred to have had a buzzing vertical directional dance. All pairwise combinations of characters showed strong association, but the multiple comparisons problem reduces the ability to infer associations between states between characters. Nevertheless, a buzzing dance is significantly associated with cavity-nesting, several vertical combs, and dancing vertically, a horizontal dance is significantly associated with a nest with a single comb wrapped around the support, and open nesting with a single pendant comb and a silent waggle dance.

  16. The Gap Procedure: for the identification of phylogenetic clusters in HIV-1 sequence data.

    PubMed

    Vrbik, Irene; Stephens, David A; Roger, Michel; Brenner, Bluma G

    2015-11-04

    In the context of infectious disease, sequence clustering can be used to provide important insights into the dynamics of transmission. Cluster analysis is usually performed using a phylogenetic approach whereby clusters are assigned on the basis of sufficiently small genetic distances and high bootstrap support (or posterior probabilities). The computational burden involved in this phylogenetic threshold approach is a major drawback, especially when a large number of sequences are being considered. In addition, this method requires a skilled user to specify the appropriate threshold values which may vary widely depending on the application. This paper presents the Gap Procedure, a distance-based clustering algorithm for the classification of DNA sequences sampled from individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Our heuristic algorithm bypasses the need for phylogenetic reconstruction, thereby supporting the quick analysis of large genetic data sets. Moreover, this fully automated procedure relies on data-driven gaps in sorted pairwise distances to infer clusters, thus no user-specified threshold values are required. The clustering results obtained by the Gap Procedure on both real and simulated data, closely agree with those found using the threshold approach, while only requiring a fraction of the time to complete the analysis. Apart from the dramatic gains in computational time, the Gap Procedure is highly effective in finding distinct groups of genetically similar sequences and obviates the need for subjective user-specified values. The clusters of genetically similar sequences returned by this procedure can be used to detect patterns in HIV-1 transmission and thereby aid in the prevention, treatment and containment of the disease.

  17. Phylogenetic Diversity of T4-Type Phages in Sediments from the Subtropical Pearl River Estuary

    PubMed Central

    He, Maoqiu; Cai, Lanlan; Zhang, Chuanlun; Jiao, Nianzhi; Zhang, Rui

    2017-01-01

    Viruses are an abundant and active component of marine sediments and play a significant role in microbial ecology and biogeochemical cycling at local and global scales. To obtain a better understanding of the ecological characteristics of the viriobenthos, the abundance and morphology of viruses and the diversity and community structure of T4-type phages were systematically investigated in the surface sediments of the subtropical Pearl River Estuary (PRE). Viral abundances ranged from 4.49 × 108 to 11.7 × 108 viruses/g and prokaryotic abundances ranged from 2.63 × 108 to 9.55 × 108 cells/g, and both decreased from freshwater to saltwater. Diverse viral morphotypes, including tailed, spherical, filamentous, and rod-shaped viruses, were observed using transmission electron microscopy. Analysis of the major capsid gene (g23) indicated that the sediment T4-type phages were highly diverse and, similar to the trend in viral abundances, their diversity decreased as the salinity increased. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that most of the g23 operational taxonomic units were affiliated with marine, paddy soil, and lake groups. The T4-type phage communities in freshwater and saltwater sediments showed obvious differences, which were related to changes in the Pearl River discharge. The results of this study demonstrated both allochthonous and autochthonous sources of the viral community in the PRE sediments and the movement of certain T4-type viral groups between the freshwater and saline water biomes. PMID:28572798

  18. Comparative ribotyping of Staphylococcus intermedius isolated from members of the Canoidea gives possible evidence for host-specificity and co-evolution of bacteria and hosts.

    PubMed

    Aarestrup, F M

    2001-07-01

    A total of 41 Staphylococcus intermedius isolates were isolated from skin of healthy members of six phylogenetic groups within the Canoidea (the dog family, skunk subfamily, weasel subfamily, racoon family, red panda and bear family) of different geographical origin and compared by EcoRI ribotyping and cluster analysis. The S. intermedius isolates from the different families and subfamilies clustered together in separate groups, almost completely following the phylogenetic relationship of the animal hosts. These ribotype data indicate host-specificity of different types of S. intermedius and suggest co-evolution between the animal hosts within the Canoidea and S. intermedius.

  19. New Genotype of Dengue Type 3 Virus Circulating in Brazil and Colombia Showed a Close Relationship to Old Asian Viruses

    PubMed Central

    Aquino, Victor Hugo; Amarilla, Alberto Anastacio; Alfonso, Helda Liz; Batista, Weber Cheli; Figueiredo, Luiz Tadeu Moraes

    2009-01-01

    Dengue type 3 genotype V viruses have been recently detected in Brazil and Colombia. In this study, we described another Brazilian isolate belonging to this genotype. Phylogenetic analysis including dengue type 3 viruses isolated worldwide showed that Brazilian and Colombian viruses were closely related to viruses isolated in Asia more than two decades ago. The characteristic evolutionary pattern of dengue type 3 virus cannot explain the close similarity of new circulating viruses with old viruses. Further studies are needed to confirm the origin of the new dengue type III genotype circulating in Brazil and Colombia. PMID:19823677

  20. Molecular characterization and phylogenetic relationships among microsporidian isolates infecting silkworm, Bombyx mori using small subunit rRNA (SSU-rRNA) gene sequence analysis.

    PubMed

    Nath, B Surendra; Gupta, S K; Bajpai, A K

    2012-12-01

    The life cycle, spore morphology, pathogenicity, tissue specificity, mode of transmission and small subunit rRNA (SSU-rRNA) gene sequence analysis of the five new microsporidian isolates viz., NIWB-11bp, NIWB-12n, NIWB-13md, NIWB-14b and NIWB-15mb identified from the silkworm, Bombyx mori have been studied along with type species, NIK-1s_mys. The life cycle of the microsporidians identified exhibited the sequential developmental cycles that are similar to the general developmental cycle of the genus, Nosema. The spores showed considerable variations in their shape, length and width. The pathogenicity observed was dose-dependent and differed from each of the microsporidian isolates; the NIWB-15mb was found to be more virulent than other isolates. All of the microsporidians were found to infect most of the tissues examined and showed gonadal infection and transovarial transmission in the infected silkworms. SSU-rRNA sequence based phylogenetic tree placed NIWB-14b, NIWB-12n and NIWB-11bp in a separate branch along with other Nosema species and Nosema bombycis; while NIWB-15mb and NIWB-13md together formed another cluster along with other Nosema species. NIK-1s_mys revealed a signature sequence similar to standard type species, N. bombycis, indicating that NIK-1s_mys is similar to N. bombycis. Based on phylogenetic relationships, branch length information based on genetic distance and nucleotide differences, we conclude that the microsporidian isolates identified are distinctly different from the other known species and belonging to the genus, Nosema. This SSU-rRNA gene sequence analysis method is found to be more useful approach in detecting different and closely related microsporidians of this economically important domestic insect.

  1. Molecular Characterization and Risk Assessment of Bacillus cereus Sensu Lato Isolated from Ultrahigh-Temperature and Pasteurized Milk Marketed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

    PubMed

    Chaves, Jeane Q; de Paiva, Eislaine P; Rabinovitch, Leon; Vivoni, Adriana M

    2017-07-01

    The presence of Bacillus cereus in milk is a major concern in the dairy industry. In this study 27 Bacillus cereus sensu lato isolates from pasteurized and ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) milk (24 whole UHT and 4 pasteurized samples) collected at supermarket chains in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were evaluated to assess the potential risk for food poisoning. Toxigenic and virulence profiles were defined by gene-specific PCR. Affiliation to phylogenetic groups was assigned by panC sequencing. Microbiological analysis revealed the presence of B. cereus s.l. in eight (33.3%) brands (six brands of UHT and two brands of pasteurized milk). Twenty-seven isolates were recovered (13 B. cereus and 14 Bacillus thuringiensis ). Predominant toxigenic patterns were type I (contains all toxin genes except ces) and type II (does not contain cytK and ces), with seven (25.9%) isolates each. Predominant virulence patterns were type 2 (does not contain hlyII or shp) and type 3 (contains all virulence genes), with five (18.5%) isolates each. All isolates belonged to phylogenetic groups III and IV. Presence of hbl, piplc, and sph was associated with group IV isolates. Our results suggest that B. thuringiensis and B. cereus sensu stricto should be considered potential foodborne pathogens. Because the majority of the milk isolates studied have the potential to cause food poisoning because of the high prevalence of toxin and virulence genes and the specific phylogenetic group affiliations, these milk products can be potentially hazardous for human consumption.

  2. Kalapuya brunnea gen. & sp. nov. and its relationship to the other sequestrate genera in Morchellaceae

    Treesearch

    Matthew J. Trappe; James M. Trappe; Gregory M. Bonito

    2010-01-01

    Kalapuya is described as a new, monotypic truffle genus in the Morchellaceae known only from the Pacific northwestern United States. Its relationship to other hypogeous genera within Morchellaceae is explored by phylogenetic analysis of the ribosomal LSU and EFlα protein coding region. The type species, K. brunnea, occurs in...

  3. Whole Genome Sequencing for Genomics-Guided Investigations of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Outbreaks.

    PubMed

    Rusconi, Brigida; Sanjar, Fatemeh; Koenig, Sara S K; Mammel, Mark K; Tarr, Phillip I; Eppinger, Mark

    2016-01-01

    Multi isolate whole genome sequencing (WGS) and typing for outbreak investigations has become a reality in the post-genomics era. We applied this technology to strains from Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreaks. These include isolates from seven North America outbreaks, as well as multiple isolates from the same patient and from different infected individuals in the same household. Customized high-resolution bioinformatics sequence typing strategies were developed to assess the core genome and mobilome plasticity. Sequence typing was performed using an in-house single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) discovery and validation pipeline. Discriminatory power becomes of particular importance for the investigation of isolates from outbreaks in which macrogenomic techniques such as pulse-field gel electrophoresis or multiple locus variable number tandem repeat analysis do not differentiate closely related organisms. We also characterized differences in the phage inventory, allowing us to identify plasticity among outbreak strains that is not detectable at the core genome level. Our comprehensive analysis of the mobilome identified multiple plasmids that have not previously been associated with this lineage. Applied phylogenomics approaches provide strong molecular evidence for exceptionally little heterogeneity of strains within outbreaks and demonstrate the value of intra-cluster comparisons, rather than basing the analysis on archetypal reference strains. Next generation sequencing and whole genome typing strategies provide the technological foundation for genomic epidemiology outbreak investigation utilizing its significantly higher sample throughput, cost efficiency, and phylogenetic relatedness accuracy. These phylogenomics approaches have major public health relevance in translating information from the sequence-based survey to support timely and informed countermeasures. Polymorphisms identified in this work offer robust phylogenetic signals that index both short- and long-term evolution and can complement currently employed typing schemes for outbreak ex- and inclusion, diagnostics, surveillance, and forensic studies.

  4. Whole Genome Sequencing for Genomics-Guided Investigations of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Outbreaks

    PubMed Central

    Rusconi, Brigida; Sanjar, Fatemeh; Koenig, Sara S. K.; Mammel, Mark K.; Tarr, Phillip I.; Eppinger, Mark

    2016-01-01

    Multi isolate whole genome sequencing (WGS) and typing for outbreak investigations has become a reality in the post-genomics era. We applied this technology to strains from Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreaks. These include isolates from seven North America outbreaks, as well as multiple isolates from the same patient and from different infected individuals in the same household. Customized high-resolution bioinformatics sequence typing strategies were developed to assess the core genome and mobilome plasticity. Sequence typing was performed using an in-house single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) discovery and validation pipeline. Discriminatory power becomes of particular importance for the investigation of isolates from outbreaks in which macrogenomic techniques such as pulse-field gel electrophoresis or multiple locus variable number tandem repeat analysis do not differentiate closely related organisms. We also characterized differences in the phage inventory, allowing us to identify plasticity among outbreak strains that is not detectable at the core genome level. Our comprehensive analysis of the mobilome identified multiple plasmids that have not previously been associated with this lineage. Applied phylogenomics approaches provide strong molecular evidence for exceptionally little heterogeneity of strains within outbreaks and demonstrate the value of intra-cluster comparisons, rather than basing the analysis on archetypal reference strains. Next generation sequencing and whole genome typing strategies provide the technological foundation for genomic epidemiology outbreak investigation utilizing its significantly higher sample throughput, cost efficiency, and phylogenetic relatedness accuracy. These phylogenomics approaches have major public health relevance in translating information from the sequence-based survey to support timely and informed countermeasures. Polymorphisms identified in this work offer robust phylogenetic signals that index both short- and long-term evolution and can complement currently employed typing schemes for outbreak ex- and inclusion, diagnostics, surveillance, and forensic studies. PMID:27446025

  5. Taxonomic dissection of the genus Micrococcus: Kocuria gen. nov., Nesterenkonia gen. nov., Kytococcus gen. nov., Dermacoccus gen. nov., and Micrococcus Cohn 1872 gen. emend.

    PubMed

    Stackebrandt, E; Koch, C; Gvozdiak, O; Schumann, P

    1995-10-01

    The results of a phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic analysis of the genus Micrococcus indicated that it is significantly heterogeneous. Except for Micrococcus lylae, no species groups phylogenetically with the type species of the genus, Micrococcus luteus. The other members of the genus form three separate phylogenetic lines which on the basis of chemotaxonomic properties can be assigned to four genera. These genera are the genus Kocuria gen. nov. for Micrococcus roseus, Micrococcus varians, and Micrococcus kristinae, described as Kocuria rosea comb. nov., Kocuria varians comb. nov., and Kocuria kristinae comb. nov., respectively; the genus Nesterenkonia gen. nov. for Micrococcus halobius, described as Nesterenkonia halobia comb. nov.; the genus Nesterenkonia gen. nov. for Micrococcus halobius, described as Nesterenkonia halobia comb. nov.; the genus Dermacoccus gen. nov. for Micrococcus nishinomiyaensis, described as Dermacoccus nishinomiyaensis comb. nov.; and the genus Kytocossus gen. nov. for Micrococcus sedentarius, described as Kytococcus sedentarius comb. nov. M. luteus and M. lylae, which are closely related phylogenetically but differ in some chemotaxonomic properties, are the only species that remain in the genus Micrococcus Cohn 1872. An emended description of the genus Micrococcus is given [corrected].

  6. Bryozoans are returning home: recolonization of freshwater ecosystems inferred from phylogenetic relationships.

    PubMed

    Koletić, Nikola; Novosel, Maja; Rajević, Nives; Franjević, Damjan

    2015-01-01

    Bryozoans are aquatic invertebrates that inhabit all types of aquatic ecosystems. They are small animals that form large colonies by asexual budding. Colonies can reach the size of several tens of centimeters, while individual units within a colony are the size of a few millimeters. Each individual within a colony works as a separate zooid and is genetically identical to each other individual within the same colony. Most freshwater species of bryozoans belong to the Phylactolaemata class, while several species that tolerate brackish water belong to the Gymnolaemata class. Tissue samples for this study were collected in the rivers of Adriatic and Danube basin and in the wetland areas in the continental part of Croatia (Europe). Freshwater and brackish taxons of bryozoans were genetically analyzed for the purpose of creating phylogenetic relationships between freshwater and brackish taxons of the Phylactolaemata and Gymnolaemata classes and determining the role of brackish species in colonizing freshwater and marine ecosystems. Phylogenetic relationships inferred on the genes for 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, COI, and ITS2 region confirmed Phylactolaemata bryozoans as radix bryozoan group. Phylogenetic analysis proved Phylactolaemata bryozoan's close relations with taxons from Phoronida phylum as well as the separation of the Lophopodidae family from other families within the Plumatellida genus. Comparative analysis of existing knowledge about the phylogeny of bryozoans and the expansion of known evolutionary hypotheses is proposed with the model of settlement of marine and freshwater ecosystems by the bryozoans group during their evolutionary past. In this case study, brackish bryozoan taxons represent a link for this ecological phylogenetic hypothesis. Comparison of brackish bryozoan species Lophopus crystallinus and Conopeum seurati confirmed a dual colonization of freshwater ecosystems throughout evolution of this group of animals.

  7. Recent outbreak of aseptic meningitis in Italy due to Echovirus 30 and phylogenetic relationship with other European circulating strains.

    PubMed

    Milia, Maria Grazia; Cerutti, Francesco; Gregori, Gabriella; Burdino, Elisa; Allice, Tiziano; Ruggiero, Tina; Proia, Maria; De Rosa, Giulia; Enrico, Eugenia; Lipani, Filippo; Di Perri, Giovanni; Ghisetti, Valeria

    2013-11-01

    Enteroviruses (EVs) are common human viral pathogens, causing a variety of diseases, including aseptic meningitis. Recently, EV aseptic meningitis outbreaks have been reported across Europe, but, in Italy, knowledge of recent EV molecular epidemiology is very limited. We report an outbreak of EV aseptic meningitis in 10 adults in North-Western Italy, from October to November 2012. Patients were parents or close relatives of children <5 years old attending the same class of a nursery school, suffering from a mild febrile upper respiratory disease. Phylogenetic relationship with other European circulating strains was analyzed updating E30 circulation in Italy in recent years. EVs were detected from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens with a real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and virus isolation was achieved from rectal and pharyngeal swabs. For cluster definition and phylogenetic studies, viral VP1 region was directly amplified and sequenced from CSF. EVs were identified in CSF from all patients and from rectal and pharyngeal swabs in 7 of them. Direct sequencing of CSF revealed the presence of the same Echovirus 30 (E30) in all patients and phylogenetic analysis identified it as a diverging clade within E30 genotype VII, the most recent strain circulating in UK, Finland and Denmark since 2006. Molecular techniques allowed the rapid identification and typing of E30 from CSF. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the cluster might be due to a new E30 variant within the genotype VII currently circulating in Europe, thus updating the epidemiology of EV circulation in Italy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. The 'temporal effect' in hominids: Reinvestigating the nature of support for a chimp-human clade in bone morphology.

    PubMed

    Pearson, Alannah; Groves, Colin; Cardini, Andrea

    2015-11-01

    In 2004, an analysis by Lockwood and colleagues of hard-tissue morphology, using geometric morphometrics on the temporal bone, succeeded in recovering the correct phylogeny of living hominids without resorting to potentially problematic methods for transforming continuous shape variables into meristic characters. That work has increased hope that by using modern analytical methods and phylogenetically informative anatomical data we might one day be able to accurately infer the relationships of hominins, including the closest extinct relatives of modern humans. In the present study, using 3D virtually generated models of the hominid temporal bone and a larger suite of geometric morphometric and comparative techniques, we have re-examined the evidence for a Pan-Homo clade. Despite differences in samples, as well as the type of raw data, the effect of measurement error (and especially landmark digitization by a different operator), but also a broader perspective brought in by our diverse set of approaches, our reanalysis largely supports Lockwood and colleagues' original results. However, by focusing not only mainly on shape (as in the original 2004 analysis) but also on size and 'size-corrected' (non-allometric) shape, we demonstrate that the strong phylogenetic signal in the temporal bone is largely related to similarities in size. Thus, with this study, we are not suggesting the use of a single 'character', such as size, for phylogenetic inference, but we do challenge the common view that shape, with its highly complex and multivariate nature, is necessarily more phylogenetically informative than size and that actually size and size-related shape variation (i.e., allometry) confound phylogenetic inference based on morphology. This perspective may in fact be less generalizable than often believed. Thus, while we confirm the original findings by Lockwood et al., we provide a deep reinterpretation of their nature and potential implications for hominid phylogenetics and we show how crucial it is not to overlook size in geometric morphometric analyses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Geovibrio ferrireducens, a phylogenetically distinct dissimilatory Fe(III)-reducing bacterium

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Caccavo, F.; Coates, J.D.; Rossello-Mora, R. A.; Ludwig, W.; Schleifer, K.H.; Lovley, D.R.; McInerney, M.J.

    1996-01-01

    A new, phylogenetically distinct, dissimilatory, Fe(III)-reducing bacterium was isolated from surface sediment of a hydrocarbon-contaminated ditch. The isolate, designated strain PAL-1, was an obligately anaerobic, non-fermentative, motile, gram-negative vibrio. PAL-1 grew in a defined medium with acetate as electron donor and ferric pyrophosphate, ferric oxyhydroxide, ferric citrate, Co(III)-EDTA, or elemental sulfur as sole electron acceptor. PAL-1 also used proline, hydrogen, lactate, propionate, succinate, fumarate, pyruvate, or yeast extract as electron donors for Fe(III) reduction. It is the first bacterium known to couple the oxidation of an amino acid to Fe(III) reduction. PAI-1 did not reduce oxygen, Mn(IV), U(VI), Cr(VI), nitrate, sulfate, sulfite, or thiosulfate with acetate as the electron donor. Cell suspensions of PAL-1 exhibited dithionite-reduced minus air-oxidized difference spectra that were characteristic of c-type cytochromes. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of PAL-1 showed that the strain is not related to any of the described metal-reducing bacteria in the Proteobacteria and, together with Flexistipes sinusarabici, forms a separate line of descent within the Bacteria. Phenotypically and phylogenetically, strain PAI-1 differs from all other described bacteria, and represents the type strain of a new genus and species. Geovibrio ferrireducens.

  10. Phylogenetics of modern birds in the era of genomics

    PubMed Central

    Edwards, Scott V; Bryan Jennings, W; Shedlock, Andrew M

    2005-01-01

    In the 14 years since the first higher-level bird phylogenies based on DNA sequence data, avian phylogenetics has witnessed the advent and maturation of the genomics era, the completion of the chicken genome and a suite of technologies that promise to add considerably to the agenda of avian phylogenetics. In this review, we summarize current approaches and data characteristics of recent higher-level bird studies and suggest a number of as yet untested molecular and analytical approaches for the unfolding tree of life for birds. A variety of comparative genomics strategies, including adoption of objective quality scores for sequence data, analysis of contiguous DNA sequences provided by large-insert genomic libraries, and the systematic use of retroposon insertions and other rare genomic changes all promise an integrated phylogenetics that is solidly grounded in genome evolution. The avian genome is an excellent testing ground for such approaches because of the more balanced representation of single-copy and repetitive DNA regions than in mammals. Although comparative genomics has a number of obvious uses in avian phylogenetics, its application to large numbers of taxa poses a number of methodological and infrastructural challenges, and can be greatly facilitated by a ‘community genomics’ approach in which the modest sequencing throughputs of single PI laboratories are pooled to produce larger, complementary datasets. Although the polymerase chain reaction era of avian phylogenetics is far from complete, the comparative genomics era—with its ability to vastly increase the number and type of molecular characters and to provide a genomic context for these characters—will usher in a host of new perspectives and opportunities for integrating genome evolution and avian phylogenetics. PMID:16024355

  11. Identification of extensive drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains: New clone ST1725 and high-risk clone ST233

    PubMed Central

    Aguilar-Rodea, Pamela; Zúñiga, Gerardo; Rodríguez-Espino, Benjamín Antonio; Olivares Cervantes, Alma Lidia; Gamiño Arroyo, Ana Estela; Moreno-Espinosa, Sarbelio; de la Rosa Zamboni, Daniela; López Martínez, Briceida; Castellanos-Cruz, María del Carmen; Parra-Ortega, Israel; Jiménez Rojas, Verónica Leticia; Vigueras Galindo, Juan Carlos; Velázquez-Guadarrama, Norma

    2017-01-01

    Several microorganisms produce nosocomial infections (NIs), among which Pseudomonas aeruginosa stands out as an opportunist pathogen with the capacity to develop multiresistance to first-choice antibiotics. From 2007 to 2013, forty-six NIs produced by P. aeruginosa were detected at a pediatric tertiary care hospital in Mexico with a significant mortality rate (17.39%). All isolates (n = 58/46 patients) were characterized by evaluating their response to several antibiotics as panresistant (PDR), extensively resistant (XDR), multiresistant (MDR) or sensitive (S). In addition, all isolates were typified through multilocus sequencing of seven genes: acsA, aroE, guaA, mutL, nuoD, ppsA and trpE. Furthermore, to establish the genetic relationships among these isolates, we carried out a phylogenetic inference analysis using maximum likelihood to construct a phylogenetic network. To assess evolutionary parameters, recombination was evaluated using the PHI test, and the ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitutions was determined. Two of the strains were PDR (ST1725); 42 were XDR; four were MDR; and ten were S. Twenty-one new sequence types were detected. Thirty-three strains exhibited novel sequence type ST1725. The ratio of nonsynonym to synonym substitutions was 1:1 considering all genes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the genetic relationship of the PDR, XDR and MDR strains was mainly clonal; however, the PHI test and the phylogenetic network suggest that recombination events occurred to produce a non-clonal population. This study aimed not only to determine the genetic diversity of clinical P. aeruginosa but also to provide a warning regarding the identification and spreading of clone ST1725, its ability to cause outbreaks with high mortality rates, and to remain in the hospital environment for over seven years. These characteristics highlight the need to identify clonal outbreaks, especially where high resistance to most antibiotics is observed, and control measures are needed. This study also represents the first report of the PDR ST1725. PMID:28253282

  12. Conformation of phylogenetic relationship of Penaeidae shrimp based on morphometric and molecular investigations.

    PubMed

    Rajakumaran, P; Vaseeharan, B; Jayakumar, R; Chidambara, R

    2014-01-01

    Understanding of accurate phylogenetic relationship among Penaeidae shrimp is important for academic and fisheries industry. The Morphometric and Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was used to make the phylogenetic relationsip among 13 Penaeidae shrimp. For morphometric analysis forty variables and total lengths of shrimp were measured for each species, and removed the effect of size variation. The size normalized values obtained was subjected to UPGMA (Unweighted Pair-Group Method with Arithmetic Mean) cluster analysis. For RAPD analysis, the four primers showed reliable differentiation between species, and used correlation coefficient between the DNA banding patterns of 13 Penaeidae species to construct UPGMA dendrogram. Phylogenetic relationship from morphometric and molecular analysis for Penaeidae species found to be congruent. We concluded that as the results from morphometry investigations concur with molecular one, phylogenetic relationship obtained for the studied Penaeidae are considered to be reliable.

  13. Interferon-gamma of the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca): complementary DNA cloning, expression, and phylogenetic analysis.

    PubMed

    Tao, Yaqiong; Zeng, Bo; Xu, Liu; Yue, Bisong; Yang, Dong; Zou, Fangdong

    2010-01-01

    Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) is the only member of type II IFN and is vital in the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses. Herein we report the cloning, expression, and sequence analysis of IFN-gamma from the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). The open reading frame of this gene is 501 base pair in length and encodes a polypeptide consisting of 166 amino acids. All conserved N-linked glycosylation sites and cysteine residues among carnivores were found in the predicted amino acid sequence of the giant panda. Recombinant giant panda IFN-gamma with a V5 epitope and polyhistidine tag was expressed in HEK293 host cells and confirmed by Western blotting. Phylogenetic analysis of mammalian IFN-gamma-coding sequences indicated that the giant panda IFN-gamma was closest to that of carnivores, then to ungulates and dolphin, and shared a distant relationship with mouse and human. These results represent a first step into the study of IFN-gamma in giant panda.

  14. Actinomyces timonensis sp. nov., isolated from a human clinical osteo-articular sample.

    PubMed

    Renvoise, Aurélie; Raoult, Didier; Roux, Véronique

    2010-07-01

    Gram-positive, non-spore-forming rods were isolated from a human osteo-articular sample (strain 7400942(T)). Based on cellular morphology and the results of biochemical analysis, this strain was tentatively identified as a novel species of the genus Actinomyces. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons showed that the bacterium was closely related to the type strain of Actinomyces denticolens (96.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). A comparison of biochemical traits showed that strain 7400942(T) was distinct from A. denticolens in a number of characteristics, i.e. in contrast with A. denticolens, strain 7400942(T) was negative for nitrate reduction and for beta-galactosidase, alpha-glucosidase and alanine arylamidase activities, it was positive for acid production from N-acetylglucosamine, melezitose and glycogen, and it was negative for acid production from turanose. Matrix-assisted laser-desorption/ionization time-of-flight MS protein analysis confirmed that strain 7400942(T) represents a novel species, as scores obtained for its spectra were significant (>2.2) only with strain 7400942(T). On the basis of phenotypic data and phylogenetic inference, it is proposed that this strain should be designated Actinomyces timonensis sp. nov.; the type strain is strain 7400942(T) (=CSUR P35(T)=CCUG 55928(T)).

  15. Pantoea allii sp. nov., isolated from onion plants and seed.

    PubMed

    Brady, Carrie L; Goszczynska, Teresa; Venter, Stephanus N; Cleenwerck, Ilse; De Vos, Paul; Gitaitis, Ronald D; Coutinho, Teresa A

    2011-04-01

    Eight yellow-pigmented, Gram-negative, rod-shaped, oxidase-negative, motile, facultatively anaerobic bacteria were isolated from onion seed in South Africa and from an onion plant exhibiting centre rot symptoms in the USA. The isolates were assigned to the genus Pantoea on the basis of phenotypic and biochemical tests. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA), based on gyrB, rpoB, infB and atpD sequences, confirmed the allocation of the isolates to the genus Pantoea. MLSA further indicated that the isolates represented a novel species, which was phylogenetically most closely related to Pantoea ananatis and Pantoea stewartii. Amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis also placed the isolates into a cluster separate from P. ananatis and P. stewartii. Compared with type strains of species of the genus Pantoea that showed >97 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with strain BD 390(T), the isolates exhibited 11-55 % whole-genome DNA-DNA relatedness, which confirmed the classification of the isolates in a novel species. The most useful phenotypic characteristics for the differentiation of the isolates from their closest phylogenetic neighbours are production of acid from amygdalin and utilization of adonitol and sorbitol. A novel species, Pantoea allii sp. nov., is proposed, with type strain BD 390(T) ( = LMG 24248(T)).

  16. Divergent nuclear 18S rDNA paralogs in a turkey coccidium, Eimeria meleagrimitis, complicate molecular systematics and identification.

    PubMed

    El-Sherry, Shiem; Ogedengbe, Mosun E; Hafeez, Mian A; Barta, John R

    2013-07-01

    Multiple 18S rDNA sequences were obtained from two single-oocyst-derived lines of each of Eimeria meleagrimitis and Eimeria adenoeides. After analysing the 15 new 18S rDNA sequences from two lines of E. meleagrimitis and 17 new sequences from two lines of E. adenoeides, there were clear indications that divergent, paralogous 18S rDNA copies existed within the nuclear genome of E. meleagrimitis. In contrast, mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) partial sequences from all lines of a particular Eimeria sp. were identical and, in phylogenetic analyses, COI sequences clustered unambiguously in monophyletic and highly-supported clades specific to individual Eimeria sp. Phylogenetic analysis of the new 18S rDNA sequences from E. meleagrimitis showed that they formed two distinct clades: Type A with four new sequences; and Type B with nine new sequences; both Types A and B sequences were obtained from each of the single-oocyst-derived lines of E. meleagrimitis. Together these rDNA types formed a well-supported E. meleagrimitis clade. Types A and B 18S rDNA sequences from E. meleagrimitis had a mean sequence identity of only 97.4% whereas mean sequence identity within types was 99.1-99.3%. The observed intraspecific sequence divergence among E. meleagrimitis 18S rDNA sequence types was even higher (approximately 2.6%) than the interspecific sequence divergence present between some well-recognized species such as Eimeria tenella and Eimeria necatrix (1.1%). Our observations suggest that, unlike COI sequences, 18S rDNA sequences are not reliable molecular markers to be used alone for species identification with coccidia, although 18S rDNA sequences have clear utility for phylogenetic reconstruction of apicomplexan parasites at the genus and higher taxonomic ranks. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. [Identification of Hydrocarbon-Oxidizing Dietzia Bacteria from Petroleum Reservoirs Based on Phenotypic Properties and Analysis of the 16S rRNA and gyrB Genes].

    PubMed

    Nazina, T N; Shumkova, E S; Sokolova, D Sh; Babich, T L; Zhurina, M V; Xue, Yan-Fen; Osipov, G A; Poltaraus, A B; Tourova, T P

    2015-01-01

    The taxonomic position of hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacterial strains 263 and 32d isolated from formation water of the Daqing petroleum reservoir (PRC) was determined by polyphasic taxonomy techniques, including analysis of the 16S rRNA and the gyrB genes. The major chemotaxonomic characteristics of both strains, including the IV type cell wall, composition of cell wall fatty acids, mycolic acids, and menaquinones, agreed with those typical of Dietzia strains. The DNA G+C content of strains 263 and 32d were 67.8 and 67.6 mol%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene of strain 32d revealed 99.7% similarity to the gene of D. maris, making it possible to identify strain 32d as belonging to this species. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain 263 exhibited 99.7 and 99.9% similarity to those of D. natronolimnaea and D. cercidiphylli YIM65002(T), respectively. Analysis of the gyrB genes of the subterranean isolates and of a number of Dietzia type strains confirmed classiffication of strain 32d as a D. maris strain and of strain 263, as a D. natronolimnaea strain. A conclusion was made concerning higher resolving power of phylogenetic analysis of the gyrB gene compared to the 16S rRNA gene analysis in the case of determination of the species position of Dietzia isolates.

  18. [Phylogenetic diversity of airborne microbes in Qingdao downtown in autumn].

    PubMed

    Wang, Lin; Song, Zhi-wen; Xu, Ai-ling; Wu, Deng-deng; Xia, Yan

    2015-04-01

    To determine the community structure of airborne microbes in Qingdao downtown in autumn, the airborne bacteria and fungi were collected by the KC-6120 air sampler and analyzed using the 16S/18S rDNA gene clone library method. Phylogenetic analysis of airborne bacteria showed that they belonged to six major phylogenetic groups: Proteobacteria (78. 8%), Firmicutes (14.6%), Actinobacteria (4.0%), Planctomycetes (1.3%), Cyanobacteria (0.7%), and Deinococcus-Thermus (0.7%). The dominant genera of airborne bacteria included Acinetobacter (39.7%), Staphylococcus (11.3%), Sphingomonas (8.6%), Paracoccus (6.0%) and Massilia (5.3%). The main types of airborne fungi were Ascomycota (97.5%) and Basidiomycota (2.5%). Dominant genera of airborne fungi included Pyrenophora (76.5%), Xylaria (13.6%) and Exophiala (2.5%). The pathogens or conditioned pathogens, such as Acinetobacter, Staphylococcus, or Sphingomonas were detected in the airborne bacteria, whereas certain kinds of fungi, such as P. graminea, X. hypoxylon and Zasmidium angulare that could cause a variety of crop diseases were also detected.

  19. Phylogenetic relationships of Hemiptera inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear genes.

    PubMed

    Song, Nan; Li, Hu; Cai, Wanzhi; Yan, Fengming; Wang, Jianyun; Song, Fan

    2016-11-01

    Here, we reconstructed the Hemiptera phylogeny based on the expanded mitochondrial protein-coding genes and the nuclear 18S rRNA gene, separately. The differential rates of change across lineages may associate with long-branch attraction (LBA) effect and result in conflicting estimates of phylogeny from different types of data. To reduce the potential effects of systematic biases on inferences of topology, various data coding schemes, site removal method, and different algorithms were utilized in phylogenetic reconstruction. We show that the outgroups Phthiraptera, Thysanoptera, and the ingroup Sternorrhyncha share similar base composition, and exhibit "long branches" relative to other hemipterans. Thus, the long-branch attraction between these groups is suspected to cause the failure of recovering Hemiptera under the homogeneous model. In contrast, a monophyletic Hemiptera is supported when heterogeneous model is utilized in the analysis. Although higher level phylogenetic relationships within Hemiptera remain to be answered, consensus between analyses is beginning to converge on a stable phylogeny.

  20. Gene Scanning of an Internalin B Gene Fragment Using High-Resolution Melting Curve Analysis as a Tool for Rapid Typing of Listeria monocytogenes

    PubMed Central

    Pietzka, Ariane T.; Stöger, Anna; Huhulescu, Steliana; Allerberger, Franz; Ruppitsch, Werner

    2011-01-01

    The ability to accurately track Listeria monocytogenes strains involved in outbreaks is essential for control and prevention of listeriosis. Because current typing techniques are time-consuming, cost-intensive, technically demanding, and difficult to standardize, we developed a rapid and cost-effective method for typing of L. monocytogenes. In all, 172 clinical L. monocytogenes isolates and 20 isolates from culture collections were typed by high-resolution melting (HRM) curve analysis of a specific locus of the internalin B gene (inlB). All obtained HRM curve profiles were verified by sequence analysis. The 192 tested L. monocytogenes isolates yielded 15 specific HRM curve profiles. Sequence analysis revealed that these 15 HRM curve profiles correspond to 18 distinct inlB sequence types. The HRM curve profiles obtained correlated with the five phylogenetic groups I.1, I.2, II.1, II.2, and III. Thus, HRM curve analysis constitutes an inexpensive assay and represents an improvement in typing relative to classical serotyping or multiplex PCR typing protocols. This method provides a rapid and powerful screening tool for simultaneous preliminary typing of up to 384 samples in approximately 2 hours. PMID:21227395

  1. Change in phylogenetic community structure during succession of traditionally managed tropical rainforest in southwest China.

    PubMed

    Mo, Xiao-Xue; Shi, Ling-Ling; Zhang, Yong-Jiang; Zhu, Hua; Slik, J W Ferry

    2013-01-01

    Tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia are facing increasing and ever more intense human disturbance that often negatively affects biodiversity. The aim of this study was to determine how tree species phylogenetic diversity is affected by traditional forest management types and to understand the change in community phylogenetic structure during succession. Four types of forests with different management histories were selected for this purpose: old growth forests, understorey planted old growth forests, old secondary forests (∼200-years after slash and burn), and young secondary forests (15-50-years after slash and burn). We found that tree phylogenetic community structure changed from clustering to over-dispersion from early to late successional forests and finally became random in old-growth forest. We also found that the phylogenetic structure of the tree overstorey and understorey responded differentially to change in environmental conditions during succession. In addition, we show that slash and burn agriculture (swidden cultivation) can increase landscape level plant community evolutionary information content.

  2. Change in Phylogenetic Community Structure during Succession of Traditionally Managed Tropical Rainforest in Southwest China

    PubMed Central

    Mo, Xiao-Xue; Shi, Ling-Ling; Zhang, Yong-Jiang; Zhu, Hua; Slik, J. W. Ferry

    2013-01-01

    Tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia are facing increasing and ever more intense human disturbance that often negatively affects biodiversity. The aim of this study was to determine how tree species phylogenetic diversity is affected by traditional forest management types and to understand the change in community phylogenetic structure during succession. Four types of forests with different management histories were selected for this purpose: old growth forests, understorey planted old growth forests, old secondary forests (∼200-years after slash and burn), and young secondary forests (15–50-years after slash and burn). We found that tree phylogenetic community structure changed from clustering to over-dispersion from early to late successional forests and finally became random in old-growth forest. We also found that the phylogenetic structure of the tree overstorey and understorey responded differentially to change in environmental conditions during succession. In addition, we show that slash and burn agriculture (swidden cultivation) can increase landscape level plant community evolutionary information content. PMID:23936268

  3. Phylogeny of the Asian spiny frog tribe Paini (Family Dicroglossidae) sensu Dubois.

    PubMed

    Che, Jing; Hu, Jian-sheng; Zhou, Wei-wei; Murphy, Robert W; Papenfuss, Theodore J; Chen, Ming-yong; Rao, Ding-qi; Li, Pi-peng; Zhang, Ya-ping

    2009-01-01

    The anuran tribe Paini, family Dicroglossidae, is known in this group only from Asia. The phylogenetic relationships and often the taxonomic recognition of species are controversial. In order to stabilize the classification, we used approximately 2100 bp of nuclear (rhodopsin, tyrosinase) and mitochondrial (12S, 16S rRNA) DNA sequence data to infer the phylogenetic relationships of these frogs. Phylogenetic trees reconstructed using Bayesian inference and maximum parsimony methods supported a monophyletic tribe Paini. Two distinct groups (I,II) were recovered with the mtDNA alone and the total concatenated data (mtDNA+nuDNA). The recognition of two genera, Quasipaa and Nanorana, was supported. Group I, Quasipaa, is widespread east of the Hengduan Mountain Ranges and consists of taxa from relatively low elevations in southern China, Vietnam and Laos. Group II, Nanorana, contains a mix of species occurring from high to low elevation predominantly in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and Hengduan Mountain Ranges. The occurrence of frogs at high elevations appears to be a derived ecological condition. The composition of some major species groups based on morphological characteristics strongly conflicts with the molecular analysis. Some possible cryptic species are indicated by the molecular analyses. The incorporation of genetic data from type localities helped to resolve some of the taxonomic problems, although further combined analyses of morphological data from type specimens are required. The two nuDNA gene segments proved to be very informative for resolving higher phylogenetic relationships and more nuclear data should be explored to be more confident in the relationships.

  4. The Interplay between Environmental Filtering and Spatial Processes in Structuring Communities: The Case of Neotropical Snake Communities

    PubMed Central

    Cavalheri, Hamanda; Both, Camila; Martins, Marcio

    2015-01-01

    Both habitat filters and spatial processes can influence community structure. Space alone affects species immigration from the regional species pool, whereas habitat filters affect species distribution and inter-specific interactions. This study aimed to understand how the interplay between environmental and geographical processes influenced the structure of Neotropical snake communities in different habitat types. We selected six studies that sampled snakes in forests, four conducted in savannas and two in grasslands (the latter two are grouped in a non-forest category). We used the net relatedness and nearest taxon indices to assess phylogenetic structure within forest and non-forest areas. We also used the phylogenetic fuzzy-weighting algorithm to characterize phylogenetic structure across communities and the relation of phylogenetic composition patterns to habitat type, structure, and latitude. Finally, we tested for morphological trait convergence and phylogenetic niche conservatism using four forest and four non-forest areas for which morphological data were available. Community phylogenetic composition changed across forest and non-forest areas suggesting that environmental filtering influences community structure. Species traits were affected by habitat type, indicating convergence at the metacommunity level. Tail length, robustness, and number of ventral scales maximized community convergence among forest and non-forest areas. The observed patterns suggested environmental filtering, indicating that less vertically structured habitats represent a strong filter. Despite the fact that phylogenetic structure was not detected individually for each community, we observed a trend towards communities composed by more closely related species in higher latitudes and more overdispersed compositions in lower latitudes. Such pattern suggests that the limited distribution of major snake lineages constrained species distributions. Structure indices for each community were also related to habitat type, showing that communities from non-forest areas tend to be more clustered. Our study showed that both environmental filtering and spatial gradients play important roles in shaping the composition of Neotropical snake communities. PMID:26061038

  5. The Interplay between Environmental Filtering and Spatial Processes in Structuring Communities: The Case of Neotropical Snake Communities.

    PubMed

    Cavalheri, Hamanda; Both, Camila; Martins, Marcio

    2015-01-01

    Both habitat filters and spatial processes can influence community structure. Space alone affects species immigration from the regional species pool, whereas habitat filters affect species distribution and inter-specific interactions. This study aimed to understand how the interplay between environmental and geographical processes influenced the structure of Neotropical snake communities in different habitat types. We selected six studies that sampled snakes in forests, four conducted in savannas and two in grasslands (the latter two are grouped in a non-forest category). We used the net relatedness and nearest taxon indices to assess phylogenetic structure within forest and non-forest areas. We also used the phylogenetic fuzzy-weighting algorithm to characterize phylogenetic structure across communities and the relation of phylogenetic composition patterns to habitat type, structure, and latitude. Finally, we tested for morphological trait convergence and phylogenetic niche conservatism using four forest and four non-forest areas for which morphological data were available. Community phylogenetic composition changed across forest and non-forest areas suggesting that environmental filtering influences community structure. Species traits were affected by habitat type, indicating convergence at the metacommunity level. Tail length, robustness, and number of ventral scales maximized community convergence among forest and non-forest areas. The observed patterns suggested environmental filtering, indicating that less vertically structured habitats represent a strong filter. Despite the fact that phylogenetic structure was not detected individually for each community, we observed a trend towards communities composed by more closely related species in higher latitudes and more overdispersed compositions in lower latitudes. Such pattern suggests that the limited distribution of major snake lineages constrained species distributions. Structure indices for each community were also related to habitat type, showing that communities from non-forest areas tend to be more clustered. Our study showed that both environmental filtering and spatial gradients play important roles in shaping the composition of Neotropical snake communities.

  6. treespace: Statistical exploration of landscapes of phylogenetic trees.

    PubMed

    Jombart, Thibaut; Kendall, Michelle; Almagro-Garcia, Jacob; Colijn, Caroline

    2017-11-01

    The increasing availability of large genomic data sets as well as the advent of Bayesian phylogenetics facilitates the investigation of phylogenetic incongruence, which can result in the impossibility of representing phylogenetic relationships using a single tree. While sometimes considered as a nuisance, phylogenetic incongruence can also reflect meaningful biological processes as well as relevant statistical uncertainty, both of which can yield valuable insights in evolutionary studies. We introduce a new tool for investigating phylogenetic incongruence through the exploration of phylogenetic tree landscapes. Our approach, implemented in the R package treespace, combines tree metrics and multivariate analysis to provide low-dimensional representations of the topological variability in a set of trees, which can be used for identifying clusters of similar trees and group-specific consensus phylogenies. treespace also provides a user-friendly web interface for interactive data analysis and is integrated alongside existing standards for phylogenetics. It fills a gap in the current phylogenetics toolbox in R and will facilitate the investigation of phylogenetic results. © 2017 The Authors. Molecular Ecology Resources Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. First molecular characterization of canine parvovirus strains in Sardinia, Italy.

    PubMed

    Dei Giudici, S; Cubeddu, T; Giagu, A; Sanna, G; Rocca, S; Oggiano, A

    2017-11-01

    Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) is responsible of acute hemorrhagic gastroenteritis in young dogs. CPV-2 emerged in 1978 in the USA, but new antigenic types, CPV-2a, 2b and 2c, have completely replaced the original type. In this study, we analyzed 81 animals collected in Sardinia, Italy. The VP2 sequence analysis of 27 positive samples showed that all antigenic CPV-2 types are circulating. CPV-2b seems to be the most widespread variant, followed by CPV-2a. Furthermore, 12 CPV-2b strains displayed further amino acid substitutions and formed a separate cluster in a phylogenetic tree, indicating regional genetic variation.

  8. Molecular typing of Trichomonas vaginalis isolates by actin gene sequence analysis and carriage of T. vaginalis viruses.

    PubMed

    Masha, Simon C; Cools, Piet; Crucitti, Tania; Sanders, Eduard J; Vaneechoutte, Mario

    2017-10-30

    The protozoan parasite Trichomonas vaginalis is the most common non-viral, sexually transmitted pathogen. Although T. vaginalis is highly prevalent among women in Kenya, there is lack of data regarding genetic diversity of isolates currently in circulation in Kenya. Typing was performed on 22 clinical isolates of T. vaginalis collected from women attending the antenatal care clinic at Kilifi County Hospital, Kenya, in 2015. Genotyping followed a previously proposed restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) scheme, which involved in silico cleavage of the amplified actin gene by HindII, MseI and RsaI restriction enzymes. Phylogenetic analysis of all the sequences was performed to confirm the results obtained by RFLP-analysis and to assess the diversity within the RFLP genotypes. Additionally, we determined carriage of the four different types of Trichomonas vaginalis viruses (TVVs) by polymerase chain reaction. In silico RFLP-analysis revealed five actin genotypes; 50.0% of the isolates were of actin genotype E, 27.3% of actin genotype N, 13.6% of actin genotype G and 4.5% of actin genotypes I and P. Phylogenetic analysis was in agreement with the RFLP-analysis, with the different actin genotypes clustering together. Prevalence of TVVs was 43.5% (95% confidence interval, CI: 23.2-65.5). TVV1 was the most prevalent, present in 39.1% of the strains and 90% of the T. vaginalis isolates which harbored TVVs had more than one type of TVV. None of the isolates of actin genotype E harbored any TVV. The presence of five actin genotypes in our study suggests notable diversity among T. vaginalis isolates occurring among pregnant women in Kilifi, Kenya. Isolates of the most prevalent actin genotype E lacked TVVs. We found no association between T. vaginalis genotype, carriage of TVVs and symptoms. Further studies with higher number of strains should be conducted in order to corroborate these results.

  9. Discrimination of multilocus sequence typing-based Campylobacter jejuni subgroups by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Zautner, Andreas Erich; Masanta, Wycliffe Omurwa; Tareen, Abdul Malik; Weig, Michael; Lugert, Raimond; Groß, Uwe; Bader, Oliver

    2013-11-07

    Campylobacter jejuni, the most common bacterial pathogen causing gastroenteritis, shows a wide genetic diversity. Previously, we demonstrated by the combination of multi locus sequence typing (MLST)-based UPGMA-clustering and analysis of 16 genetic markers that twelve different C. jejuni subgroups can be distinguished. Among these are two prominent subgroups. The first subgroup contains the majority of hyperinvasive strains and is characterized by a dimeric form of the chemotaxis-receptor Tlp7(m+c). The second has an extended amino acid metabolism and is characterized by the presence of a periplasmic asparaginase (ansB) and gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase (ggt). Phyloproteomic principal component analysis (PCA) hierarchical clustering of MALDI-TOF based intact cell mass spectrometry (ICMS) spectra was able to group particular C. jejuni subgroups of phylogenetic related isolates in distinct clusters. Especially the aforementioned Tlp7(m+c)(+) and ansB+/ ggt+ subgroups could be discriminated by PCA. Overlay of ICMS spectra of all isolates led to the identification of characteristic biomarker ions for these specific C. jejuni subgroups. Thus, mass peak shifts can be used to identify the C. jejuni subgroup with an extended amino acid metabolism. Although the PCA hierarchical clustering of ICMS-spectra groups the tested isolates into a different order as compared to MLST-based UPGMA-clustering, the isolates of the indicator-groups form predominantly coherent clusters. These clusters reflect phenotypic aspects better than phylogenetic clustering, indicating that the genes corresponding to the biomarker ions are phylogenetically coupled to the tested marker genes. Thus, PCA clustering could be an additional tool for analyzing the relatedness of bacterial isolates.

  10. Lactobacillus insicii sp. nov., isolated from fermented raw meat.

    PubMed

    Ehrmann, Matthias A; Kröckel, Lothar; Lick, Sonja; Radmann, Pia; Bantleon, Annegret; Vogel, Rudi F

    2016-01-01

    The analysis of the bacterial microbiota of retain samples of pork salami revealed an isolate (strain TMW 1.2011T) that could neither be assigned to typical genera of starter organisms nor to any other known meat-associated species. Cells were Gram-stain-positive, short, straight rods occurring singly, in pairs or short chains. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence and specific phenotypic characteristics showed that strain TMW 1.2011T belonged to the phylogenetic Lactobacillus alimentarius group, and the closest neighbours were Lactobacillus nodensis JCM 14932T (97.8 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Lactobacillus tucceti DSM 20183T (97.4 %), 'Lactobacillus ginsenosidimutans' EMML 3041 (97.3 %), Lactobacillus versmoldensis DSM 14857T (96.9 %) and Lactobacillus furfuricola JCM 18764T (97.2 %). Similarities using partial gene sequences of the alternative chronometers pheS, dnaK and rpoA also support these relationships. DNA-DNA relatedness between the novel isolate and L. nodensis JCM 14932T, L. versmoldensis DSM 14857T and L. tucceti DSM 20183T, L. furfuricola JCM 18764T and 'L. ginsenosidimutans' EMML 3041 were below 70 % and the DNA G+C content was 36.3 mol%. The cell-wall peptidoglycan type is l-Lys-Gly-d-Asp. Based on phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and physiological evidence, strain TMW 1.2011T represents a novel species of the genus Lactobacillus, for which the name Lactobacillus insicii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is TMW 1.2011T ( = CECT 8802T = DSM 29801T).

  11. The prokaryote-to-eukaryote transition reflected in the evolution of the V/F/A-ATPase catalytic and proteolipid subunits

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hilario, E.; Gogarten, J. P.

    1998-01-01

    Changes in the primary and quarternary structure of vacuolar and archaeal type ATPases that accompany the prokaryote-to-eukaryote transition are analyzed. The gene encoding the vacuolar-type proteolipid of the V-ATPase from Giardia lamblia is reported. Giardia has a typical vacuolar ATPase as observed from the common motifs shared between its proteolipid subunit and other eukaryotic vacuolar ATPases, suggesting that the former enzyme works as a hydrolase in this primitive eukaryote. The phylogenetic analyses of the V-ATPase catalytic subunit and the front and back halves of the proteolipid subunit placed Giardia as the deepest branch within the eukaryotes. Our phylogenetic analysis indicated that at least two independent duplication and fusion events gave rise to the larger proteolipid type found in eukaryotes and in Methanococcus. The spatial distribution of the conserved residues among the vacuolar-type proteolipids suggest a zipper-type interaction among the transmembrane helices and surrounding subunits of the V-ATPase complex. Important residues involved in the function of the F-ATP synthase proteolipid have been replaced during evolution in the V-proteolipid, but in some cases retained in the archaeal A-ATPase. Their possible implication in the evolution of V/F/A-ATPases is discussed.

  12. Microbial Diversity in a Hydrocarbon- and Chlorinated-Solvent-Contaminated Aquifer Undergoing Intrinsic Bioremediation

    PubMed Central

    Dojka, Michael A.; Hugenholtz, Philip; Haack, Sheridan K.; Pace, Norman R.

    1998-01-01

    A culture-independent molecular phylogenetic approach was used to survey constituents of microbial communities associated with an aquifer contaminated with hydrocarbons (mainly jet fuel) and chlorinated solvents undergoing intrinsic bioremediation. Samples were obtained from three redox zones: methanogenic, methanogenic-sulfate reducing, and iron or sulfate reducing. Small-subunit rRNA genes were amplified directly from aquifer material DNA by PCR with universally conserved or Bacteria- or Archaea-specific primers and were cloned. A total of 812 clones were screened by restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP), approximately 50% of which were unique. All RFLP types that occurred more than once in the libraries, as well as many of the unique types, were sequenced. A total of 104 (94 bacterial and 10 archaeal) sequence types were determined. Of the 94 bacterial sequence types, 10 have no phylogenetic association with known taxonomic divisions and are phylogenetically grouped in six novel division level groups (candidate divisions WS1 to WS6); 21 belong to four recently described candidate divisions with no cultivated representatives (OP5, OP8, OP10, and OP11); and 63 are phylogenetically associated with 10 well-recognized divisions. The physiology of two particularly abundant sequence types obtained from the methanogenic zone could be inferred from their phylogenetic association with groups of microorganisms with a consistent phenotype. One of these sequence types is associated with the genus Syntrophus; Syntrophus spp. produce energy from the anaerobic oxidation of organic acids, with the production of acetate and hydrogen. The organism represented by the other sequence type is closely related to Methanosaeta spp., which are known to be capable of energy generation only through aceticlastic methanogenesis. We hypothesize, therefore, that the terminal step of hydrocarbon degradation in the methanogenic zone of the aquifer is aceticlastic methanogenesis and that the microorganisms represented by these two sequence types occur in syntrophic association. PMID:9758812

  13. Microbial diversity in a hydrocarbon- and chlorinated-solvent- contaminated aquifer undergoing intrinsic bioremediation

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Dojka, M.A.; Hugenholtz, P.; Haack, S.K.; Pace, N.R.

    1998-01-01

    A culture-independent molecular phylogenetic approach was used to survey constituents of microbial communities associated with an aquifer contaminated with hydrocarbons (mainly jet fuel) and chlorinated solvents undergoing intrinsic bioremediation. Samples were obtained from three redox zones: methanogenic, methanogenic-sulfate reducing, and iron or sulfate reducing. Small-subunit rRNA genes were amplified directly from aquifer material DNA by PCR with universally conserved or Bacteria- or Archaea-specific primers and were cloned. A total of 812 clones were screened by restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP), approximately 50% of which were unique. All RFLP types that occurred more than once in the libraries, as well as many of the unique types, were sequenced. A total of 104 (94 bacterial and 10 archaeal) sequence types were determined. Of the 94 bacterial sequence types, 10 have no phylogenetic association with known taxonomic divisions and are phylogenetically grouped in six novel division level groups (candidate divisions WS1 to WS6); 21 belong to four recently described candidate divisions with no cultivated representatives (OPS, OP8, OP10, and OP11); and 63 are phylogenetically associated with 10 well-recognized divisions. The physiology of two particularly abundant sequence types obtained from the methanogenic zone could be inferred from their phylogenetic association with groups of microorganisms with a consistent phenotype. One of these sequence types is associated with the genus Syntrophus; Syntrophus spp. produce energy from the anaerobic oxidation of organic acids, with the production of acetate and hydrogen. The organism represented by the other sequence type is closely related to Methanosaeta spp., which are known to be capable of energy generation only through aceticlastic methanogenesis. We hypothesize, therefore, that the terminal step of hydrocarbon degradation in the methanogenic zone of the aquifer is aceticlastic methanogenesis and that the microorganisms represented by these two sequence types occur in syntrophic association.

  14. Phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic revision of Paranoplocephala Lühe, 1910 sensu lato (Cestoda, Cyclophyllidea, Anoplocephalidae)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    An extensive phylogenetic analysis and genus-level taxonomic revision of Paranoplocephala Lühe, 1910 -like cestodes (Cyclophyllidea, Anoplocephalidae) are presented. The phylogenetic analysis is based on DNA sequences of two partial mitochondrial genes, i.e. cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and...

  15. A computer program for fast and easy typing of partial endoglucanase gene sequence into phylotypes and sequevars 1&2 (select agents) of Ralstonia solanacearum

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The phytopathogen Ralstonia solanacearum is a species complex that contains a subset of strains that are quarantined or select agent pathogens. An unidentified R. solanacearum strain is considered a select agent in the US until proven otherwise, which can be done by phylogenetic analysis of a partia...

  16. Viral gastroenteritis in rotavirus negative hospitalized children <5 years of age from the independent states of the former Soviet Union.

    PubMed

    Chhabra, Preeti; Samoilovich, Elena; Yermalovich, Marina; Chernyshova, Liudmyla; Gheorghita, Stela; Cojocaru, Radu; Shugayev, Nazim; Sahakyan, Gayane; Lashkarashvili, Marina; Chubinidze, Marina; Zakhashvili, Khatuna; Videbaek, Dovile; Wasley, Annemarie; Vinjé, Jan

    2014-12-01

    Rotavirus causes nearly 40% of all hospitalizations for AGE among children <5 years of age in the NIS of the former Soviet Union. The etiologic role of other established gastroenteritis viruses in this age group is unknown. Laboratory-confirmed rotavirus negative fecal specimens (N=495) collected between January and December 2009 from children in 6 NIS (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine) were tested for norovirus, sapovirus, enteric adenovirus and astrovirus by real-time RT-PCR. Genotyping was carried out by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Norovirus, enteric adenovirus, sapovirus and astrovirus were detected in 21.8%, 4.0%, 3.2%, and 1.4% of the rotavirus negative specimens, respectively. Mixed infections were identified in 4.1% of the specimens. Phylogenetic analysis showed co-circulation of several different genotypes with GII.4 Den Haag (2006b) norovirus, GI.2 sapovirus, adenovirus type 41, and astrovirus type 1 causing majority of the infections. Norovirus, enteric adenovirus, sapovirus and astrovirus account for a significant proportion (30.5%) of AGE in hospitalized children <5 years of age in 6 NIS. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Component identification of electron transport chains in curdlan-producing Agrobacterium sp. ATCC 31749 and its genome-specific prediction using comparative genome and phylogenetic trees analysis.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Hongtao; Setubal, Joao Carlos; Zhan, Xiaobei; Zheng, Zhiyong; Yu, Lijun; Wu, Jianrong; Chen, Dingqiang

    2011-06-01

    Agrobacterium sp. ATCC 31749 (formerly named Alcaligenes faecalis var. myxogenes) is a non-pathogenic aerobic soil bacterium used in large scale biotechnological production of curdlan. However, little is known about its genomic information. DNA partial sequence of electron transport chains (ETCs) protein genes were obtained in order to understand the components of ETC and genomic-specificity in Agrobacterium sp. ATCC 31749. Degenerate primers were designed according to ETC conserved sequences in other reported species. DNA partial sequences of ETC genes in Agrobacterium sp. ATCC 31749 were cloned by the PCR method using degenerate primers. Based on comparative genomic analysis, nine electron transport elements were ascertained, including NADH ubiquinone oxidoreductase, succinate dehydrogenase complex II, complex III, cytochrome c, ubiquinone biosynthesis protein ubiB, cytochrome d terminal oxidase, cytochrome bo terminal oxidase, cytochrome cbb (3)-type terminal oxidase and cytochrome caa (3)-type terminal oxidase. Similarity and phylogenetic analyses of these genes revealed that among fully sequenced Agrobacterium species, Agrobacterium sp. ATCC 31749 is closest to Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58. Based on these results a comprehensive ETC model for Agrobacterium sp. ATCC 31749 is proposed.

  18. Neisseria oralis sp. nov., isolated from healthy gingival plaque and clinical samples

    PubMed Central

    Passaretti, Teresa V.; Jose, Reashma; Cole, Jocelyn; Coorevits, An; Carpenter, Andrea N.; Jose, Sherly; Van Landschoot, Anita; Izard, Jacques; Kohlerschmidt, Donna J.; Vandamme, Peter; Dewhirst, Floyd E.; Fisher, Mark A.; Musser, Kimberlee A.

    2013-01-01

    A polyphasic analysis was undertaken of seven independent isolates of Gram-negative cocci collected from pathological clinical samples from New York, Louisiana, Florida and Illinois and healthy subgingival plaque from a patient in Virginia, USA. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity among these isolates was 99.7–100 %, and the closest species with a validly published name was Neisseria lactamica (96.9 % similarity to the type strain). DNA–DNA hybridization confirmed that these isolates are of the same species and are distinct from their nearest phylogenetic neighbour, N. lactamica. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S and 23S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the novel species belongs in the genus Neisseria. The predominant cellular fatty acids were C16 : 0, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2-OH) and C18 : 1ω7c. The cellular fatty acid profile, together with other phenotypic characters, further supports the inclusion of the novel species in the genus Neisseria. The name Neisseria oralis sp. nov. (type strain 6332T  = DSM 25276T  = LMG 26725T) is proposed. PMID:22798652

  19. 16S-23S rRNA gene internal transcribed spacer sequences for analysis of the phylogenetic relationships among species of the genus Porphyromonas.

    PubMed

    Conrads, Georg; Citron, Diane M; Tyrrell, Kerin L; Horz, Hans-Peter; Goldstein, Ellie J C

    2005-03-01

    The 16S-23S rRNA gene internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of 11 reference strains of Porphyromonas species, together with Bacteroides distasonis and Tannerella forsythensis, were analysed to examine interspecies relationships. Compared with the phylogenetic tree generated using 16S rRNA gene sequences, the resolution of the ITS sequence-based tree was higher, but species positioning and clustering were similar with both approaches. The recent separation of Porphyromonas gulae and Porphyromonas gingivalis into distinct species was confirmed by the ITS data. In addition, analysis of the ITS sequences of 24 clinical isolates of Porphyromonas asaccharolytica plus the type strain ATCC 25260(T) divided the sequences into two clusters, of which one was alpha-fucosidase-positive (like the type strain) while the other was alpha-fucosidase-negative. The latter resembled the previously studied unusual extra-oral isolates of 'Porphyromonas endodontalis-like organisms' (PELOs) which could therefore be called 'Porphyromonas asaccharolytica-like organisms' (PALOs), based on the genetic identification. Moreover, the proposal of alpha-fucosidase-negative P. asaccharolytica strains as a new species should also be considered.

  20. Cryobacterium flavum sp. nov. and Cryobacterium luteum sp. nov., isolated from glacier ice.

    PubMed

    Liu, Qing; Liu, Hongcan; Wen, Ying; Zhou, Yuguang; Xin, Yuhua

    2012-06-01

    Gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria, strains Hh8(T), Hh15(T) and Hh40-2, were isolated from the No. 1 glacier in Xinjiang, north-west China. Colonies of strain Hh8(T) were orange-yellow, convex and round on PYG plates. Strain Hh8(T) grew at 0-19 °C and pH 5.5-10.5. Colonies of strain Hh15(T), which was able to grow at 0-20 °C and pH 5.5-12, were lemon yellow, convex and round on PYG plates. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that these three strains were related to members of the genus Cryobacterium. The major cellular fatty acids of the novel strains were anteiso-C(15:0), iso-C(16:0), iso-C(15:0) and anteiso-C(15:1) A. On the basis of phenotypic characteristics, phylogenetic analysis and DNA-DNA relatedness data, two novel species, Cryobacterium flavum sp. nov. (type strain Hh8(T) = CGMCC 1.11215(T) = NBRC 107879(T)) and Cryobacterium luteum sp. nov. (type strain Hh15(T) = CGMCC 1.11210(T) = NBRC 107880(T)), are proposed.

  1. Listeria booriae sp. nov. and Listeria newyorkensis sp. nov., from food processing environments in the USA.

    PubMed

    Weller, Daniel; Andrus, Alexis; Wiedmann, Martin; den Bakker, Henk C

    2015-01-01

    Sampling of seafood and dairy processing facilities in the north-eastern USA produced 18 isolates of Listeria spp. that could not be identified at the species-level using traditional phenotypic and genotypic identification methods. Results of phenotypic and genotypic analyses suggested that the isolates represent two novel species with an average nucleotide blast identity of less than 92% with previously described species of the genus Listeria. Phylogenetic analyses based on whole genome sequences, 16S rRNA gene and sigB gene sequences confirmed that the isolates represented by type strain FSL M6-0635(T) and FSL A5-0209 cluster phylogenetically with Listeria cornellensis. Phylogenetic analyses also showed that the isolates represented by type strain FSL A5-0281(T) cluster phylogenetically with Listeria riparia. The name Listeria booriae sp. nov. is proposed for the species represented by type strain FSL A5-0281(T) ( =DSM 28860(T) =LMG 28311(T)), and the name Listeria newyorkensis sp. nov. is proposed for the species represented by type strain FSL M6-0635(T) ( =DSM 28861(T) =LMG 28310(T)). Phenotypic and genotypic analyses suggest that neither species is pathogenic. © 2015 IUMS.

  2. Phytoplasma phylogenetics based on analysis of secA and 23S rRNA gene sequences for improved resolution of candidate species of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma'.

    PubMed

    Hodgetts, Jennifer; Boonham, Neil; Mumford, Rick; Harrison, Nigel; Dickinson, Matthew

    2008-08-01

    Phytoplasma phylogenetics has focused primarily on sequences of the non-coding 16S rRNA gene and the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer region (16-23S ISR), and primers that enable amplification of these regions from all phytoplasmas by PCR are well established. In this study, primers based on the secA gene have been developed into a semi-nested PCR assay that results in a sequence of the expected size (about 480 bp) from all 34 phytoplasmas examined, including strains representative of 12 16Sr groups. Phylogenetic analysis of secA gene sequences showed similar clustering of phytoplasmas when compared with clusters resolved by similar sequence analyses of a 16-23S ISR-23S rRNA gene contig or of the 16S rRNA gene alone. The main differences between trees were in the branch lengths, which were elongated in the 16-23S ISR-23S rRNA gene tree when compared with the 16S rRNA gene tree and elongated still further in the secA gene tree, despite this being a shorter sequence. The improved resolution in the secA gene-derived phylogenetic tree resulted in the 16SrII group splitting into two distinct clusters, while phytoplasmas associated with coconut lethal yellowing-type diseases split into three distinct groups, thereby supporting past proposals that they represent different candidate species within 'Candidatus Phytoplasma'. The ability to differentiate 16Sr groups and subgroups by virtual RFLP analysis of secA gene sequences suggests that this gene may provide an informative alternative molecular marker for pathogen identification and diagnosis of phytoplasma diseases.

  3. Ecology and evolution of rabies virus in Europe.

    PubMed

    Bourhy, H; Kissi, B; Audry, L; Smreczak, M; Sadkowska-Todys, M; Kulonen, K; Tordo, N; Zmudzinski, J F; Holmes, E C

    1999-10-01

    The evolution of rabies viruses of predominantly European origin was studied by comparing nucleotide sequences of the nucleoprotein and glycoprotein genes, and by typing isolates using RFLP. Phylogenetic analysis of the gene sequence data revealed a number of distinct groups, each associated with a particular geographical area. Such a pattern suggests that rabies virus has spread westwards and southwards across Europe during this century, but that physical barriers such as the Vistula river in Poland have enabled localized evolution. During this dispersal process, two species jumps took place - one into red foxes and another into raccoon dogs, although it is unclear whether virus strains are preferentially adapted to particular animal species or whether ecological forces explain the occurrence of the phylogenetic groups.

  4. Phylogenetic analysis of rubella viruses in Vietnam during 2009-2010.

    PubMed

    Tran, Dinh Nguyen; Pham, Ngan Thi Kim; Tran, Thi Thuy Trinh; Khamrin, Pattara; Thongprachum, Aksara; Komase, Katsuhiro; Hayakawa, Satoshi; Mizuguchi, Masashi; Ushijima, Hiroshi

    2012-04-01

    Rubella virus (RV) usually causes a mild disease. However, infection during the first trimester of pregnancy often leads to severe birth defects known as congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). Although wild-type RVs exist and circulate worldwide, their genotypes remain unknown in many countries. The aim of this study was to identify the molecular characteristics of RVs found in Vietnam during the years 2009-2010 and to provide the first data concerning RV genotypes in this country. Throat swab samples were collected between 2009 and 2010 from four CRS cases and nine rubella infection cases visiting one Children's Hospital and one outpatient clinic in Ho Chi Minh City. The 739-nucleotide coding region of the RV E1 gene recommended by the World Health Organization was amplified by reverse transcriptase PCR, and the resulting DNA fragments were then sequenced. Sequences were assigned to genotypes by phylogenetic analysis with RV reference strains. RV RNA was detected in 11 clinical specimens. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences showed that all 11 strains belonged to 2B genotype. Several variations in amino acids were found, among which five changes were involved in the B and T cell epitopes. These data indicate that viruses of genotype 2B were circulating in Vietnam. The increasing information about RV genotype in Vietnam should aid in the control of rubella infection and CRS in this country. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the ClTCP transcription factors in Citrullus lanatus.

    PubMed

    Shi, Pibiao; Guy, Kateta Malangisha; Wu, Weifang; Fang, Bingsheng; Yang, Jinghua; Zhang, Mingfang; Hu, Zhongyuan

    2016-04-12

    The plant-specific TCP transcription factor family, which is involved in the regulation of cell growth and proliferation, performs diverse functions in multiple aspects of plant growth and development. However, no comprehensive analysis of the TCP family in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) has been undertaken previously. A total of 27 watermelon TCP encoding genes distributed on nine chromosomes were identified. Phylogenetic analysis clustered the genes into 11 distinct subgroups. Furthermore, phylogenetic and structural analyses distinguished two homology classes within the ClTCP family, designated Class I and Class II. The Class II genes were differentiated into two subclasses, the CIN subclass and the CYC/TB1 subclass. The expression patterns of all members were determined by semi-quantitative PCR. The functions of two ClTCP genes, ClTCP14a and ClTCP15, in regulating plant height were confirmed by ectopic expression in Arabidopsis wild-type and ortholog mutants. This study represents the first genome-wide analysis of the watermelon TCP gene family, which provides valuable information for understanding the classification and functions of the TCP genes in watermelon.

  6. Molecular characterization of Belgian pseudorabies virus isolates from domestic swine and wild boar.

    PubMed

    Verpoest, Sara; Cay, Ann Brigitte; De Regge, Nick

    2014-08-06

    Aujeszky's disease is an economically important disease in domestic swine caused by suid herpesvirus 1, also called pseudorabies virus (PRV). In several European countries, including Belgium, the virus has successfully been eradicated from the domestic swine population. The presence of PRV in the wild boar population however poses a risk for possible reintroduction of the virus into the domestic pig population. It is therefore important to assess the genetic relatedness between circulating strains and possible epidemiological links. In this study, nine historical Belgian domestic swine isolates that circulated before 1990 and five recent wild boar isolates obtained since 2006 from Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg were genetically characterized by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and phylogenetic analysis. While all wild boar isolates were characterized as type I RFLP genotypes, the RFLP patterns of the domestic swine isolates suggest that a shift from genotype I to genotype II might have occurred in the 1980s in the domestic population. By phylogenetic analysis, Belgian wild boar isolates belonging to both clade A and B were observed, while all domestic swine isolates clustered within clade A. The joint phylogenetic analysis of both wild boar and domestic swine strains showed that some isolates with identical sequences were present within both populations, raising the question whether these strains represent an increased risk for reintroduction of the virus into the domestic population. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Evolution of advertisement calls in African clawed frogs

    PubMed Central

    Tobias, Martha L.; Evans, Ben J.; Kelley, Darcy B.

    2014-01-01

    Summary For most frogs, advertisement calls are essential for reproductive success, conveying information on species identity, male quality, sexual state and location. While the evolutionary divergence of call characters has been examined in a number of species, the relative impacts of genetic drift or natural and sexual selection remain unclear. Insights into the evolutionary trajectory of vocal signals can be gained by examining how advertisement calls vary in a phylogenetic context. Evolution by genetic drift would be supported if more closely related species express more similar songs. Conversely, a poor correlation between evolutionary history and song expression would suggest evolution shaped by natural or sexual selection. Here, we measure seven song characters in 20 described and two undescribed species of African clawed frogs (genera Xenopus and Silurana) and four populations of X. laevis. We identify three call types — click, burst and trill — that can be distinguished by click number, call rate and intensity modulation. A fourth type is biphasic, consisting of two of the above. Call types vary in complexity from the simplest, a click, to the most complex, a biphasic call. Maximum parsimony analysis of variation in call type suggests that the ancestral type was of intermediate complexity. Each call type evolved independently more than once and call type is typically not shared by closely related species. These results indicate that call type is homoplasious and has low phylogenetic signal. We conclude that the evolution of call type is not due to genetic drift, but is under selective pressure. PMID:24723737

  8. Genetic Diversity and Evolution of Salmonella enterica Serovar Enteritidis Strains with Different Phage Types

    PubMed Central

    Pettengill, James; Strain, Errol; Allard, Marc W.; Ahmed, Rafiq; Zhao, Shaohua; Brown, Eric W.

    2014-01-01

    Phage typing has been used for the epidemiological surveillance of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis for over 2 decades. However, knowledge of the genetic and evolutionary relationships between phage types is very limited, making differences difficult to interpret. Here, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified from whole-genome comparisons were used to determine the relationships between some S. Enteritidis phage types (PTs) commonly associated with food-borne outbreaks in the United States. Emphasis was placed on the predominant phage types PT8, PT13a, and PT13 in North America. With >89,400 bp surveyed across 98 S. Enteritidis isolates representing 14 distinct phage types, 55 informative SNPs were discovered within 23 chromosomally anchored loci. To maximize the discriminatory and evolutionary partitioning of these highly homogeneous strains, sequences comprising informative SNPs were concatenated into a single combined data matrix and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. The resultant phylogeny allocated most S. Enteritidis isolates into two distinct clades (clades I and II) and four subclades. Synapomorphic (shared and derived) sets of SNPs capable of distinguishing individual clades/subclades were identified. However, individual phage types appeared to be evolutionarily disjunct when mapped to this phylogeny, suggesting that phage typing may not be valid for making phylogenetic inferences. Furthermore, the set of SNPs identified here represents useful genetic markers for strain differentiation of more clonal S. Enteritidis strains and provides core genotypic markers for future development of a SNP typing scheme with S. Enteritidis. PMID:24574287

  9. Lactobacillus ghanensis sp. nov., a motile lactic acid bacterium isolated from Ghanaian cocoa fermentations.

    PubMed

    Nielsen, Dennis S; Schillinger, Ulrich; Franz, Charles M A P; Bresciani, José; Amoa-Awua, Wisdom; Holzapfel, Wilhelm H; Jakobsen, Mogens

    2007-07-01

    Three Gram-positive, catalase-negative, motile, rod-shaped strains, designated L486, L489(T) and L499, were isolated from fermenting cocoa. These organisms produced DL-lactic acid from glucose without gas formation. Ammonia was not produced from arginine. Acid was produced from amygdalin, D-cellobiose, aesculin, D-fructose, D-glucose, D-galactose, D-mannitol, D-mannose, N-acetylglucosamine, L-rhamnose, sucrose, salicin and D-trehalose. The cell walls contained peptidoglycan of the d-meso-diaminopimelic acid type. A 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the isolates belong phylogenetically to the genus Lactobacillus and are closely related to Lactobacillus nagelii, Lactobacillus vini and Lactobacillus satsumensis. Low DNA-DNA reassociation values were obtained between the isolates and the phylogenetically closest neighbours. On the basis of the genetic and phenotypic results, the isolates are considered to represent a novel species, for which the name Lactobacillus ghanensis is proposed. The type strain is L489(T) (=DSM 18630(T)=CCUG 53453(T)).

  10. Lactobacillus allii sp. nov. isolated from scallion kimchi.

    PubMed

    Jung, Min Young; Lee, Se Hee; Lee, Moeun; Song, Jung Hee; Chang, Ji Yoon

    2017-12-01

    A novel strain of lactic acid bacteria, WiKim39 T , was isolated from a scallion kimchi sample consisting of fermented chili peppers and vegetables. The isolate was a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, non-motile, catalase-negative and facultatively anaerobic lactic acid bacterium. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain WiKim39 T belonged to the genus Lactobacillus, and shared 97.1-98.2 % pair-wise sequence similarities with related type strains, Lactobacillus nodensis, Lactobacillus insicii, Lactobacillus versmoldensis, Lactobacillus tucceti and Lactobacillus furfuricola. The G+C content of the strain based on its genome sequence was 35.3 mol%. The ANI values between WiKim39 T and the closest relatives were lower than 80 %. Based on the phenotypic, biochemical, and phylogenetic analyses, strain WiKim39 T represents a novel species of the genus Lactobacillus, for which the name Lactobacillus allii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WiKim39 T (=KCTC 21077 T =JCM 31938 T ).

  11. Lactobacillus allii sp. nov. isolated from scallion kimchi

    PubMed Central

    Jung, Min Young; Lee, Se Hee; Lee, Moeun; Song, Jung Hee; Chang, Ji Yoon

    2017-01-01

    A novel strain of lactic acid bacteria, WiKim39T, was isolated from a scallion kimchi sample consisting of fermented chili peppers and vegetables. The isolate was a Gram-positive, rod-shaped, non-motile, catalase-negative and facultatively anaerobic lactic acid bacterium. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain WiKim39T belonged to the genus Lactobacillus, and shared 97.1–98.2 % pair-wise sequence similarities with related type strains, Lactobacillus nodensis, Lactobacillus insicii, Lactobacillus versmoldensis, Lactobacillus tucceti and Lactobacillus furfuricola. The G+C content of the strain based on its genome sequence was 35.3 mol%. The ANI values between WiKim39T and the closest relatives were lower than 80 %. Based on the phenotypic, biochemical, and phylogenetic analyses, strain WiKim39T represents a novel species of the genus Lactobacillus, for which the name Lactobacillus allii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is WiKim39T (=KCTC 21077T=JCM 31938T). PMID:29043955

  12. SNPhylo: a pipeline to construct a phylogenetic tree from huge SNP data.

    PubMed

    Lee, Tae-Ho; Guo, Hui; Wang, Xiyin; Kim, Changsoo; Paterson, Andrew H

    2014-02-26

    Phylogenetic trees are widely used for genetic and evolutionary studies in various organisms. Advanced sequencing technology has dramatically enriched data available for constructing phylogenetic trees based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). However, massive SNP data makes it difficult to perform reliable analysis, and there has been no ready-to-use pipeline to generate phylogenetic trees from these data. We developed a new pipeline, SNPhylo, to construct phylogenetic trees based on large SNP datasets. The pipeline may enable users to construct a phylogenetic tree from three representative SNP data file formats. In addition, in order to increase reliability of a tree, the pipeline has steps such as removing low quality data and considering linkage disequilibrium. A maximum likelihood method for the inference of phylogeny is also adopted in generation of a tree in our pipeline. Using SNPhylo, users can easily produce a reliable phylogenetic tree from a large SNP data file. Thus, this pipeline can help a researcher focus more on interpretation of the results of analysis of voluminous data sets, rather than manipulations necessary to accomplish the analysis.

  13. Differential Distribution of Type II CRISPR-Cas Systems in Agricultural and Nonagricultural Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter jejuni Isolates Correlates with Lack of Shared Environments.

    PubMed

    Pearson, Bruce M; Louwen, Rogier; van Baarlen, Peter; van Vliet, Arnoud H M

    2015-09-02

    CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats)-Cas (CRISPR-associated) systems are sequence-specific adaptive defenses against phages and plasmids which are widespread in prokaryotes. Here we have studied whether phylogenetic relatedness or sharing of environmental niches affects the distribution and dissemination of Type II CRISPR-Cas systems, first in 132 bacterial genomes from 15 phylogenetic classes, ranging from Proteobacteria to Actinobacteria. There was clustering of distinct Type II CRISPR-Cas systems in phylogenetically distinct genera with varying G+C%, which share environmental niches. The distribution of CRISPR-Cas within a genus was studied using a large collection of genome sequences of the closely related Campylobacter species Campylobacter jejuni (N = 3,746) and Campylobacter coli (N = 486). The Cas gene cas9 and CRISPR-repeat are almost universally present in C. jejuni genomes (98.0% positive) but relatively rare in C. coli genomes (9.6% positive). Campylobacter jejuni and agricultural C. coli isolates share the C. jejuni CRISPR-Cas system, which is closely related to, but distinct from the C. coli CRISPR-Cas system found in C. coli isolates from nonagricultural sources. Analysis of the genomic position of CRISPR-Cas insertion suggests that the C. jejuni-type CRISPR-Cas has been transferred to agricultural C. coli. Conversely, the absence of the C. coli-type CRISPR-Cas in agricultural C. coli isolates may be due to these isolates not sharing the same environmental niche, and may be affected by farm hygiene and biosecurity practices in the agricultural sector. Finally, many CRISPR spacer alleles were linked with specific multilocus sequence types, suggesting that these can assist molecular epidemiology applications for C. jejuni and C. coli. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

  14. Lactobacillus fabifermentans sp. nov. and Lactobacillus cacaonum sp. nov., isolated from Ghanaian cocoa fermentations.

    PubMed

    De Bruyne, Katrien; Camu, Nicholas; De Vuyst, Luc; Vandamme, Peter

    2009-01-01

    Two Gram-positive bacterial strains, LMG 24284T and LMG 24285T, were isolated from different spontaneous cocoa bean heap fermentations in Ghana. Analysis of their 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that they were members of the Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus salivarius species groups, respectively. DNA-DNA hybridization experiments with their nearest phylogenetic neighbours demonstrated that both strains represented novel species that could be differentiated from their nearest neighbours by pheS sequence analysis, whole-cell protein electrophoresis, fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis and biochemical characterization. Therefore, two novel Lactobacillus species are proposed, Lactobacillus fabifermentans sp. nov. (type strain LMG 24284T =DSM 21115T) and Lactobacillus cacaonum sp. nov. (type strain LMG 24285T =DSM 21116T).

  15. PAQ: Partition Analysis of Quasispecies.

    PubMed

    Baccam, P; Thompson, R J; Fedrigo, O; Carpenter, S; Cornette, J L

    2001-01-01

    The complexities of genetic data may not be accurately described by any single analytical tool. Phylogenetic analysis is often used to study the genetic relationship among different sequences. Evolutionary models and assumptions are invoked to reconstruct trees that describe the phylogenetic relationship among sequences. Genetic databases are rapidly accumulating large amounts of sequences. Newly acquired sequences, which have not yet been characterized, may require preliminary genetic exploration in order to build models describing the evolutionary relationship among sequences. There are clustering techniques that rely less on models of evolution, and thus may provide nice exploratory tools for identifying genetic similarities. Some of the more commonly used clustering methods perform better when data can be grouped into mutually exclusive groups. Genetic data from viral quasispecies, which consist of closely related variants that differ by small changes, however, may best be partitioned by overlapping groups. We have developed an intuitive exploratory program, Partition Analysis of Quasispecies (PAQ), which utilizes a non-hierarchical technique to partition sequences that are genetically similar. PAQ was used to analyze a data set of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope sequences isolated from different regions of the brain and another data set consisting of the equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) regulatory gene rev. Analysis of the HIV-1 data set by PAQ was consistent with phylogenetic analysis of the same data, and the EIAV rev variants were partitioned into two overlapping groups. PAQ provides an additional tool which can be used to glean information from genetic data and can be used in conjunction with other tools to study genetic similarities and genetic evolution of viral quasispecies.

  16. Type IV carbonic anhydrase is present in the gills of spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias).

    PubMed

    Gilmour, K M; Bayaa, M; Kenney, L; McNeill, B; Perry, S F

    2007-01-01

    Physiological and biochemical studies have provided indirect evidence for a membrane-associated carbonic anhydrase (CA) isoform, similar to mammalian type IV CA, in the gills of dogfish (Squalus acanthias). This CA isoform is linked to the plasma membrane of gill epithelial cells by a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor and oriented toward the plasma, such that it can catalyze the dehydration of plasma HCO(3)(-) ions. The present study directly tested the hypothesis that CA IV is present in dogfish gills in a location amenable to catalyzing plasma HCO(3)(-) dehydration. Homology cloning techniques were used to assemble a 1,127 base pair cDNA that coded for a deduced protein of 306 amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that this protein was a type IV CA. For purposes of comparison, a second cDNA (1,107 base pairs) was cloned from dogfish blood; it encoded a deduced protein of 260 amino acids that was identified as a cytosolic CA through phylogenetic analysis. Using real-time PCR and in situ hybridization, mRNA expression for the dogfish type IV CA was detected in gill tissue and specifically localized to pillar cells and branchial epithelial cells that flanked the pillar cells. Immunohistochemistry using a polyclonal antibody raised against rainbow trout type IV CA revealed a similar pattern of CA IV immunoreactivity and demonstrated a limited degree of colocalization with Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase immunoreactivity. The presence and localization of a type IV CA isoform in the gills of dogfish is consistent with the hypothesis that branchial membrane-bound CA with an extracellular orientation contributes to CO(2) excretion in dogfish by catalyzing the dehydration of plasma HCO(3)(-) ions.

  17. Identification of bacteria in pasteurized zucchini purées stored at different temperatures and comparison with those found in other pasteurized vegetable purées.

    PubMed

    Guinebretiere, M H; Berge, O; Normand, P; Morris, C; Carlin, F; Nguyen-The, C

    2001-10-01

    One hundred nineteen isolates from a commercial zucchini purée stored at 4, 10, and 20 to 25 degrees C were fingerprinted using repetitive sequence-based PCR (REP-PCR) and classified into 35 REP types. One representative isolate of each REP type was subsequently identified by API50CHB/20E profile and partial rrs gene sequence analysis. Nine REP types were misidentified by the API system. Strains were misidentified as being in the Bacillus circulans (group 2) API taxon or in taxa with a low number of positive API characters such as Brevibacillus brevis. A phylogenetic analysis pointed to one new species of Bacillus and three new species of Paenibacillus among the misidentified REP types. Bacterial components in zucchini purée were compared phenotypically with those obtained in previous work on broccoli, carrot, leek, potato, and split pea purées, based on simple matching coefficient and unweighted pair group method with averages cluster analysis. Out of 254 strains, 69 strains previously identified as B. circulans (group 2) or B. circulans/B. macerans/B. polymyxa were assigned to a new Paenibacillus taxon phylogenetically related to P. azotofixans. Storage conditions at 4 degrees C favored the development of "B. macroides/B. maroccanus" and Paenibacillus spp. in zucchini purées and Paenibacillus spp. in other purées. Storage conditions at 20 to 25 degrees C favored the development of B. subtilis group (B. licheniformis and B. subtilis) and B. cereus group strains. At 10 degrees C, Paenibacillus spp. were always present at high frequencies, whereas the occurrence of B. macroides/B. maroccanus (in zucchini purées), B. cereus, and B. pumilus varied with the experiment.

  18. Identification of Bacteria in Pasteurized Zucchini Purées Stored at Different Temperatures and Comparison with Those Found in Other Pasteurized Vegetable Purées

    PubMed Central

    Guinebretiere, Marie-Hélène; Berge, Odile; Normand, Philippe; Morris, Cindy; Carlin, Frédéric; Nguyen-The, Christophe

    2001-01-01

    One hundred nineteen isolates from a commercial zucchini purée stored at 4, 10, and 20 to 25°C were fingerprinted using repetitive sequence-based PCR (REP-PCR) and classified into 35 REP types. One representative isolate of each REP type was subsequently identified by API50CHB/20E profile and partial rrs gene sequence analysis. Nine REP types were misidentified by the API system. Strains were misidentified as being in the Bacillus circulans (group 2) API taxon or in taxa with a low number of positive API characters such as Brevibacillus brevis. A phylogenetic analysis pointed to one new species of Bacillus and three new species of Paenibacillus among the misidentified REP types. Bacterial components in zucchini purée were compared phenotypically with those obtained in previous work on broccoli, carrot, leek, potato, and split pea purées, based on simple matching coefficient and unweighted pair group method with averages cluster analysis. Out of 254 strains, 69 strains previously identified as B. circulans (group 2) or B. circulans/B. macerans/B. polymyxa were assigned to a new Paenibacillus taxon phylogenetically related to P. azotofixans. Storage conditions at 4°C favored the development of “B. macroides/B. maroccanus” and Paenibacillus spp. in zucchini purées and Paenibacillus spp. in other purées. Storage conditions at 20 to 25°C favored the development of B. subtilis group (B. licheniformis and B. subtilis) and B. cereus group strains. At 10°C, Paenibacillus spp. were always present at high frequencies, whereas the occurrence of B. macroides/B. maroccanus (in zucchini purées), B. cereus, and B. pumilus varied with the experiment. PMID:11571151

  19. Genetic variation among Flavobacterium psychrophilum isolates from wild and farmed salmonids in Norway and Chile.

    PubMed

    Apablaza, P; Løland, A D; Brevik, Ø J; Ilardi, P; Battaglia, J; Nylund, A

    2013-04-01

    To aim of the study was to describe the genetic relationship between isolates of Flavobacterium psychrophilum with a main emphasis of samples from Chile and Norway. The isolates have been obtained from farmed salmonids in Norway and Chile, and from wild salmonids in Norway, but isolates from North America and European countries are also included in the analysis. The study is based on phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and seven housekeeping genes (HG), gyrB, atpA, dnaK, trpB, fumC, murG and tuf, and the use of a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) system, based on nucleotide polymorphism in the HG, as an alternative to the phylogenies. The variation within the selected genes was limited, and the phylogenetic analysis gave little resolution between the isolates. The MLST gave a much better resolution resulting in 53 sequence types where the same sequences types could be found in Chile, North America and European countries, and in different host species. Multilocus sequence typing give a relatively good separation of different isolates of Fl. psychrophilum and show that there are no distinct geographical or host-specific isolates in the studied material from Chile, North America and Europe. Nor was it possible to separate between isolates from ulcers and systemic infections vs isolates from the surface of healthy salmonids. This study shows a wide geographical distribution of Fl. psychrophilum, indicating that the bacterium has a large potential for transmission over long distances, and between different salmonid hosts species. This knowledge will be important for future management of salmonids diseases connected to Fl. psychrophilum. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  20. Molecular organization and phylogenetic analysis of 5S rDNA in crustaceans of the genus Pollicipes reveal birth-and-death evolution and strong purifying selection.

    PubMed

    Perina, Alejandra; Seoane, David; González-Tizón, Ana M; Rodríguez-Fariña, Fernanda; Martínez-Lage, Andrés

    2011-10-17

    The 5S ribosomal DNA (5S rDNA) is organized in tandem arrays with repeat units that consist of a transcribing region (5S) and a variable nontranscribed spacer (NTS), in higher eukaryotes. Until recently the 5S rDNA was thought to be subject to concerted evolution, however, in several taxa, sequence divergence levels between the 5S and the NTS were found higher than expected under this model. So, many studies have shown that birth-and-death processes and selection can drive the evolution of 5S rDNA. In analyses of 5S rDNA evolution is found several 5S rDNA types in the genome, with low levels of nucleotide variation in the 5S and a spacer region highly divergent. Molecular organization and nucleotide sequence of the 5S ribosomal DNA multigene family (5S rDNA) were investigated in three Pollicipes species in an evolutionary context. The nucleotide sequence variation revealed that several 5S rDNA variants occur in Pollicipes genomes. They are clustered in up to seven different types based on differences in their nontranscribed spacers (NTS). Five different units of 5S rDNA were characterized in P. pollicipes and two different units in P. elegans and P. polymerus. Analysis of these sequences showed that identical types were shared among species and that two pseudogenes were present. We predicted the secondary structure and characterized the upstream and downstream conserved elements. Phylogenetic analysis showed an among-species clustering pattern of 5S rDNA types. These results suggest that the evolution of Pollicipes 5S rDNA is driven by birth-and-death processes with strong purifying selection.

  1. Molecular organization and phylogenetic analysis of 5S rDNA in crustaceans of the genus Pollicipes reveal birth-and-death evolution and strong purifying selection

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background The 5S ribosomal DNA (5S rDNA) is organized in tandem arrays with repeat units that consist of a transcribing region (5S) and a variable nontranscribed spacer (NTS), in higher eukaryotes. Until recently the 5S rDNA was thought to be subject to concerted evolution, however, in several taxa, sequence divergence levels between the 5S and the NTS were found higher than expected under this model. So, many studies have shown that birth-and-death processes and selection can drive the evolution of 5S rDNA. In analyses of 5S rDNA evolution is found several 5S rDNA types in the genome, with low levels of nucleotide variation in the 5S and a spacer region highly divergent. Molecular organization and nucleotide sequence of the 5S ribosomal DNA multigene family (5S rDNA) were investigated in three Pollicipes species in an evolutionary context. Results The nucleotide sequence variation revealed that several 5S rDNA variants occur in Pollicipes genomes. They are clustered in up to seven different types based on differences in their nontranscribed spacers (NTS). Five different units of 5S rDNA were characterized in P. pollicipes and two different units in P. elegans and P. polymerus. Analysis of these sequences showed that identical types were shared among species and that two pseudogenes were present. We predicted the secondary structure and characterized the upstream and downstream conserved elements. Phylogenetic analysis showed an among-species clustering pattern of 5S rDNA types. Conclusions These results suggest that the evolution of Pollicipes 5S rDNA is driven by birth-and-death processes with strong purifying selection. PMID:22004418

  2. Development of STS and CAPS markers for variety identification and genetic diversity analysis of tea germplasm in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Hu, Chih-Yi; Tsai, You-Zen; Lin, Shun-Fu

    2014-12-01

    Tea (Camellia sinensis) is an important economic crop in Taiwan. Particularly, two major commercial types of tea (Paochong tea and Oolong tea) which are produced in Taiwan are famous around the world, and they must be manufactured with specific cultivars. Nevertheless, many elite cultivars have been illegally introduced to foreign countries. Because of the lower cost, large amount of "Taiwan-type tea" are produced and imported to Taiwan, causing a dramatic damage in the tea industry. It is very urgent to develop the stable, fast and reliable DNA markers for fingerprinting tea cultivars in Taiwan and protecting intellectual property rights for breeders. Furthermore, genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationship evaluations of tea germplasm in Taiwan are imperative for parental selection in the cross-breeding program and avoidance of genetic vulnerability. Two STS and 37 CAPS markers derived from cytoplasmic genome and ESTs of tea have been developed in this study providing a useful tool for distinguishing all investigated germplasm. For identifying 12 prevailing tea cultivars in Taiwan, five core markers, including each one of mitochondria and chloroplast, and three nuclear markers, were developed. Based on principal coordinate analysis and cluster analysis, 55 tea germplasm in Taiwan were divided into three groups: sinensis type (C. sinensis var. sinensis), assamica type (C. sinensis var. assamica) and Taiwan wild species (C. formosensis). The result of genetic diversity analysis revealed that both sinensis (0.44) and assamica (0.41) types had higher genetic diversity than wild species (0.25). The close genetic distance between the first (Chin-Shin-Oolong) and the third (Shy-Jih-Chuen) prevailing cultivars was found, and many recently released varieties are the descents of Chin-Shin-Oolong. This implies the potential risk of genetic vulnerability for tea cultivation in Taiwan. We have successfully developed a tool for tea germplasm discrimination and genetic diversity analysis, as well as a set of core markers for effective identification of prevailing cultivars in Taiwan. According to the results of phylogenetic analysis on prevailing tea cultivars, it is necessary to broaden genetic diversity from wild species or plant introduction in future breeding programs.

  3. Molecular phylogeography of the Andean alpine plant, Gunnera magellanica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shimizu, M.; Fujii, N.; Ito, M.; Asakawa, T.; Nishida, H.; Suyama, C.; Ueda, K.

    2015-12-01

    To clarify the evolutionary history of Gunnera magellanica (Gunneraceae), an alpine plant of the Andes mountains, we performed molecular phylogeographic analyses based on the sequences of an internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA and four non-coding regions (trnH-psbA, trnL-trnF, atpB-rbcL, rpl16 intron) of chloroplast DNA. We investigated 3, 4, 4 and 11 populations in, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile, respectively, and detected six ITS genotypes (Types A-F) in G. magellanica. Five genotypes (Types A-E) were observed in the northern Andes population (Ecuador and Bolivia); only one ITS genotype (Type F) was observed in the southern Andes population (Chile and Argentina). Phylogenetic analyses showed that the ITS genotypes of the northern and southern Andes populations form different clades with high bootstrap probability. Furthermore, network analysis, analysis of molecular variance, and spatial analysis of molecular variance showed that there were two major clusters (the northern and southern Andes populations) in this species. Furthermore, in chloroplast DNA analysis, three major clades (northern Andes, Chillan, and southern Andes) were inferred from phylogenetic analyses using four non-coding regions, a finding that was supported by the above three types of analysis. The Chillan clade is the northernmost population in the southern Andes populations. With the exception of the Chillan clade (Chillan population), results of nuclear DNA and chloroplast DNA analyses were consistent. Both markers showed that the northern and southern Andes populations of G. magellanica were genetically different from each other. This type of clear phylogeographical structure was supported by PERMUT analysis according to Pons & Petit (1995, 1996). Moreover, based on our preliminary estimation that is based on the ITS sequences, the northern and southern Andes clades diverged ~0.63-3 million years ago, during a period of upheaval in the Andes. This suggests that the populations of G. magellanica that were distributed along the Andes have been divided into the two local populations of the northern and southern Andes during the uplift of the Andes.

  4. Vibrio hippocampi sp. nov., a new species isolated from wild seahorses (Hippocampus guttulatus).

    PubMed

    Balcázar, José Luis; Pintado, José; Planas, Miquel

    2010-06-01

    A Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, motile and slightly curved rod-shaped bacterium (BFLP-4(T)) was isolated from the faeces of wild seahorses (Hippocampus guttulatus) captured in northwest Spain (Toralla, Galicia). Strain BFLP-4(T) grew at 10-35 degrees C and pH 5-9 (optimally at 20 degrees C and pH 7.2) and at salt concentrations in the range 0-7% w/v NaCl. The G+C content of the DNA was 49.3 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain BFLP-4(T) was a member of the genus Vibrio, being most closely related to Vibrio ichthyoenteri (97.1%), Vibrio mediterranei (96.7%), Vibrio scophthalmi (96.7%) and Vibrio sinaloensis (96.6%). A phylogenetic analysis based on recA gene sequences also supported the affiliation of strain BFLP-4(T) to the genus Vibrio. Strain BFLP-4(T) could be readily differentiated from other closely related species by several phenotypic properties and fatty acid profiles. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic data, strain BFLP-4(T) represents a novel species within the genus Vibrio, for which the name Vibrio hippocampi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BFLP-4(T) (=DSM 22717(T)=LMG 25354(T)).

  5. Phylogenetic Diversity of Bacteria Associated with the Marine Sponge Rhopaloeides odorabile†

    PubMed Central

    Webster, Nicole S.; Wilson, Kate J.; Blackall, Linda L.; Hill, Russell T.

    2001-01-01

    Molecular techniques were employed to document the microbial diversity associated with the marine sponge Rhopaloeides odorabile. The phylogenetic affiliation of sponge-associated bacteria was assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing of cloned DNA fragments. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was used to confirm the presence of the predominant groups indicated by 16S rDNA analysis. The community structure was extremely diverse with representatives of the Actinobacteria, low-G+C gram-positive bacteria, the β- and γ-subdivisions of the Proteobacteria, Cytophaga/Flavobacterium, green sulfur bacteria, green nonsulfur bacteria, planctomycetes, and other sequence types with no known close relatives. FISH probes revealed the spatial location of these bacteria within the sponge tissue, in some cases suggesting possible symbiotic functions. The high proportion of 16S rRNA sequences derived from novel actinomycetes is good evidence for the presence of an indigenous marine actinomycete assemblage in R. odorabile. High microbial diversity was inferred from low duplication of clones in a library with 70 representatives. Determining the phylogenetic affiliation of sponge-associated microorganisms by 16S rRNA analysis facilitated the rational selection of culture media and isolation conditions to target specific groups of well-represented bacteria for laboratory culture. Novel media incorporating sponge extracts were used to isolate bacteria not previously recovered from this sponge. PMID:11133476

  6. Eimeria atlapetesi nom. nov., a replacement name for Eimeria pileata Soriano-Vargas et al., 2015 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae), preoccupied by Eimeria pileata Straneva and Kelley, 1979 (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae), with observations on histopathology and phylogenetic analysis.

    PubMed

    Soriano-Vargas, Edgardo; Salgado-Miranda, Celene; Zepeda-Velázquez, Andrea Paloma; Medina, Juan Pablo; Janczur, Mariusz Krzysztof; González-Gómez, Maricruz; Flores-Valle, Izanami Tereira; Berto, Bruno Pereira; Lopes, Carlos Wilson Gomes

    2017-01-31

    Eimeria pileata Soriano-Vargas, Medina, Salgado-Miranda, García-Conejo, Galindo-Sánchez, Janczur, Berto and Lopes, 2015 is a junior homonym of Eimeria pileata Straneva and Kelley, 1979 and needs to be replaced. This coccidium was described from a rufous-capped brush finch Atlapetes pileatus Wagler in the Nevado de Toluca Natural Protected Area, Mexico. Thus, to maintain the original intent of the specific epithet derived from the scientific name of the type-host, the name Eimeria atlapetesi nom. nov. is proposed as a replacement name. Additionally, the current work reports another rufous-capped brush finch A. pileatus parasitized by E. atlapetesi in co-infection with an Isospora sp., providing observations of histopathology and phylogenetic analysis of 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene from E. atlapetesi. Endogenous forms of E. atlapetesi and Isospora sp. were observed in intestinal sections. Few oocysts of Isospora sp. were observed; therefore they were not morphologically or molecularly identified. In return, E. atlapetesi was identified and it was phylogenetically close to Eimeria dispersa Tyzzer, 1929 from the domestic turkey Meleagris gallopavo Linnaeus.

  7. Missing Data and Influential Sites: Choice of Sites for Phylogenetic Analysis Can Be As Important As Taxon Sampling and Model Choice

    PubMed Central

    Shavit Grievink, Liat; Penny, David; Holland, Barbara R.

    2013-01-01

    Phylogenetic studies based on molecular sequence alignments are expected to become more accurate as the number of sites in the alignments increases. With the advent of genomic-scale data, where alignments have very large numbers of sites, bootstrap values close to 100% and posterior probabilities close to 1 are the norm, suggesting that the number of sites is now seldom a limiting factor on phylogenetic accuracy. This provokes the question, should we be fussy about the sites we choose to include in a genomic-scale phylogenetic analysis? If some sites contain missing data, ambiguous character states, or gaps, then why not just throw them away before conducting the phylogenetic analysis? Indeed, this is exactly the approach taken in many phylogenetic studies. Here, we present an example where the decision on how to treat sites with missing data is of equal importance to decisions on taxon sampling and model choice, and we introduce a graphical method for illustrating this. PMID:23471508

  8. Characterization of novel human papillomavirus types 157, 158 and 205 from healthy skin and recombination analysis in genus γ-Papillomavirus.

    PubMed

    Bolatti, Elisa M; Chouhy, Diego; Casal, Pablo E; Pérez, Germán R; Stella, Emma J; Sanchez, Adriana; Gorosito, Mario; Bussy, Ramón Fernandez; Giri, Adriana A

    2016-08-01

    Gammapapillomavirus (γ-PV) is a diverse and rapidly expanding genus, currently consisting of 79 fully characterized human PV (HPV) types. In this study, three novel types, HPV157, HPV158 and HPV205, obtained from healthy sun-exposed skin of two immunocompetent individuals, were amplified by the "Hanging droplet" long PCR technique, cloned, sequenced and characterized. HPV157, HPV158 and HPV205 genomes comprise 7154-bp, 7192-bp and 7298-bp, respectively, and contain four early (E1, E2, E6 and E7) and two late genes (L1 and L2). Phylogenetic analysis of the L1 ORF placed all novel types within the γ-PV genus: HPV157 was classified as a new member of species γ-12 while HPV158 and HPV205 belong to species γ-1. We then explored potential recombination events in genus γ-PV with the RDP4 program in a dataset of 74 viruses (71 HPV types with available full-length genomes and the 3 novel types). Two events, both located in the E1 ORF, met the inclusion criterion (p-values <0.05 with at least four methods) and persisted in different ORF combinations: an inter-species recombination in species γ-8 (major and minor parents: species γ-24 and γ-11, respectively), and an intra-species recombination in species γ-7 (recombinant strain: HPV170; major and minor parents: HPV-109 and HPV-149, respectively). These findings were confirmed by phylogenetic tree incongruence analysis. An additional incongruence was found in members of species γ-9 but it was not detected by the RDP4. This report expands our knowledge of the family Papillomaviridae and provides for the first time in silico evidence of recombination in genus γ-PV. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Description of Mycobacterium chelonae subsp. bovis subsp. nov., isolated from cattle (Bos taurus coreanae), emended description of Mycobacterium chelonae and creation of Mycobacterium chelonae subsp. chelonae subsp. nov.

    PubMed

    Kim, Byoung-Jun; Kim, Ga-Na; Kim, Bo-Ram; Jeon, Che Ok; Jeong, Joseph; Lee, Seon Ho; Lim, Ji-Hun; Lee, Seung-Heon; Kim, Chang Ki; Kook, Yoon-Hoh; Kim, Bum-Joon

    2017-10-01

    Three rapidly growing mycobacterial strains, QIA-37 T , QIA-40 and QIA-41, were isolated from the lymph nodes of three separate Korean native cattle, Hanwoo (Bos taurus coreanae). These strains were previously shown to be phylogenetically distinct but closely related to Mycobacterium chelonae ATCC 35752 T by taxonomic approaches targeting three genes (16S rRNA, hsp6 and rpoB) and were further characterized using a polyphasic approach in this study. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of all three strains showed 99.7 % sequence similarity with that of the M. chelonae type strain. A multilocus sequence typing analysis targeting 10 housekeeping genes, including hsp65 and rpoB, revealed a phylogenetic cluster of these strains with M. chelonae. DNA-DNA hybridization values of 78.2 % between QIA-37 T and M. chelonae indicated that it belongs to M. chelonae but is a novel subspecies distinct from M. chelonae. Phylogenetic analysis based on whole-genome sequences revealed a 95.44±0.06 % average nucleotide identity (ANI) value with M. chelonae, slightly higher than the 95.0 % ANI criterion for determining a novel species. In addition, distinct phenotypic characteristics such as positive growth at 37 °C, at which temperature M. chelonae does not grow, further support the taxonomic status of these strains as representatives of a novel subspecies of M. chelonae. Therefore, we propose an emended description of Mycobacterium chelonae, and descriptions of M. chelonae subsp. chelonae subsp. nov. and M. chelonae subsp. bovis subsp. nov. are presented; strains ATCC 35752 T (=CCUG 47445 T =CIP 104535 T =DSM 43804 T =JCM 6388 T =NCTC 946 T ) and QIA-37 T (=KCTC 39630 T =JCM 30986 T ) are the type strains of the two novel subspecies.

  10. Salininema proteolyticum gen. nov., sp. nov., a halophilic rare actinomycete isolated from wetland soil, and emended description of the family Glycomycetaceae.

    PubMed

    Nikou, Mahdi Moshtaghi; Ramezani, Mohaddaseh; Amoozegar, Mohammad Ali; Rasouli, Mehrnoush; Fazeli, Seyed Abolhassan Shahzadeh; Schumann, Peter; de la Haba, Rafael R; Ventosa, Antonio

    2015-10-01

    A Gram-stain-positive actinobacterial strain, Miq-4T, was isolated from soil around Meighan wetland in the centre of Iran. Strain Miq-4T was strictly aerobic, catalase- and oxidase-positive. The isolate grew in the presence of 3–15 % (w/v) NaCl, at 20–40 °C and pH 6.0–11.0. The optimum NaCl, temperature and pH for growth were 7.0 %, 30 °C and 7.0–8.5, respectively. The cell wall of strain Miq-4T contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diamino acid and glucose and ribose as the whole-cell sugars. The polar lipid pattern consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannoside. Strain Miq-4T synthesized cellular fatty acids of anteiso- and iso-branched types, including anteiso-C17 : 0, anteiso- C15 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0, and the major respiratory quinone was MK-9(H4). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 68.2 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and characteristic patterns of 16S rRNA gene signature nucleotides revealed that strain Miq-4T belongs to the family Glycomycetaceae and showed the closest phylogenetic similarity with Haloglycomyces albus YIM 92370T (94.1 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). On the basis of phylogenetic analysis and phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, strain Miq-4T represents a novel species of a new genus in the family Glycomycetaceae, for which the name Salininema proteoliyticum gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is Miq-4T ( = IBRC-M 10908T = LMG 28391T). An emended description of the family Glycomycetaceae is also proposed in order to include features of the new genus.

  11. Imtechella halotolerans gen. nov., sp. nov., a member of the family Flavobacteriaceae isolated from estuarine water.

    PubMed

    Surendra, Vikram; Bhawana, Pant; Suresh, Korpole; Srinivas, T N R; Kumar, Pinnaka Anil

    2012-11-01

    A novel Gram-negative, rod-shaped, non-motile, non-sporulating bacterium, designated strain K1(T), was isolated from an estuarine water sample collected from Kochi, Kerala, India. Colonies on marine agar were circular, 2.0-2.5 mm in diameter, shiny, yellow, translucent and convex with entire margins. Strain K1(T) was negative for ornithine decarboxylase, lysine decarboxylase, nitrate reduction and H(2)S production. The fatty acids were dominated by iso-branched components with a high abundance of iso-C(15:0), iso-C(15:1) G and iso-C(17:0) 3-OH; MK-6 (64%) and MK-7 (34%) were found as major respiratory quinones; and phosphatidylethanolamine, two unidentified aminolipids, four unidentified phospholipids and two unidentified lipids were major polar lipids. The DNA G+C content of strain K1(T) was 46.1 mol%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain K1(T) was related most closely to the type strain of Zhouia amylolytica (pairwise sequence similarity of 93.0%). Phylogenetic analysis showed that strain K1(T) formed a distinct branch within the family Flavobacteriaceae and clustered with the clade comprising species of the genera Zhouia, Coenonia and Capnocytophaga, being phylogenetically most closely related to the type strain of Zhouia amylolytica at a distance of 9.2% (90.8% similarity). Other species of the genera within the same clade were related to strain K1(T) at distances of 15.0-23.1%. Based on phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics and on phylogenetic inference, strain K1(T) is considered to represent a novel species of a new genus in the family Flavobacteriaceae, for which the name Imtechella halotolerans gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Imtechella halotolerans is K1(T) (=MTCC 11055(T)=JCM 17677(T)).

  12. Clarification of the Concept of Ganoderma orbiforme with High Morphological Plasticity

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Dong-Mei; Wu, Sheng-Hua; Yao, Yi-Jian

    2014-01-01

    Ganoderma has been considered a very difficult genus among the polypores to classify and is currently in a state of taxonomic chaos. In a study of Ganoderma collections including numerous type specimens, we found that six species namely G. cupreum, G. densizonatum, G. limushanense, G. mastoporum, G. orbiforme, G. subtornatum, and records of G. fornicatum from Mainland China and Taiwan are very similar to one another in basidiocarp texture, pilear cuticle structure, context color, pore color and basidiospore characteristics. Further, we sequenced the nrDNA ITS region (ITS1 and ITS2) and partial mtDNA SSU region of the studied materials, and performed phylogenetic analyses based on these sequence data. The nrDNA ITS sequence analysis results show that the eight nrDNA ITS sequences derived from this study have single-nucleotide polymorphisms in ITS1 and/or ITS2 at inter- and intra-individual levels. In the nrDNA ITS phylogenetic trees, all the sequences from this study are grouped together with those of G. cupreum and G. mastoporum retrieved from GenBank to form a distinct clade. The mtDNA SSU sequence analysis results reveal that the five mtDNA SSU sequences derived from this study are clustered together with those of G. cupreum retrieved from GenBank and also form a distinct clade in the mtDNA SSU phylogenetic trees. Based on morphological and molecular data, we conclude that the studied taxa are conspecific. Among the names assigned to this species, G. fornicatum given to Asian collections has nomenclatural priority over the others. However, the type of G. fornicatum from Brazil is probably lost and a modern description based on the type lacks. The identification of the Asian collections to G. fornicatum therefore cannot be confirmed. To the best of our knowledge, G. orbiforme is the earliest valid name for use. PMID:24875218

  13. Dynamically heterogenous partitions and phylogenetic inference: an evaluation of analytical strategies with cytochrome b and ND6 gene sequences in cranes.

    PubMed

    Krajewski, C; Fain, M G; Buckley, L; King, D G

    1999-11-01

    ki ctes over whether molecular sequence data should be partitioned for phylogenetic analysis often confound two types of heterogeneity among partitions. We distinguish historical heterogeneity (i.e., different partitions have different evolutionary relationships) from dynamic heterogeneity (i.e., different partitions show different patterns of sequence evolution) and explore the impact of the latter on phylogenetic accuracy and precision with a two-gene, mitochondrial data set for cranes. The well-established phylogeny of cranes allows us to contrast tree-based estimates of relevant parameter values with estimates based on pairwise comparisons and to ascertain the effects of incorporating different amounts of process information into phylogenetic estimates. We show that codon positions in the cytochrome b and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 6 genes are dynamically heterogenous under both Poisson and invariable-sites + gamma-rates versions of the F84 model and that heterogeneity includes variation in base composition and transition bias as well as substitution rate. Estimates of transition-bias and relative-rate parameters from pairwise sequence comparisons were comparable to those obtained as tree-based maximum likelihood estimates. Neither rate-category nor mixed-model partitioning strategies resulted in a loss of phylogenetic precision relative to unpartitioned analyses. We suggest that weighted-average distances provide a computationally feasible alternative to direct maximum likelihood estimates of phylogeny for mixed-model analyses of large, dynamically heterogenous data sets. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

  14. Jannaschia seohaensis sp. nov., isolated from a tidal flat sediment.

    PubMed

    Yoon, Jung-Hoon; Kang, So-Jung; Park, Sooyeon; Oh, Ki-Hoon; Oh, Tae-Kwang

    2010-01-01

    A Gram-negative, motile and pleomorphic bacterial strain, SMK-146(T), was isolated from a tidal flat sediment of the Yellow Sea, Korea, and its taxonomic position was investigated. Strain SMK-146(T) grew optimally at pH 7.0-8.0 and 30 degrees C. It contained Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone and C(18 : 1)omega7c and 11-methyl C(18 : 1)omega7c as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. The DNA G+C content was 68.4 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain SMK-146(T) belongs to the genus Jannaschia. Strain SMK-146(T) exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 95.3-97.0 % to the type strains of the five recognized Jannaschia species. The mean DNA-DNA relatedness value between strain SMK-146(T) and Jannaschia seosinensis KCCM 42114(T), the closest phylogenetic neighbour, was 17 %. Differential phenotypic properties also revealed that strain SMK-146(T) differs from the recognized Jannaschia species. On the basis of phenotypic, phylogenetic and genetic data, strain SMK-146(T) represents a novel species of the genus Jannaschia, for which the name Jannaschia seohaensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SMK-146(T) (=KCTC 22172(T) =CCUG 55326(T)).

  15. Pedobacter insulae sp. nov., isolated from soil.

    PubMed

    Yoon, Jung-Hoon; Kang, So-Jung; Oh, Hyun Woo; Oh, Tae-Kwang

    2007-09-01

    A Gram-negative, non-motile, rod-shaped bacterium, DS-139(T), was isolated from a soil sample collected from Dokdo, Korea, and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic analysis. Strain DS-139(T) grew optimally at 25 degrees C and pH 6.5-7.5 in the presence of 0-0.5 % (w/v) NaCl. It contained MK-7 as the predominant menaquinone and iso-C(15 : 0), C(16 : 1)omega7c and/or iso-C(15 : 0) 2-OH and iso-C(17 : 0) 3-OH as the major fatty acids. The DNA G+C content was 39.4 mol%. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain DS-39(T) belongs to the genus Pedobacter in the family Sphingobacteriaceae. The similarity values between the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain DS-139(T) and those of the type strains of recognized Pedobacter species, except Pedobacter saltans, were in the range 93.9-96.7 %. The differential phenotypic properties, together with the phylogenetic distinctiveness, were sufficient to assign strain DS-139(T) to a species that is separate from recognized Pedobacter species. On the basis of the phenotypic and phylogenetic data, therefore, strain DS-139(T) represents a novel species of the genus Pedobacter, for which the name Pedobacter insulae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DS-139(T) (=KCTC 12820(T) =DSM 18684(T)).

  16. Cryobacterium aureum sp. nov., a psychrophilic bacterium isolated from glacier ice collected from the ice tongue surface.

    PubMed

    Liu, Qing; Xin, Yu-Hua; Chen, Xiu-Ling; Liu, Hong-Can; Zhou, Yu-Guang; Chen, Wen-Xin

    2018-04-01

    A psychrophilic, Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain Hh31 T , was isolated from Xinjiang No. 1 Glacier in China. Strain Hh31 T was catalase-positive, oxidase-negative and able to grow at between 0-18 °C. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain Hh31 T belonged to the genus Cryobacterium and was most closely related to the type strains of Cryobacterium levicorallinum, Cryobacterium luteum and Cryobacterium flavum. DNA-DNA hybridization, calculation of average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization revealed that strain Hh31 T was distinct from its closest phylogenetic neighbours. The major cellular fatty acids of strain Hh31 T were anteiso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 1, iso-C15:0, iso-C16 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0. The predominant menaquinones of strain Hh31 T were MK-9 and MK-10. The polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified phospholipid, one unidentified glycolipid and another unidentified lipid. Physiological tests such as carbon source utilization, showed phenotypic differentiation of strain Hh31 T from the closest related phylogenetic neighbours. Based on a polyphasic approach, a novel species, Cryobacterium aureum sp. nov., is proposed, with Hh31 T (=NBRC 107882 T =CGMCC 1.11213 T ) as the type strain.

  17. Streptococcus pharyngis sp. nov., a novel streptococcal species isolated from the respiratory tract of wild rabbits.

    PubMed

    Vela, Ana I; Casas-Díaz, Encarna; Lavín, Santiago; Domínguez, Lucas; Fernández-Garayzábal, Jose F

    2015-09-01

    Four isolates of an unknown Gram-stain-positive, catalase-negative coccus-shaped organism, isolated from the pharynx of four wild rabbits, were characterized by phenotypic and molecular genetic methods. The micro-organisms were tentatively assigned to the genus Streptococcus based on cellular morphological and biochemical criteria, although the organisms did not appear to correspond to any species with a validly published name. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing confirmed their identification as members of the genus Streptococcus, being most closely related phylogenetically to Streptococcus porcorum 682-03(T) (96.9% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). Analysis of rpoB and sodA gene sequences showed divergence values between the novel species and S. porcorum 682-03(T) (the closest phylogenetic relative determined from 16S rRNA gene sequences) of 18.1 and 23.9%, respectively. The novel bacterial isolate could be distinguished from the type strain of S. porcorum by several biochemical characteristics, such as the production of glycyl-tryptophan arylamidase and α-chymotrypsin, and the non-acidification of different sugars. Based on both phenotypic and phylogenetic findings, it is proposed that the unknown bacterium be assigned to a novel species of the genus Streptococcus, and named Streptococcus pharyngis sp. nov. The type strain is DICM10-00796B(T) ( = CECT 8754(T) = CCUG 66496(T)).

  18. Clonal group distribution of fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli among humans and companion animals in Australia.

    PubMed

    Platell, Joanne L; Cobbold, Rowland N; Johnson, James R; Trott, Darren J

    2010-09-01

    To determine the phylogenetic group distribution and prevalence of three major globally disseminated clonal groups [clonal group A (CGA) and O15:K52:H1, associated with phylogenetic group D, and sequence type ST131, associated with phylogenetic group B2] among fluoroquinolone-resistant extra-intestinal Escherichia coli isolates from humans and companion animals in Australia. Clinical extra-intestinal fluoroquinolone-resistant E. coli isolates were obtained from humans (n = 582) and companion animals (n = 125), on Australia's east coast (October 2007-October 2009). Isolates were tested for susceptibility to seven antimicrobial agents, and for phylogenetic group, O type and clonal-group-specific single nucleotide polymorphisms by PCR. The fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates were typically resistant to multiple agents (median of four). Analysis revealed that clonal group ST131 accounted for a large subset of the human isolates (202/585, 35%), but for a much smaller proportion of the companion animal isolates (9/125, 7.2%; P

  19. Bayesian phylogeny of sucrose transporters: ancient origins, differential expansion and convergent evolution in monocots and dicots

    PubMed Central

    Peng, Duo; Gu, Xi; Xue, Liang-Jiao; Leebens-Mack, James H.; Tsai, Chung-Jui

    2014-01-01

    Sucrose transporters (SUTs) are essential for the export and efficient movement of sucrose from source leaves to sink organs in plants. The angiosperm SUT family was previously classified into three or four distinct groups, Types I, II (subgroup IIB), and III, with dicot-specific Type I and monocot-specific Type IIB functioning in phloem loading. To shed light on the underlying drivers of SUT evolution, Bayesian phylogenetic inference was undertaken using 41 sequenced plant genomes, including seven basal lineages at key evolutionary junctures. Our analysis supports four phylogenetically and structurally distinct SUT subfamilies, originating from two ancient groups (AG1 and AG2) that diverged early during terrestrial colonization. In both AG1 and AG2, multiple intron acquisition events in the progenitor vascular plant established the gene structures of modern SUTs. Tonoplastic Type III and plasmalemmal Type II represent evolutionarily conserved descendants of AG1 and AG2, respectively. Type I and Type IIB were previously thought to evolve after the dicot-monocot split. We show, however, that divergence of Type I from Type III SUT predated basal angiosperms, likely associated with evolution of vascular cambium and phloem transport. Type I SUT was subsequently lost in monocots along with vascular cambium, and independent evolution of Type IIB coincided with modified monocot vasculature. Both Type I and Type IIB underwent lineage-specific expansion. In multiple unrelated taxa, the newly-derived SUTs exhibit biased expression in reproductive tissues, suggesting a functional link between phloem loading and reproductive fitness. Convergent evolution of Type I and Type IIB for SUT function in phloem loading and reproductive organs supports the idea that differential vascular development in dicots and monocots is a strong driver for SUT family evolution in angiosperms. PMID:25429293

  20. Transfer of Bacillus halodenitrificans Denariaz et al. 1989 to the genus Virgibacillus as Virgibacillus halodenitrificans comb. nov.

    PubMed

    Yoon, Jung-Hoon; Oh, Tae-Kwang; Park, Yong-Ha

    2004-11-01

    A Gram-variable, endospore-forming moderately halophilic rod, strain SF-121, was isolated from a marine solar saltern of the Yellow Sea in Korea. The result of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain SF-121 has highest sequence similarity (99.7 %) with the type strain of Bacillus halodenitrificans. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that B. halodenitrificans DSM 10037(T) and strain SF-121 are more closely related to the genus Virgibacillus than to the genus Bacillus. Strain SF-121 and B. halodenitrificans DSM 10037(T) exhibited 16S rRNA gene similarity levels of 95.3-97.5 % with the type strains of Virgibacillus species and 94.0 % with the type strain of Bacillus subtilis. DNA-DNA relatedness and phenotypic data indicated that B. halodenitrificans DSM 10037(T) and strain SF-121 are members of the same species. B. halodenitrificans DSM 10037(T) and strain SF-121 exhibited DNA-DNA relatedness values of 9-11 % with the type strains of Virgibacillus carmonensis and Virgibacillus marismortui. On the basis of the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, phylogenetic and genetic data, B. halodenitrificans should be reclassified in the genus Virgibacillus as Virgibacillus halodenitrificans comb. nov.

  1. Evolution of early life inferred from protein and ribonucleic acid sequences

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dayhoff, M. O.; Schwartz, R. M.

    1978-01-01

    The chemical structures of ferredoxin, 5S ribosomal RNA, and c-type cytochrome sequences have been employed to construct a phylogenetic tree which connects all major photosynthesizing organisms: the three types of bacteria, blue-green algae, and chloroplasts. Anaerobic and aerobic bacteria, eukaryotic cytoplasmic components and mitochondria are also included in the phylogenetic tree. Anaerobic nonphotosynthesizing bacteria similar to Clostridium were the earliest organisms, arising more than 3.2 billion years ago. Bacterial photosynthesis evolved nearly 3.0 billion years ago, while oxygen-evolving photosynthesis, originating in the blue-green algal line, came into being about 2.0 billion years ago. The phylogenetic tree supports the symbiotic theory of the origin of eukaryotes.

  2. REFGEN and TREENAMER: Automated Sequence Data Handling for Phylogenetic Analysis in the Genomic Era

    PubMed Central

    Leonard, Guy; Stevens, Jamie R.; Richards, Thomas A.

    2009-01-01

    The phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences and increasingly that of amino acid sequences is used to address a number of biological questions. Access to extensive datasets, including numerous genome projects, means that standard phylogenetic analyses can include many hundreds of sequences. Unfortunately, most phylogenetic analysis programs do not tolerate the sequence naming conventions of genome databases. Managing large numbers of sequences and standardizing sequence labels for use in phylogenetic analysis programs can be a time consuming and laborious task. Here we report the availability of an online resource for the management of gene sequences recovered from public access genome databases such as GenBank. These web utilities include the facility for renaming every sequence in a FASTA alignment file, with each sequence label derived from a user-defined combination of the species name and/or database accession number. This facility enables the user to keep track of the branching order of the sequences/taxa during multiple tree calculations and re-optimisations. Post phylogenetic analysis, these webpages can then be used to rename every label in the subsequent tree files (with a user-defined combination of species name and/or database accession number). Together these programs drastically reduce the time required for managing sequence alignments and labelling phylogenetic figures. Additional features of our platform include the automatic removal of identical accession numbers (recorded in the report file) and generation of species and accession number lists for use in supplementary materials or figure legends. PMID:19812722

  3. New clade of enigmatic early archosaurs yields insights into early pseudosuchian phylogeny and the biogeography of the archosaur radiation.

    PubMed

    Butler, Richard J; Sullivan, Corwin; Ezcurra, Martín D; Liu, Jun; Lecuona, Agustina; Sookias, Roland B

    2014-06-10

    The origin and early radiation of archosaurs and closely related taxa (Archosauriformes) during the Triassic was a critical event in the evolutionary history of tetrapods. This radiation led to the dinosaur-dominated ecosystems of the Jurassic and Cretaceous, and the high present-day archosaur diversity that includes around 10,000 bird and crocodylian species. The timing and dynamics of this evolutionary radiation are currently obscured by the poorly constrained phylogenetic positions of several key early archosauriform taxa, including several species from the Middle Triassic of Argentina (Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum) and China (Turfanosuchus dabanensis, Yonghesuchus sangbiensis). These species act as unstable 'wildcards' in morphological phylogenetic analyses, reducing phylogenetic resolution. We present new anatomical data for the type specimens of G. stipanicicorum, T. dabanensis, and Y. sangbiensis, and carry out a new morphological phylogenetic analysis of early archosaur relationships. Our results indicate that these three previously enigmatic taxa form a well-supported clade of Middle Triassic archosaurs that we refer to as Gracilisuchidae. Gracilisuchidae is placed basally within Suchia, among the pseudosuchian (crocodile-line) archosaurs. The approximately contemporaneous and morphologically similar G. stipanicicorum and Y. sangbiensis may be sister taxa within Gracilisuchidae. Our results provide increased resolution of the previously poorly constrained relationships of early archosaurs, with increased levels of phylogenetic support for several key early pseudosuchian clades. Moreover, they falsify previous hypotheses suggesting that T. dabanensis and Y. sangbiensis are not members of the archosaur crown group. The recognition of Gracilisuchidae provides further support for a rapid phylogenetic diversification of crown archosaurs by the Middle Triassic. The disjunct distribution of the gracilisuchid clade in China and Argentina demonstrates that early archosaurs were distributed over much or all of Pangaea although they may have initially been relatively rare members of faunal assemblages.

  4. Characterization of strains of Weissella fabalis sp. nov. and Fructobacillus tropaeoli from spontaneous cocoa bean fermentations.

    PubMed

    Snauwaert, Isabel; Papalexandratou, Zoi; De Vuyst, Luc; Vandamme, Peter

    2013-05-01

    Six facultatively anaerobic, non-motile lactic acid bacteria were isolated from spontaneous cocoa bean fermentations carried out in Brazil, Ecuador and Malaysia. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that one of these strains, designated M75(T), isolated from a Brazilian cocoa bean fermentation, had the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity towards Weissella fabaria LMG 24289(T) (97.7%), W. ghanensis LMG 24286(T) (93.3%) and W. beninensis LMG 25373(T) (93.4%). The remaining lactic acid bacteria isolates, represented by strain M622, showed the highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity towards the type strain of Fructobacillus tropaeoli (99.9%), a recently described species isolated from a flower in South Africa. pheS gene sequence analysis indicated that the former strain represented a novel species, whereas pheS, rpoA and atpA gene sequence analysis indicated that the remaining five strains belonged to F. tropaeoli; these results were confirmed by DNA-DNA hybridization experiments towards their respective nearest phylogenetic neighbours. Additionally, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry proved successful for the identification of species of the genera Weissella and Fructobacillus and for the recognition of the novel species. We propose to classify strain M75(T) ( = LMG 26217(T)  = CCUG 61472(T)) as the type strain of the novel species Weissella fabalis sp. nov.

  5. Salinifilum gen. nov., with description of Salinifilum proteinilyticum sp. nov., an extremely halophilic actinomycete isolated from Meighan wetland, Iran, and reclassification of Saccharopolyspora aidingensis as Salinifilum aidingensis comb. nov. and Saccharopolyspora ghardaiensis as Salinifilum ghardaiensis comb. nov.

    PubMed

    Moshtaghi Nikou, Mahdi; Ramezani, Mohaddaseh; Harirchi, Sharareh; Makzoom, Somayyeh; Amoozegar, Mohammad Ali; Shahzadeh Fazeli, Seyed Abolhassan; Schumann, Peter; Ventosa, Antonio

    2017-10-01

    A Gram-positive, halophilic actinobacterial strain Miq-12 T was isolated from Meighan wetland in Iran. Strain Miq-12 T was strictly aerobic, catalase positive and oxidase negative. The isolate grew at 12-25 % NaCl, at 30-50 °C and pH 5.5-10.5. The optimum NaCl, temperature and pH for growth were 15-20 %, 40 °C and 7.0-8.0, respectively. The cell wall of strain Miq-12 T contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as diagnostic diamino acid and arabinose as whole-cell sugar. The polar lipid pattern consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol. It synthesized cellular fatty acids of anteiso and iso-branched types, anteiso-C17 : 0, iso-C17:0, iso-C15:0, iso-C16 : 0. The major respiratory quinone was MK-9(H4). The G+C content of its genomic DNA was 72.1 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison revealed that strain Miq-12 T belongs to the family Pseudonocardiaceae, constituted a separate clade, and showed the closest phylogenetic similarity to Saccharopolyspora aidingensis TRM 46074 T (96.99 %) and Saccharopolyspora ghardaiensis CCUG 63370 T (96.92 %). On the basis of phylogenetic analysis, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, a novel genus and species of the family Pseudonocardiaceae, Salinifilum proteinilyticum gen. nov., sp. nov., are proposed. The type strain is Miq-12 T (=IBRCM 11033 T =LMG 28390 T ). We also propose that S. aidingensis and S. ghardaiensis should be transferred to this new genus and be named Salinifilum aidingensis comb. nov. and Salinifilum ghardaiensis comb. nov., respectively. The type strain of Salinifilum aidingensis comb. nov. is TRM 46074 T (=CCTCCAA 2012014 T =JCM 30185 T ) and the type strain of Salinifilum ghardaiensis comb. nov. is CCUG 63370 T (=DSM 45606 T =CECT 8304 T ).

  6. Phylogenetic relationships among the North American cleomoids (Cleomaceae): a test of Iltis's reduction series.

    PubMed

    Riser, James P; Cardinal-McTeague, Warren M; Hall, Jocelyn C; Hahn, William J; Sytsma, Kenneth J; Roalson, Eric H

    2013-10-01

    A monophyletic group composed of five genera of the Cleomaceae represents an intriguing lineage with outstanding taxonomic and evolutionary questions. Generic boundaries are poorly defined, and historical hypotheses regarding the evolution of fruit type and phylogenetic relationships provide testable questions. This is the first detailed phylogenetic investigation of all 22 species in this group. We use this phylogenetic framework to assess generic monophyly and test Iltis's evolutionary "reduction series" hypothesis regarding phylogeny and fruit type/seed number. • Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses of four plastid intergenic spacer region sequences (rpl32-trnL, trnQ-rps16, ycf1-rps15, and psbA-trnH) and one nuclear (ITS) region were used to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships among the NA cleomoid species. Stochastic mapping and ancestral-state reconstruction were used to study the evolution of fruit type. • Both analyses recovered nearly identical phylogenies. Three of the currently recognized genera (Wislizenia, Carsonia, and Oxystylis) are monophyletic while two (Cleomella and Peritoma) are para- or polyphyletic. There was a single origin of the two-seeded schizocarp in the ancestor of the Oxystylis-Wislizenia clade and a secondary derivation of elongated capsule-type fruits in Peritoma from a truncated capsule state in Cleomella. • Our well-resolved phylogeny supports most of the current species circumscriptions but not current generic circumscriptions. Additionally, our results are inconsistent with Iltis's hypothesis of species with elongated many-seed fruits giving rise to species with truncated few-seeded fruits. Instead, we find support for the reversion to elongated multiseeded fruits from a truncate few-seeded ancestor in Peritoma.

  7. Phylogenetic and Biochemical Studies on Stomatococcus mucilaginosus.

    PubMed

    Stackebrandt, E; Scheuerlein, C; Schleifer, K H

    1983-01-01

    The degree of relatedness of nine strains of Stomatococcus mucilaginosus (formerly classified as 'Micrococcus mucilaginosus') was investigated by deoxyribonucleic acid hybridization. We confirm that all strains are highly related. Differences in the peptidoglycan type and the cytochrome pattern between S. mucilaginosus and members of Micrococcus, together with the results of 23 S ribosomal ribonucleic acid cistron similarity studies and the analysis of the 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid support the exclusion of this species from the genus Micrococcus and justifies its reclassification as a member of a new genus, Stomatococcus (Bergan and Kocur, 1982). Phylogenetically, S. mucilaginosus represents an independent line of descent within a broad group of Gram-positive bacteria that contains arthrobacteria, micrococci, cellulomonads, brevibacteria and microbacteria. Copyright © 1983 Gustav Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart/New York. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.

  8. Actinomyces hominis sp. nov., isolated from a wound swab.

    PubMed

    Funke, Guido; Englert, Ralf; Frodl, Reinhard; Bernard, Kathryn A; Stenger, Steffen

    2010-07-01

    A coryneform bacterium (strain 1094(T)) was isolated from a wound swab taken from an 89-year-old female patient. Chemotaxonomic investigations suggested that this bacterium was related to the genera Actinomyces, Arcanobacterium and Actinobaculum. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain 1094(T) was most closely related to Actinomyces europaeus CCUG 32789 A(T) (94.3 % similarity). Phenotypically, the isolate could be separated from its closest phylogenetic neighbours on the basis of being positive for catalase, CAMP reaction, acid phosphatase, N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase and raffinose fermentation. Based on the data presented, it is proposed that strain 1094(T) should be classified in a novel species, Actinomyces hominis sp. nov. The type strain is 1094(T) (=CCUG 57540(T) =DSM 22168(T)).

  9. Aspergillus bertholletius sp. nov. from Brazil Nuts

    PubMed Central

    Taniwaki, Marta H.; Pitt, John I.; Iamanaka, Beatriz T.; Sartori, Daniele; Copetti, Marina V.; Balajee, Arun; Fungaro, Maria Helena P.; Frisvad, Jens C.

    2012-01-01

    During a study on the mycobiota of brazil nuts (Bertholletia excelsa) in Brazil, a new Aspergillus species, A. bertholletius, was found, and is described here. A polyphasic approach was applied using morphological characters, extrolite data as well as partial β-tubulin, calmodulin and ITS sequences to characterize this taxon. A. bertholletius is represented by nineteen isolates from samples of brazil nuts at various stages of production and soil close to Bertholletia excelsa trees. The following extrolites were produced by this species: aflavinin, cyclopiazonic acid, kojic acid, tenuazonic acid and ustilaginoidin C. Phylogenetic analysis using partial β-tubulin and camodulin gene sequences showed that A. bertholletius represents a new phylogenetic clade in Aspergillus section Flavi. The type strain of A. bertholletius is CCT 7615 ( = ITAL 270/06 = IBT 29228). PMID:22952594

  10. Identification of canine parvovirus with the Q370R point mutation in the VP2 gene from a giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca).

    PubMed

    Guo, Ling; Yang, Shao-lin; Chen, Shi-jie; Zhang, Zhihe; Wang, Chengdong; Hou, Rong; Ren, Yupeng; Wen, Xintian; Cao, Sanjie; Guo, Wanzhu; Hao, Zhongxiang; Quan, Zifang; Zhang, Manli; Yan, Qi-gui

    2013-05-26

    In this study, we sequenced and phylogenetic analyses of the VP2 genes from twelve canine parvovirus (CPV) strains obtained from eleven domestic dogs and a giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) in China. A novel canine parvovirus (CPV) was detected from the giant panda in China. Nucleotide and phylogenetic analysis of the capsid protein VP2 gene classified the CPV as a new CPV-2a type. Substitution of Gln for Arg at the conserved 370 residue in CPV presents an unusual variation in the new CPV-2a amino acid sequence of the giant panda and is further evidence for the continuing evolution of the virus. These findings extend the knowledge on CPV molecular epidemiology of particular relevance to wild carnivores.

  11. Pantoea hericii sp. nov., Isolated from the Fruiting Bodies of Hericium erinaceus.

    PubMed

    Rong, Chengbo; Ma, Yuanwei; Wang, Shouxian; Liu, Yu; Chen, Sanfeng; Huang, Bin; Wang, Jing; Xu, Feng

    2016-06-01

    Three Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic bacterial isolates were obtained from the fruiting bodies of the edible mushroom Hericium erinaceus showing symptoms of soft rot disease in Beijing, China. Sequences of partial 16S rRNA gene placed these isolates in the genus Pantoea. Multilocus sequence analysis based on the partial sequences of atpD, gyrB, infB and rpoB revealed P. eucalypti and P. anthophila as their closest phylogenetic relatives and indicated that these isolates constituted a possible novel species. DNA-DNA hybridization studies confirmed the classification of these isolates as a novel species and phenotypic tests allowed for differentiation from the closest phylogenetic neighbours. The name Pantoea hericii sp. nov. [Type strain LMG 28847(T) = CGMCC 1.15224(T) = JZB 2120024(T)] is proposed.

  12. Genotypic lineages and restriction fragment length polymorphism of canine distemper virus isolates in Thailand.

    PubMed

    Radtanakatikanon, Araya; Keawcharoen, Juthatip; Charoenvisal, Na Taya; Poovorawan, Yong; Prompetchara, Eakachai; Yamaguchi, Ryoji; Techangamsuwan, Somporn

    2013-09-27

    Canine distemper virus (CDV) is known to cause multisystemic disease in all families of terrestrial carnivores. Attenuated live vaccines have been used to control CDV in a variety of species for many decades, yet a number of CDV infections in vaccinated dogs are still observed. The aims of this study were to investigate the genetic diversity of CDV lineages based on phosphoprotein (P), hemagglutinin (H) and fusion protein (F) genes and to develop the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) technique for effective differentiation among individual wild-type and vaccine lineages in Thailand. Four commercial vaccine products, thirteen conjunctival swabs and various tissues from 9 necropsied dogs suspected of having CDV infections were included. Virus isolation was performed using Vero cell expressing canine signaling lymphocyte activation molecules (Vero-DST cells). Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on 3 gene regions from the dog derived specimens and the vaccines were carried out, then RFLP analysis upon F-gene amplified fragments was developed. Nucleotide sequence and phylogenetic analysis were compared with other CDV lineages in Genbank. Phylogenetic relationships revealed that CDV field isolates were separated from the vaccine lineage and could be divided into two clusters; one of which belonged to the Asia-1 lineage and another, not related to any previous recognized lineages was proposed as 'Asia-4'. RFLP patterns demonstrating concordance with phylogenetic trees of the distemper virus allowed for differentiation between the Asia-1, Asia-4 and vaccine lineages. Thus, RFLP technique is able to effectively distinguish individual wild-type canine distemper virus from vaccine lineages in Thailand. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Analyzing Phylogenetic Trees with Timed and Probabilistic Model Checking: The Lactose Persistence Case Study.

    PubMed

    Requeno, José Ignacio; Colom, José Manuel

    2014-12-01

    Model checking is a generic verification technique that allows the phylogeneticist to focus on models and specifications instead of on implementation issues. Phylogenetic trees are considered as transition systems over which we interrogate phylogenetic questions written as formulas of temporal logic. Nonetheless, standard logics become insufficient for certain practices of phylogenetic analysis since they do not allow the inclusion of explicit time and probabilities. The aim of this paper is to extend the application of model checking techniques beyond qualitative phylogenetic properties and adapt the existing logical extensions and tools to the field of phylogeny. The introduction of time and probabilities in phylogenetic specifications is motivated by the study of a real example: the analysis of the ratio of lactose intolerance in some populations and the date of appearance of this phenotype.

  14. Analyzing phylogenetic trees with timed and probabilistic model checking: the lactose persistence case study.

    PubMed

    Requeno, José Ignacio; Colom, José Manuel

    2014-10-23

    Model checking is a generic verification technique that allows the phylogeneticist to focus on models and specifications instead of on implementation issues. Phylogenetic trees are considered as transition systems over which we interrogate phylogenetic questions written as formulas of temporal logic. Nonetheless, standard logics become insufficient for certain practices of phylogenetic analysis since they do not allow the inclusion of explicit time and probabilities. The aim of this paper is to extend the application of model checking techniques beyond qualitative phylogenetic properties and adapt the existing logical extensions and tools to the field of phylogeny. The introduction of time and probabilities in phylogenetic specifications is motivated by the study of a real example: the analysis of the ratio of lactose intolerance in some populations and the date of appearance of this phenotype.

  15. Phylogenetic versus functional signals in the evolution of form-function relationships in terrestrial vision.

    PubMed

    Motani, Ryosuke; Schmitz, Lars

    2011-08-01

    Phylogeny is deeply pertinent to evolutionary studies. Traits that perform a body function are expected to be strongly influenced by physical "requirements" of the function. We investigated if such traits exhibit phylogenetic signals, and, if so, how phylogenetic noises bias quantification of form-function relationships. A form-function system that is strongly influenced by physics, namely the relationship between eye morphology and visual optics in amniotes, was used. We quantified the correlation between form (i.e., eye morphology) and function (i.e., ocular optics) while varying the level of phylogenetic bias removal through adjusting Pagel's λ. Ocular soft-tissue dimensions exhibited the highest correlation with ocular optics when 1% of phylogenetic bias expected from Brownian motion was removed (i.e., λ= 0.01); the value for hard-tissue data were 8%. A small degree of phylogenetic bias therefore exists in morphology despite of the stringent functional constraints. We also devised a phylogenetically informed discriminant analysis and recorded the effects of phylogenetic bias on this method using the same data. Use of proper λ values during phylogenetic bias removal improved misidentification rates in resulting classifications when prior probabilities were assumed to be equal. Even a small degree of phylogenetic bias affected the classification resulting from phylogenetically informed discriminant analysis. © 2011 The Author(s). Evolution© 2011 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

  16. Taxonomic evaluation of putative Streptomyces scabiei strains held in the ARS Culture Collection (NRRL) using multi-locus sequence analysis.

    PubMed

    Labeda, David P

    2016-03-01

    Multi-locus sequence analysis has been demonstrated to be a useful tool for identification of Streptomyces species and was previously applied to phylogenetically differentiate the type strains of species pathogenic on potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.). The ARS Culture Collection (NRRL) contains 43 strains identified as Streptomyces scabiei deposited at various times since the 1950s and these were subjected to multi-locus sequence analysis utilising partial sequences of the house-keeping genes atpD, gyrB, recA, rpoB and trpB. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed the identity of 17 of these strains as Streptomyces scabiei, 9 of the strains as the potato-pathogenic species Streptomyces europaeiscabiei and 6 strains as potentially new phytopathogenic species. Of the 16 other strains, 12 were identified as members of previously described non-pathogenic Streptomyces species while the remaining 4 strains may represent heretofore unrecognised non-pathogenic species. This study demonstrated the value of this technique for the relatively rapid, simple and sensitive molecular identification of Streptomyces strains held in culture collections.

  17. Visualizing Phylogenetic Treespace Using Cartographic Projections

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sundberg, Kenneth; Clement, Mark; Snell, Quinn

    Phylogenetic analysis is becoming an increasingly important tool for biological research. Applications include epidemiological studies, drug development, and evolutionary analysis. Phylogenetic search is a known NP-Hard problem. The size of the data sets which can be analyzed is limited by the exponential growth in the number of trees that must be considered as the problem size increases. A better understanding of the problem space could lead to better methods, which in turn could lead to the feasible analysis of more data sets. We present a definition of phylogenetic tree space and a visualization of this space that shows significant exploitable structure. This structure can be used to develop search methods capable of handling much larger datasets.

  18. Legionella busanensis sp. nov., isolated from cooling tower water in Korea.

    PubMed

    Park, Mi-Yeoun; Ko, Kwan Soo; Lee, Hae Kyung; Park, Man-Suk; Kook, Yoon-Hoh

    2003-01-01

    Three Legionella-like micro-organisms, isolated from cooling tower water of a building in Busan, Korea, were characterized by a variety of biochemical and molecular phylogenetic tests. Analyses of whole-cell fatty acids and results of biochemical tests revealed that these three isolates are distinct from previously described Legionella species. Furthermore, results of comparative analyses of 16S rDNA (1476-1488 bp), mip (408 bp) and rpoB (300 bp) sequences also confirmed that these strains represent a novel species within the genus Legionella. The 16S rDNA sequences of the three Korean isolates had similarities of less than 95.8% to other Legionella species. Phylogenetic trees formed by analysis of the 16S rRNA, rpoB and mip genes revealed that the isolates formed a distinct cluster within the genus Legionella. Based on the evaluated phenotypic and phylogenetic characteristics, it is proposed that these Korean isolates from water be classified as a novel species, Legionella busanensis sp. nov.; the type strain is strain K9951T (=KCTC 12084T =ATCC BAA-518T).

  19. Phylogenetic analysis of DNA and RNA polymerases from a Moniliophthora perniciosa mitochondrial plasmid reveals probable lateral gene transfer.

    PubMed

    Andrade, B S; Góes-Neto, A

    2015-10-30

    The filamentous fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa is a hemibiotrophic basidiomycete that causes witches' broom disease of cacao (Theobroma cacao L.). Many fungal mitochondrial plasmids are DNA and RNA polymerase-encoding invertrons with terminal inverted repeats and 5'-linked proteins. The aim of this study was to carry out comparative and phylogenetic analyses of DNA and RNA polymerases for all known linear mitochondrial plasmids in fungi. We performed these analyses at both gene and protein levels and assessed differences between fungal and viral polymerases in order to test the lateral gene transfer (LGT) hypothesis. We analyzed all mitochondrial plasmids of the invertron type within the fungal clade, including five from Ascomycota, seven from Basidiomycota, and one from Chytridiomycota. All phylogenetic analyses generated similar tree topologies regardless of the methods and datasets used. It is likely that DNA and RNA polymerase genes were inserted into the mitochondrial genomes of the 13 fungal species examined in our study as a result of different LGT events. These findings are important for a better understanding of the evolutionary relationships between fungal mitochondrial plasmids.

  20. Phylogenetic analysis of Fusobacterium prausnitzii based upon the 16S rRNA gene sequence and PCR confirmation.

    PubMed

    Wang, R F; Cao, W W; Cerniglia, C E

    1996-01-01

    In order to develop a PCR method to detect Fusobacterium prausnitzii in human feces and to clarify the phylogenetic position of this species, its 16S rRNA gene sequence was determined. The sequence described in this paper is different from the 16S rRNA gene sequence is specific for F. prausnitzii, and the results of this assay confirmed that F. prausnitzii is the most common species in human feces. However, a PCR assay based on the original GenBank sequence was negative when it was performed with two strains of F. prausnitzii obtained from the American Type Culture Collection. A phylogenetic tree based on the new 16S rRNA gene sequence was constructed. On this tree F. prausnitzii was not a member of the Fusobacterium group but was closer to some Eubacterium spp. and located between Clostridium "clusters III and IV" (M.D. Collins, P.A. Lawson, A. Willems, J.J. Cordoba, J. Fernandez-Garayzabal, P. Garcia, J. Cai, H. Hippe, and J.A.E. Farrow, Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 44:812-826, 1994).

  1. Candida neustonensis sp. nov., a novel ascomycetous yeast isolated from the sea surface microlayer in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Chang, Chin-Feng; Lee, Ching-Fu; Liu, Shiu-Mei

    2010-01-01

    A new ascomycetous yeast species, Candida neustonensis is proposed in this study based on four strains (SN92(T), SN47, SJ22, SJ25) isolated from sea surface microlayer in Taiwan. These four yeast strains were morphologically, physiologically and phylogenetically identical to each other. No sexual reproduction was observed on 5% malt extract agar, corn meal agar, V8 agar, McClary's acetate agar and potato-dextrose agar. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences of the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene places C. neustonensis as a member of the Pichia guilliermondii clade, it also reveals that the phylogenetically closest relatives of C. neustonensis are C. fukuyamaensis (4.4% divergence), C. xestobii (4.4% divergence) and P. guilliermondii (4.5% divergence). C. neustonensis also is clearly distinguished from other known species in the P. guilliermondii clade based on the results of physiology tests. From these comparison analyses, the following novel yeast species is proposed: Candida neustonensis sp. nov., with strain SN92(T) (= BCRC 23108(T) = JCM 14892(T) = CBS 11061(T)) as the type strain.

  2. Molecular Phylogeny of the Widely Distributed Marine Protists, Phaeodaria (Rhizaria, Cercozoa).

    PubMed

    Nakamura, Yasuhide; Imai, Ichiro; Yamaguchi, Atsushi; Tuji, Akihiro; Not, Fabrice; Suzuki, Noritoshi

    2015-07-01

    Phaeodarians are a group of widely distributed marine cercozoans. These plankton organisms can exhibit a large biomass in the environment and are supposed to play an important role in marine ecosystems and in material cycles in the ocean. Accurate knowledge of phaeodarian classification is thus necessary to better understand marine biology, however, phylogenetic information on Phaeodaria is limited. The present study analyzed 18S rDNA sequences encompassing all existing phaeodarian orders, to clarify their phylogenetic relationships and improve their taxonomic classification. The monophyly of Phaeodaria was confirmed and strongly supported by phylogenetic analysis with a larger data set than in previous studies. The phaeodarian clade contained 11 subclades which generally did not correspond to the families and orders of the current classification system. Two families (Challengeriidae and Aulosphaeridae) and two orders (Phaeogromida and Phaeocalpida) are possibly polyphyletic or paraphyletic, and consequently the classification needs to be revised at both the family and order levels by integrative taxonomy approaches. Two morphological criteria, 1) the scleracoma type and 2) its surface structure, could be useful markers at the family level. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  3. Overlapping and lineage-specific roles for the type-B response regulators of monocots and dicots.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hyo Jung; Kieber, Joseph J; Schaller, G Eric

    2012-09-01

    Cytokinins are plant hormones with profound roles in growth and development. Cytokinin signaling is mediated through a 'two-component' signaling system composed of histidine kinases, histidine-containing phosphotransfer proteins, and response regulators. Phylogenetic analysis of two-component signaling elements from the monocot rice and the dicot Arabidopsis reveals lineage-specific expansions of the type-B response regulators, transcription factors that act as positive regulators for the cytokinin signal. We recently reported in Plant Physiology on a functional analysis of rice type-B response regulators. A type-B response regulator from a subfamily comprised of both monocot and dicot type-B response regulators complemented an Arabidopsis type-B response regulator mutant, but a type-B response regulator from a monocot-specific subfamily generally did not. Here, we extend this analysis to demonstrate that the promoter of an Arabidopsis cytokinin primary response gene is induced by type-B response regulators from a shared subfamily, but not by one from a lineage-specific subfamily. These results support a model in which the type-B response regulators of monocots and dicots share conserved roles in the cytokinin signaling pathway but have also diverged to take on lineage-specific roles.

  4. Multi-locus phylogeny of dolphins in the subfamily Lissodelphininae: character synergy improves phylogenetic resolution

    PubMed Central

    Harlin-Cognato, April D; Honeycutt, Rodney L

    2006-01-01

    Background Dolphins of the genus Lagenorhynchus are anti-tropically distributed in temperate to cool waters. Phylogenetic analyses of cytochrome b sequences have suggested that the genus is polyphyletic; however, many relationships were poorly resolved. In this study, we present a combined-analysis phylogenetic hypothesis for Lagenorhynchus and members of the subfamily Lissodelphininae, which is derived from two nuclear and two mitochondrial data sets and the addition of 34 individuals representing 9 species. In addition, we characterize with parsimony and Bayesian analyses the phylogenetic utility and interaction of characters with statistical measures, including the utility of highly consistent (non-homoplasious) characters as a conservative measure of phylogenetic robustness. We also explore the effects of removing sources of character conflict on phylogenetic resolution. Results Overall, our study provides strong support for the monophyly of the subfamily Lissodelphininae and the polyphyly of the genus Lagenorhynchus. In addition, the simultaneous parsimony analysis resolved and/or improved resolution for 12 nodes including: (1) L. albirostris, L. acutus; (2) L. obscurus and L. obliquidens; and (3) L. cruciger and L. australis. In addition, the Bayesian analysis supported the monophyly of the Cephalorhynchus, and resolved ambiguities regarding the relationship of L. australis/L. cruciger to other members of the genus Lagenorhynchus. The frequency of highly consistent characters varied among data partitions, but the rate of evolution was consistent within data partitions. Although the control region was the greatest source of character conflict, removal of this data partition impeded phylogenetic resolution. Conclusion The simultaneous analysis approach produced a more robust phylogenetic hypothesis for Lagenorhynchus than previous studies, thus supporting a phylogenetic approach employing multiple data partitions that vary in overall rate of evolution. Even in cases where there was apparent conflict among characters, our data suggest a synergistic interaction in the simultaneous analysis, and speak against a priori exclusion of data because of potential conflicts, primarily because phylogenetic results can be less robust. For example, the removal of the control region, the putative source of character conflict, produced spurious results with inconsistencies among and within topologies from parsimony and Bayesian analyses. PMID:17078887

  5. Genome-wide identification and characterization of cacao WRKY transcription factors and analysis of their expression in response to witches' broom disease

    PubMed Central

    Silva Monteiro de Almeida, Dayanne; Oliveira Jordão do Amaral, Daniel; Del-Bem, Luiz-Eduardo; Bronze dos Santos, Emily; Santana Silva, Raner José; Peres Gramacho, Karina; Vincentz, Michel

    2017-01-01

    Transcriptional regulation, led by transcription factors (TFs) such as those of the WRKY family, is a mechanism used by the organism to enhance or repress gene expression in response to stimuli. Here, we report on the genome-wide analysis of the Theobroma cacao WRKY TF family and also investigate the expression of WRKY genes in cacao infected by the fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa. In the cacao genome, 61 non-redundant WRKY sequences were found and classified in three groups (I to III) according to the WRKY and zinc-finger motif types. The 61 putative WRKY sequences were distributed on the 10 cacao chromosomes and 24 of them came from duplication events. The sequences were phylogenetically organized according to the general WRKY groups. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that subgroups IIa and IIb are sister groups and share a common ancestor, as well as subgroups IId and IIe. The most divergent groups according to the plant origin were IIc and III. According to the phylogenetic analysis, 7 TcWRKY genes were selected and analyzed by RT-qPCR in susceptible and resistant cacao plants infected (or not) with M. perniciosa. Some TcWRKY genes presented interesting responses to M. perniciosa such as Tc01_p014750/Tc06_p013130/AtWRKY28, Tc09_p001530/Tc06_p004420/AtWRKY40, Tc04_p016130/AtWRKY54 and Tc10_p016570/ AtWRKY70. Our results can help to select appropriate candidate genes for further characterization in cacao or in other Theobroma species. PMID:29084273

  6. Serratia oryzae sp. nov., isolated from rice stems.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Cai-Wen; Zhang, Jun; Zhao, Juan-Juan; Zhao, Xia; Zhao, Dong-Fang; Yin, Hua-Qun; Zhang, Xiao-Xia

    2017-08-01

    A novel endophytic bacterium, strain J11-6T, was isolated from rice stems. Its taxonomic position was investigated using a polyphasic approach. The novel strain was Gram-staining-negative, facultatively anaerobic, motile and rod-shaped. Although the results of phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that J11-6T represented a member of the genus Rahnella, multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) on the basis of concatenated partial atpD, gyrB, rpoB and infB gene sequences showed a clear distinction of J11-6T from the type strains of species of the genus Rahnella but indicated that it lay within the clade of the genus Serratia. The phylogenetically closest species were Serratia fonticola and Serratia aquatilis on the basis of the results of the MLSA phylogenetic analysis. The predominant cellular fatty acids were C16 : 1ω7c (38.7 %) and C16 : 0 (25.0 %). The DNA G+C content was 53.2 mol%. The DNA-DNA relatedness was 17.4 % between J11-6T and Rahnella aquatilis CIP 78.65T, and 29.2 % between J11-6T and S. fonticola LMG 7882T which indicates that this strain represents a novel species of the genus Serratia. Characterization by genotypic and phenotypic analysis indicated that J11-6T (=ACCC 19934T=KCTC 52529T) represents a novel species of the genus Serratia, for which the name Serratia oryzae sp. nov. is proposed.

  7. Genome-wide identification and characterization of cacao WRKY transcription factors and analysis of their expression in response to witches' broom disease.

    PubMed

    Silva Monteiro de Almeida, Dayanne; Oliveira Jordão do Amaral, Daniel; Del-Bem, Luiz-Eduardo; Bronze Dos Santos, Emily; Santana Silva, Raner José; Peres Gramacho, Karina; Vincentz, Michel; Micheli, Fabienne

    2017-01-01

    Transcriptional regulation, led by transcription factors (TFs) such as those of the WRKY family, is a mechanism used by the organism to enhance or repress gene expression in response to stimuli. Here, we report on the genome-wide analysis of the Theobroma cacao WRKY TF family and also investigate the expression of WRKY genes in cacao infected by the fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa. In the cacao genome, 61 non-redundant WRKY sequences were found and classified in three groups (I to III) according to the WRKY and zinc-finger motif types. The 61 putative WRKY sequences were distributed on the 10 cacao chromosomes and 24 of them came from duplication events. The sequences were phylogenetically organized according to the general WRKY groups. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that subgroups IIa and IIb are sister groups and share a common ancestor, as well as subgroups IId and IIe. The most divergent groups according to the plant origin were IIc and III. According to the phylogenetic analysis, 7 TcWRKY genes were selected and analyzed by RT-qPCR in susceptible and resistant cacao plants infected (or not) with M. perniciosa. Some TcWRKY genes presented interesting responses to M. perniciosa such as Tc01_p014750/Tc06_p013130/AtWRKY28, Tc09_p001530/Tc06_p004420/AtWRKY40, Tc04_p016130/AtWRKY54 and Tc10_p016570/ AtWRKY70. Our results can help to select appropriate candidate genes for further characterization in cacao or in other Theobroma species.

  8. Description of Kuraishia piskuri f.a., sp. nov., a new methanol assimilating yeast and transfer of phylogenetically related Candida species to the genera Kuraishia and Nakazawaea as new combinations.

    PubMed

    Kurtzman, Cletus P; Robnett, Christie J

    2014-11-01

    The new anamorphic yeast Kuraishia piskuri, f.a., sp. nov. is described for three strains that were isolated from insect frass from trees growing in Florida, USA (type strain, NRRL YB-2544, CBS 13714). Species placement was based on phylogenetic analysis of nuclear gene sequences for the D1/D2 domains of large subunit rRNA, small subunit rRNA, translation elongation factor-1α, and subunits B1 and B2 of RNA polymerase II B. From this analysis, the anamorphic species Candida borneana, Candida cidri, Candida floccosa, Candida hungarica, and Candida ogatae were transferred to the genus Kuraishia as new combinations and Candida anatomiae, Candida ernobii, Candida ishiwadae, Candida laoshanensis, Candida molendini-olei, Candida peltata, Candida pomicola, Candida populi, Candida wickerhamii, and Candida wyomingensis were transferred to the genus Nakazawaea. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  9. Tanglegrams: A Reduction Tool for Mathematical Phylogenetics.

    PubMed

    Matsen, Frederick A; Billey, Sara C; Kas, Arnold; Konvalinka, Matjaz

    2018-01-01

    Many discrete mathematics problems in phylogenetics are defined in terms of the relative labeling of pairs of leaf-labeled trees. These relative labelings are naturally formalized as tanglegrams, which have previously been an object of study in coevolutionary analysis. Although there has been considerable work on planar drawings of tanglegrams, they have not been fully explored as combinatorial objects until recently. In this paper, we describe how many discrete mathematical questions on trees "factor" through a problem on tanglegrams, and how understanding that factoring can simplify analysis. Depending on the problem, it may be useful to consider a unordered version of tanglegrams, and/or their unrooted counterparts. For all of these definitions, we show how the isomorphism types of tanglegrams can be understood in terms of double cosets of the symmetric group, and we investigate their automorphisms. Understanding tanglegrams better will isolate the distinct problems on leaf-labeled pairs of trees and reveal natural symmetries of spaces associated with such problems.

  10. Covariant Evolutionary Event Analysis for Base Interaction Prediction Using a Relational Database Management System for RNA.

    PubMed

    Xu, Weijia; Ozer, Stuart; Gutell, Robin R

    2009-01-01

    With an increasingly large amount of sequences properly aligned, comparative sequence analysis can accurately identify not only common structures formed by standard base pairing but also new types of structural elements and constraints. However, traditional methods are too computationally expensive to perform well on large scale alignment and less effective with the sequences from diversified phylogenetic classifications. We propose a new approach that utilizes coevolutional rates among pairs of nucleotide positions using phylogenetic and evolutionary relationships of the organisms of aligned sequences. With a novel data schema to manage relevant information within a relational database, our method, implemented with a Microsoft SQL Server 2005, showed 90% sensitivity in identifying base pair interactions among 16S ribosomal RNA sequences from Bacteria, at a scale 40 times bigger and 50% better sensitivity than a previous study. The results also indicated covariation signals for a few sets of cross-strand base stacking pairs in secondary structure helices, and other subtle constraints in the RNA structure.

  11. Covariant Evolutionary Event Analysis for Base Interaction Prediction Using a Relational Database Management System for RNA

    PubMed Central

    Xu, Weijia; Ozer, Stuart; Gutell, Robin R.

    2010-01-01

    With an increasingly large amount of sequences properly aligned, comparative sequence analysis can accurately identify not only common structures formed by standard base pairing but also new types of structural elements and constraints. However, traditional methods are too computationally expensive to perform well on large scale alignment and less effective with the sequences from diversified phylogenetic classifications. We propose a new approach that utilizes coevolutional rates among pairs of nucleotide positions using phylogenetic and evolutionary relationships of the organisms of aligned sequences. With a novel data schema to manage relevant information within a relational database, our method, implemented with a Microsoft SQL Server 2005, showed 90% sensitivity in identifying base pair interactions among 16S ribosomal RNA sequences from Bacteria, at a scale 40 times bigger and 50% better sensitivity than a previous study. The results also indicated covariation signals for a few sets of cross-strand base stacking pairs in secondary structure helices, and other subtle constraints in the RNA structure. PMID:20502534

  12. Ruminococcus champanellensis sp. nov., a cellulose-degrading bacterium from human gut microbiota.

    PubMed

    Chassard, Christophe; Delmas, Eve; Robert, Céline; Lawson, Paul A; Bernalier-Donadille, Annick

    2012-01-01

    A strictly anaerobic, cellulolytic strain, designated 18P13(T), was isolated from a human faecal sample. Cells were Gram-positive non-motile cocci. Strain 18P13(T) was able to degrade microcrystalline cellulose but the utilization of soluble sugars was restricted to cellobiose. Acetate and succinate were the major end products of cellulose and cellobiose fermentation. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the isolate belonged to the genus Ruminococcus of the family Ruminococcaceae. The closest phylogenetic relative was the ruminal cellulolytic strain Ruminococcus flavefaciens ATCC 19208(T) (<95% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). The DNA G+C content of strain 18P13(T) was 53.05±0.7 mol%. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis, and morphological and physiological data, strain 18P13(T) can be differentiated from other members of the genus Ruminococcus with validly published names. The name Ruminococcus champanellensis sp. nov. is proposed, with 18P13(T) (=DSM 18848(T)=JCM 17042(T)) as the type strain.

  13. Cloning, characterization and sequence comparison of the gene coding for IMP dehydrogenase from Pyrococcus furiosus.

    PubMed

    Collart, F R; Osipiuk, J; Trent, J; Olsen, G J; Huberman, E

    1996-10-03

    We have cloned and characterized the gene encoding inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) from Pyrococcus furiosus (Pf), a hyperthermophillic archeon. Sequence analysis of the Pf gene indicated an open reading frame specifying a protein of 485 amino acids (aa) with a calculated M(r) of 52900. Canonical Archaea promoter elements, Box A and Box B, are located -49 and -17 nucleotides (nt), respectively, upstream of the putative start codon. The sequence of the putative active-site region conforms to the IMPDH signature motif and contains a putative active-site cysteine. Phylogenetic relationships derived by using all available IMPDH sequences are consistent with trees developed for other molecules; they do not precisely resolve the history of Pf IMPDH but indicate a close similarity to bacterial IMPDH proteins. The phylogenetic analysis indicates that a gene duplication occurred prior to the division between rodents and humans, accounting for the Type I and II isoforms identified in mice and humans.

  14. Lachancea lanzarotensis sp. nov., an ascomycetous yeast isolated from grapes and wine fermentation in Lanzarote, Canary Islands.

    PubMed

    González, Sara S; Alcoba-Flórez, Julia; Laich, Federico

    2013-01-01

    During the characterization of the microbiota biodiversity associated with grapes and wineries in different bioclimatic conditions of the Canary Islands (Spain), a novel yeast species was isolated from Lanzarote, the driest wine-producing region of the archipelago. Seven strains isolated from grapes, microvinifications and wineries are described. Sequence analysis of the D1/D2 domain of the LSU rDNA gene and 5.8S-ITS regions revealed that the isolates were phylogenetically a member of the genus Lachancea and are closely related to Lachancea meyersii NRRL Y-27269(T) and Lachancea nothofagi NRRL Y-48670(T). On the basis of morphological, biochemical and physiological characterization and phylogenetic analysis, a novel ascosporogenous yeast species, Lachancea lanzarotensis sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is L2C-15(T) ( = CBS 12615(T) = CECT 13066(T)) which was isolated from grape berries of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Listán Negro red grape variety in Tinajo, Lanzarote. The MycoBank no. is MB 801390.

  15. HIV-1 Phylogenetic analysis shows HIV-1 transits through the meninges to brain and peripheral tissues

    PubMed Central

    Lamers, Susanna L.; Gray, Rebecca R.; Salemi, Marco; Huysentruyt, Leanne C.; McGrath, Michael

    2010-01-01

    Brain infection by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has been investigated in many reports with a variety of conclusions concerning the time of entry and degree of viral compartmentalization. To address these diverse findings, we sequenced HIV-1 gp120 clones from a wide range of brain, peripheral and meningeal tissues from five patients who died from several HIV-1 associated disease pathologies. High-resolution phylogenetic analysis confirmed previous studies that showed a significant degree of compartmentalization in brain and peripheral tissue subpopulations. Some intermixing between the HIV-1 subpopulations was evident, especially in patients that died from pathologies other than HIV-associated dementia. Interestingly, the major tissue harboring virus from both the brain and peripheral tissues was the meninges. These results show that 1) HIV-1 is clearly capable of migrating out of the brain, 2) the meninges are the most likely primary transport tissues, and 3) infected brain macrophages comprise an important HIV reservoir during highly active antiretroviral therapy. PMID:21055482

  16. Morphological and phylogenetic analysis of a microsporidium (Nosema sp.) isolated from rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

    PubMed

    Xing, Dongxu; Yang, Qiong; Liao, Sentai; Han, Lanzhi; Li, Qingrong; Zhao, Chaoyi; Xiao, Yang; Ye, Mingqiang

    2017-10-01

    A new microsporidium was isolated from Chilo suppressalis (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), one of the most important rice pests in China. The morphology and molecular systematics of this novel microsporidium were described in this study. The spores were long oval and measured 3.17 × 1.64 μm on fresh smears. Ultrastructure of the spores was characteristic for the genus Nosema: a diplokaryon, 10-12 polar filament coils of the same type, and posterior vacuole. Small subunit rRNA gene sequence data and phylogenetic analysis further confirmed that the microsporidian species from C. suppressalis belong to the true Nosema sub-group of the genus Nosema. Besides, the microsporidium Nosema sp. CS could cause systemic infection of Bombyx mori and infect silkworms through vertical transmission. Therefore, mulberry field pest control should be carefully monitored, and sanitation of mulberry leaves is essential to control the pebrine disease in sericulture.

  17. Yersinia pekkanenii sp. nov.

    PubMed

    Murros-Kontiainen, Anna; Johansson, Per; Niskanen, Taina; Fredriksson-Ahomaa, Maria; Korkeala, Hannu; Björkroth, Johanna

    2011-10-01

    The taxonomic position of three strains from water, soil and lettuce samples was studied by using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The strains were reported to lack the virulence-encoding genes inv and virF in a previous study. Controversially, API 20 E and some other phenotypic tests suggested that the strains belong to Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, which prompted this polyphasic taxonomic study. In both the phylogenetic analyses of four housekeeping genes (glnA, gyrB, recA and HSP60) and numerical analyses of HindIII and EcoRI ribopatterns, the strains formed a separate group within the genus Yersinia. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strains were related to Yersinia aldovae and Yersinia mollaretii, but DNA-DNA hybridization analysis differentiated them from these species. Based on the results of the phylogenetic and DNA-DNA hybridization analyses, a novel species, Yersinia pekkanenii sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is ÅYV7.1KOH2(T) ( = DSM 22769(T)  = LMG 25369(T)).

  18. Integrated Automatic Workflow for Phylogenetic Tree Analysis Using Public Access and Local Web Services.

    PubMed

    Damkliang, Kasikrit; Tandayya, Pichaya; Sangket, Unitsa; Pasomsub, Ekawat

    2016-11-28

    At the present, coding sequence (CDS) has been discovered and larger CDS is being revealed frequently. Approaches and related tools have also been developed and upgraded concurrently, especially for phylogenetic tree analysis. This paper proposes an integrated automatic Taverna workflow for the phylogenetic tree inferring analysis using public access web services at European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), and our own deployed local web services. The workflow input is a set of CDS in the Fasta format. The workflow supports 1,000 to 20,000 numbers in bootstrapping replication. The workflow performs the tree inferring such as Parsimony (PARS), Distance Matrix - Neighbor Joining (DIST-NJ), and Maximum Likelihood (ML) algorithms of EMBOSS PHYLIPNEW package based on our proposed Multiple Sequence Alignment (MSA) similarity score. The local web services are implemented and deployed into two types using the Soaplab2 and Apache Axis2 deployment. There are SOAP and Java Web Service (JWS) providing WSDL endpoints to Taverna Workbench, a workflow manager. The workflow has been validated, the performance has been measured, and its results have been verified. Our workflow's execution time is less than ten minutes for inferring a tree with 10,000 replicates of the bootstrapping numbers. This paper proposes a new integrated automatic workflow which will be beneficial to the bioinformaticians with an intermediate level of knowledge and experiences. All local services have been deployed at our portal http://bioservices.sci.psu.ac.th.

  19. Integrated Automatic Workflow for Phylogenetic Tree Analysis Using Public Access and Local Web Services.

    PubMed

    Damkliang, Kasikrit; Tandayya, Pichaya; Sangket, Unitsa; Pasomsub, Ekawat

    2016-03-01

    At the present, coding sequence (CDS) has been discovered and larger CDS is being revealed frequently. Approaches and related tools have also been developed and upgraded concurrently, especially for phylogenetic tree analysis. This paper proposes an integrated automatic Taverna workflow for the phylogenetic tree inferring analysis using public access web services at European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), and our own deployed local web services. The workflow input is a set of CDS in the Fasta format. The workflow supports 1,000 to 20,000 numbers in bootstrapping replication. The workflow performs the tree inferring such as Parsimony (PARS), Distance Matrix - Neighbor Joining (DIST-NJ), and Maximum Likelihood (ML) algorithms of EMBOSS PHYLIPNEW package based on our proposed Multiple Sequence Alignment (MSA) similarity score. The local web services are implemented and deployed into two types using the Soaplab2 and Apache Axis2 deployment. There are SOAP and Java Web Service (JWS) providing WSDL endpoints to Taverna Workbench, a workflow manager. The workflow has been validated, the performance has been measured, and its results have been verified. Our workflow's execution time is less than ten minutes for inferring a tree with 10,000 replicates of the bootstrapping numbers. This paper proposes a new integrated automatic workflow which will be beneficial to the bioinformaticians with an intermediate level of knowledge and experiences. The all local services have been deployed at our portal http://bioservices.sci.psu.ac.th.

  20. Methylobacterium platani sp. nov., isolated from a leaf of the tree Platanus orientalis.

    PubMed

    Kang, Yoon-Suk; Kim, Juhyun; Shin, Hyeon-Dong; Nam, Young-Do; Bae, Jin-Woo; Jeon, Che Ok; Park, Woojun

    2007-12-01

    A novel bacterial strain, designated PMB02(T), was isolated from a leaf of the tree Platanus orientalis. Colonies grown on TYG agar plates were circular, pink-pigmented and slow-growing, being 0.2-1.5 mm in diameter after 3 days growth. The cells of strain PMB02(T) were Gram-negative, aerobic, motile rods that possessed oxidase and catalase activities and grew at 20-30 degrees C, pH 6-8 and in media containing less than 1 % NaCl. The major respiratory quinone was identified as Q-10. A phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons indicated that strain PMB02(T) was related to members of the genus Methylobacterium. A comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence-based phylogenetic analysis placed the strain in a clade with the species Methylobacterium aquaticum and Methylobacterium variabile, with which it showed sequence similarities of 97.7 and 97.4 %, respectively. The values for DNA-DNA hybridization between strain PMB02(T) and M. aquaticum CCM 7218(T) and M. variabile GR3(T) were less than 32 %. On the basis of the phenotypic characterization, the phylogenetic analysis and the DNA-DNA relatedness data, strain PMB02(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Methylobacterium, for which the name Methylobacterium platani sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PMB02(T) (=KCTC 12901(T)=JCM 14648(T)).

  1. Biomass Allocation of Stoloniferous and Rhizomatous Plant in Response to Resource Availability: A Phylogenetic Meta-Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Xie, Xiu-Fang; Hu, Yu-Kun; Pan, Xu; Liu, Feng-Hong; Song, Yao-Bin; Dong, Ming

    2016-01-01

    Resource allocation to different functions is central in life-history theory. Plasticity of functional traits allows clonal plants to regulate their resource allocation to meet changing environments. In this study, biomass allocation traits of clonal plants were categorized into absolute biomass for vegetative growth vs. for reproduction, and their relative ratios based on a data set including 115 species and derived from 139 published literatures. We examined general pattern of biomass allocation of clonal plants in response to availabilities of resource (e.g., light, nutrients, and water) using phylogenetic meta-analysis. We also tested whether the pattern differed among clonal organ types (stolon vs. rhizome). Overall, we found that stoloniferous plants were more sensitive to light intensity than rhizomatous plants, preferentially allocating biomass to vegetative growth, aboveground part and clonal reproduction under shaded conditions. Under nutrient- and water-poor condition, rhizomatous plants were constrained more by ontogeny than by resource availability, preferentially allocating biomass to belowground part. Biomass allocation between belowground and aboveground part of clonal plants generally supported the optimal allocation theory. No general pattern of trade-off was found between growth and reproduction, and neither between sexual and clonal reproduction. Using phylogenetic meta-analysis can avoid possible confounding effects of phylogeny on the results. Our results shown the optimal allocation theory explained a general trend, which the clonal plants are able to plastically regulate their biomass allocation, to cope with changing resource availability, at least in stoloniferous and rhizomatous plants. PMID:27200071

  2. A methodological investigation of hominoid craniodental morphology and phylogenetics.

    PubMed

    Bjarnason, Alexander; Chamberlain, Andrew T; Lockwood, Charles A

    2011-01-01

    The evolutionary relationships of extant great apes and humans have been largely resolved by molecular studies, yet morphology-based phylogenetic analyses continue to provide conflicting results. In order to further investigate this discrepancy we present bootstrap clade support of morphological data based on two quantitative datasets, one dataset consisting of linear measurements of the whole skull from 5 hominoid genera and the second dataset consisting of 3D landmark data from the temporal bone of 5 hominoid genera, including 11 sub-species. Using similar protocols for both datasets, we were able to 1) compare distance-based phylogenetic methods to cladistic parsimony of quantitative data converted into discrete character states, 2) vary outgroup choice to observe its effect on phylogenetic inference, and 3) analyse male and female data separately to observe the effect of sexual dimorphism on phylogenies. Phylogenetic analysis was sensitive to methodological decisions, particularly outgroup selection, where designation of Pongo as an outgroup and removal of Hylobates resulted in greater congruence with the proposed molecular phylogeny. The performance of distance-based methods also justifies their use in phylogenetic analysis of morphological data. It is clear from our analyses that hominoid phylogenetics ought not to be used as an example of conflict between the morphological and molecular, but as an example of how outgroup and methodological choices can affect the outcome of phylogenetic analysis. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Detection of multiple cocirculating wild poliovirus type 1 lineages through environmental surveillance: impact and progress during 2011-2013 in Pakistan.

    PubMed

    Alam, Muhammad Masroor; Shaukat, Shahzad; Sharif, Salmaan; Angez, Mehar; Khurshid, Adnan; Malik, Farzana; Rehman, Lubna; Zaidi, Syed Sohail Zahoor

    2014-11-01

    The environmental surveillance has proven to be a useful tool to identify poliovirus circulation in different countries and was started in Pakistan during July 2009 to support the acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance system. Sewage samples were collected from 27 environmental sampling (ENV) sites and processed for poliovirus isolation through 2-phase separation method. Poliovirus isolates were identified as Sabin-like or wild type through real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Wild-type strains were subjected to VP1 gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis performed using MEGA 5.0. During 2011-2013, a total of 668 samples were collected from 4 provinces that resulted in 40% of samples positive for wild poliovirus type-1 (WPV-1). None of the samples were positive for WPV-3. The areas with high frequency of WPV-1 detection were Karachi-Gadap (69%), Peshawar (82%), and Rawalpindi (65%), whereas the samples from Quetta and Sukkur remained negative for WPV during 2013. Phylogenetic analysis revealed 3 major clusters with multiple poliovirus lineages circulating across different country areas as well as in bordering areas of Afghanistan. Environmental surveillance in Pakistan has been proven to be a powerful tool to detect WPV circulation in the absence of poliomyelitis cases in many communities. Our findings emphasize the need to continue and expand such surveillance activities to other high-risk areas in the country. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  4. [Genome-wide identification and analysis of WRKY transcription factors in Medicago truncatula].

    PubMed

    Song, Hui; Nan, Zhibiao

    2014-02-01

    WRKY gene family plays important roles in plant by involving in transcriptional regulations during various physiologically processes such as development, metabolism and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. WRKY genes have been identified in various plants. However, only few WRKY genes in Medicago truncatula have been identified with systematic analysis and comparison. In this study, we identified 93 WRKY genes through analyses of M. truncatula genome. These genes include 19 type-I genes, 49 type II genes and 13 type-III genes, and 12 non-regular type genes. All of these genes were characterized through analyses of gene duplication, chromosomal locations, structural diversity, conserved protein motifs and phylogenetic relations. The results showed that 11 times of gene duplication event occurred in WRKY gene family involving 24 genes. WRKY genes, containing 6 gene clusters, are unevenly distributed into chromosome 1 to 6, and there is the purifying selection pressure in WRKY group III genes.

  5. The Evolutionary Ecology of Plant Disease: A Phylogenetic Perspective.

    PubMed

    Gilbert, Gregory S; Parker, Ingrid M

    2016-08-04

    An explicit phylogenetic perspective provides useful tools for phytopathology and plant disease ecology because the traits of both plants and microbes are shaped by their evolutionary histories. We present brief primers on phylogenetic signal and the analytical tools of phylogenetic ecology. We review the literature and find abundant evidence of phylogenetic signal in pathogens and plants for most traits involved in disease interactions. Plant nonhost resistance mechanisms and pathogen housekeeping functions are conserved at deeper phylogenetic levels, whereas molecular traits associated with rapid coevolutionary dynamics are more labile at branch tips. Horizontal gene transfer disrupts the phylogenetic signal for some microbial traits. Emergent traits, such as host range and disease severity, show clear phylogenetic signals. Therefore pathogen spread and disease impact are influenced by the phylogenetic structure of host assemblages. Phylogenetically rare species escape disease pressure. Phylogenetic tools could be used to develop predictive tools for phytosanitary risk analysis and reduce disease pressure in multispecies cropping systems.

  6. Novel molecular markers of Chlamydia pecorum genetic diversity in the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Chlamydia pecorum is an obligate intracellular bacterium and the causative agent of reproductive and ocular disease in several animal hosts including koalas, sheep, cattle and goats. C. pecorum strains detected in koalas are genetically diverse, raising interesting questions about the origin and transmission of this species within koala hosts. While the ompA gene remains the most widely-used target in C. pecorum typing studies, it is generally recognised that surface protein encoding genes are not suited for phylogenetic analysis and it is becoming increasingly apparent that the ompA gene locus is not congruent with the phylogeny of the C. pecorum genome. Using the recently sequenced C. pecorum genome sequence (E58), we analysed 10 genes, including ompA, to evaluate the use of ompA as a molecular marker in the study of koala C. pecorum genetic diversity. Results Three genes (incA, ORF663, tarP) were found to contain sufficient nucleotide diversity and discriminatory power for detailed analysis and were used, with ompA, to genotype 24 C. pecorum PCR-positive koala samples from four populations. The most robust representation of the phylogeny of these samples was achieved through concatenation of all four gene sequences, enabling the recreation of a "true" phylogenetic signal. OmpA and incA were of limited value as fine-detailed genetic markers as they were unable to confer accurate phylogenetic distinctions between samples. On the other hand, the tarP and ORF663 genes were identified as useful "neutral" and "contingency" markers respectively, to represent the broad evolutionary history and intra-species genetic diversity of koala C. pecorum. Furthermore, the concatenation of ompA, incA and ORF663 sequences highlighted the monophyletic nature of koala C. pecorum infections by demonstrating a single evolutionary trajectory for koala hosts that is distinct from that seen in non-koala hosts. Conclusions While the continued use of ompA as a fine-detailed molecular marker for epidemiological analysis appears justified, the tarP and ORF663 genes also appear to be valuable markers of phylogenetic or biogeographic divisions at the C. pecorum intra-species level. This research has significant implications for future typing studies to understand the phylogeny, genetic diversity, and epidemiology of C. pecorum infections in the koala and other animal species. PMID:21496349

  7. Novel molecular markers of Chlamydia pecorum genetic diversity in the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus).

    PubMed

    Marsh, James; Kollipara, Avinash; Timms, Peter; Polkinghorne, Adam

    2011-04-18

    Chlamydia pecorum is an obligate intracellular bacterium and the causative agent of reproductive and ocular disease in several animal hosts including koalas, sheep, cattle and goats. C. pecorum strains detected in koalas are genetically diverse, raising interesting questions about the origin and transmission of this species within koala hosts. While the ompA gene remains the most widely-used target in C. pecorum typing studies, it is generally recognised that surface protein encoding genes are not suited for phylogenetic analysis and it is becoming increasingly apparent that the ompA gene locus is not congruent with the phylogeny of the C. pecorum genome. Using the recently sequenced C. pecorum genome sequence (E58), we analysed 10 genes, including ompA, to evaluate the use of ompA as a molecular marker in the study of koala C. pecorum genetic diversity. Three genes (incA, ORF663, tarP) were found to contain sufficient nucleotide diversity and discriminatory power for detailed analysis and were used, with ompA, to genotype 24 C. pecorum PCR-positive koala samples from four populations. The most robust representation of the phylogeny of these samples was achieved through concatenation of all four gene sequences, enabling the recreation of a "true" phylogenetic signal. OmpA and incA were of limited value as fine-detailed genetic markers as they were unable to confer accurate phylogenetic distinctions between samples. On the other hand, the tarP and ORF663 genes were identified as useful "neutral" and "contingency" markers respectively, to represent the broad evolutionary history and intra-species genetic diversity of koala C. pecorum. Furthermore, the concatenation of ompA, incA and ORF663 sequences highlighted the monophyletic nature of koala C. pecorum infections by demonstrating a single evolutionary trajectory for koala hosts that is distinct from that seen in non-koala hosts. While the continued use of ompA as a fine-detailed molecular marker for epidemiological analysis appears justified, the tarP and ORF663 genes also appear to be valuable markers of phylogenetic or biogeographic divisions at the C. pecorum intra-species level. This research has significant implications for future typing studies to understand the phylogeny, genetic diversity, and epidemiology of C. pecorum infections in the koala and other animal species.

  8. Multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis for molecular typing and phylogenetic analysis of Shigella flexneri

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    Background Shigella flexneri is one of the causative agents of shigellosis, a major cause of childhood mortality in developing countries. Multilocus variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) is a prominent subtyping method to resolve closely related bacterial isolates for investigation of disease outbreaks and provide information for establishing phylogenetic patterns among isolates. The present study aimed to develop an MLVA method for S. flexneri and the VNTR loci identified were tested on 242 S. flexneri isolates to evaluate their variability in various serotypes. The isolates were also analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to compare the discriminatory power and to evaluate the usefulness of MLVA as a tool for phylogenetic analysis of S. flexneri. Results Thirty-six VNTR loci were identified by exploring the repeat sequence loci in genomic sequences of Shigella species and by testing the loci on nine isolates of different subserotypes. The VNTR loci in different serotype groups differed greatly in their variability. The discriminatory power of an MLVA assay based on four most variable VNTR loci was higher, though not significantly, than PFGE for the total isolates, a panel of 2a isolates, which were relatively diverse, and a panel of 4a/Y isolates, which were closely-related. Phylogenetic groupings based on PFGE patterns and MLVA profiles were considerably concordant. The genetic relationships among the isolates were correlated with serotypes. The phylogenetic trees constructed using PFGE patterns and MLVA profiles presented two distinct clusters for the isolates of serotype 3 and one distinct cluster for each of the serotype groups, 1a/1b/NT, 2a/2b/X/NT, 4a/Y, and 6. Isolates that had different serotypes but had closer genetic relatedness than those with the same serotype were observed between serotype Y and subserotype 4a, serotype X and subserotype 2b, subserotype 1a and 1b, and subserotype 3a and 3b. Conclusions The 36 VNTR loci identified exhibited considerably different degrees of variability among S. flexneri serotype groups. VNTR locus could be highly variable in a serotype but invariable in others. MLVA assay based on four highly variable loci could display a comparable resolving power to PFGE in discriminating isolates. MLVA is also a prominent molecular tool for phylogenetic analysis of S. flexneri; the resulting data are beneficial to establish clear clonal patterns among different serotype groups and to discern clonal groups among isolates within the same serotype. As highly variable VNTR loci could be serotype-specific, a common MLVA protocol that consists of only a small set of loci, for example four to eight loci, and that provides high resolving power to all S. flexneri serotypes may not be obtainable. PMID:20042119

  9. Colwellia aestuarii sp. nov., isolated from a tidal flat sediment in Korea.

    PubMed

    Jung, Seo-Youn; Oh, Tae-Kwang; Yoon, Jung-Hoon

    2006-01-01

    A novel Colwellia-like bacterial strain, SMK-10T, was isolated from a tidal flat sediment in Korea and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic analysis. Cells of strain SMK-10T were Gram-negative, motile, greyish yellow-pigmented, curved rods. Optimal growth occurred at 25-30 degrees C and in the presence of 2-3 % (w/v) NaCl. Strain SMK-10T contained Q-8 as the predominant ubiquinone and C(16 : 1)omega7c and/or iso-C(15 : 0) 2-OH, C(17 : 1), C(15 : 1) and iso-C(16 : 0) as major fatty acids. The DNA G+C content was 39.3 mol%. Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain SMK-10T belonged to the genus Colwellia. 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values (94.7-96.7 %) to the type strains of all other Colwellia species and various differential phenotypic properties were sufficient to distinguish strain SMK-10T from recognized Colwellia species. On the basis of its phenotypic properties and phylogenetic distinctiveness, strain SMK-10T (= KCTC 12480T = DSM 17314T) is classified as the type strain of a novel Colwellia species, for which the name Colwellia aestuarii sp. nov. is proposed.

  10. Complete Deletion of the Fucose Operon in Haemophilus influenzae Is Associated with a Cluster in Multilocus Sequence Analysis-Based Phylogenetic Group II Related to Haemophilus haemolyticus: Implications for Identification and Typing

    PubMed Central

    de Gier, Camilla; Kirkham, Lea-Ann S.

    2015-01-01

    Nonhemolytic variants of Haemophilus haemolyticus are difficult to differentiate from Haemophilus influenzae despite a wide difference in pathogenic potential. A previous investigation characterized a challenging set of 60 clinical strains using multiple PCRs for marker genes and described strains that could not be unequivocally identified as either species. We have analyzed the same set of strains by multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) and near-full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing. MLSA unambiguously allocated all study strains to either of the two species, while identification by 16S rRNA sequence was inconclusive for three strains. Notably, the two methods yielded conflicting identifications for two strains. Most of the “fuzzy species” strains were identified as H. influenzae that had undergone complete deletion of the fucose operon. Such strains, which are untypeable by the H. influenzae multilocus sequence type (MLST) scheme, have sporadically been reported and predominantly belong to a single branch of H. influenzae MLSA phylogenetic group II. We also found evidence of interspecies recombination between H. influenzae and H. haemolyticus within the 16S rRNA genes. Establishing an accurate method for rapid and inexpensive identification of H. influenzae is important for disease surveillance and treatment. PMID:26378279

  11. Pseudomonas aestus sp. nov., a plant growth-promoting bacterium isolated from mangrove sediments.

    PubMed

    Vasconcellos, Rafael L F; Santos, Suikinai Nobre; Zucchi, Tiago Domingues; Silva, Fábio Sérgio Paulino; Souza, Danilo Tosta; Melo, Itamar Soares

    2017-10-01

    Strain CMAA 1215 T , a Gram-reaction-negative, aerobic, catalase positive, polarly flagellated, motile, rod-shaped (0.5-0.8 × 1.3-1.9 µm) bacterium, was isolated from mangrove sediments, Cananéia Island, Brazil. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain CMAA 1215 T forms a distinct phyletic line within the Pseudomonas putida subclade, being closely related to P. plecoglossicida ATCC 700383 T , P. monteilii NBRC 103158 T , and P. taiwanensis BCRC 17751 T of sequence similarity of 98.86, 98.73, and 98.71%, respectively. Genomic comparisons of the strain CMAA 1215 T with its closest phylogenetic type strains using average nucleotide index (ANI) and DNA:DNA relatedness approaches revealed 84.3-85.3% and 56.0-63.0%, respectively. A multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) performed concatenating 16S rRNA, gyrB and rpoB gene sequences from the novel species was related with Pseudomonas putida subcluster and formed a new phylogenetic lineage. The phenotypic, physiological, biochemical, and genetic characteristics support the assignment of CMAA 1215 T to the genus Pseudomonas, representing a novel species. The name Pseudomonas aestus sp.nov. is proposed, with CMAA 1215 T (=NRRL B-653100 T  = CBMAI 1962 T ) as the type strain.

  12. Relationships among genera of the Saccharomycotina from multigene sequence analysis

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Most known species of the subphylum Saccharomycotina (budding ascomycetous yeasts) have now been placed in phylogenetically defined clades following multigene sequence analysis. Terminal clades, which are usually well supported from bootstrap analysis, are viewed as phylogenetically circumscribed ge...

  13. Phylogenetic inference under varying proportions of indel-induced alignment gaps

    PubMed Central

    Dwivedi, Bhakti; Gadagkar, Sudhindra R

    2009-01-01

    Background The effect of alignment gaps on phylogenetic accuracy has been the subject of numerous studies. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the total number of gapped sites and phylogenetic accuracy, when the gaps were introduced (by means of computer simulation) to reflect indel (insertion/deletion) events during the evolution of DNA sequences. The resulting (true) alignments were subjected to commonly used gap treatment and phylogenetic inference methods. Results (1) In general, there was a strong – almost deterministic – relationship between the amount of gap in the data and the level of phylogenetic accuracy when the alignments were very "gappy", (2) gaps resulting from deletions (as opposed to insertions) contributed more to the inaccuracy of phylogenetic inference, (3) the probabilistic methods (Bayesian, PhyML & "MLε, " a method implemented in DNAML in PHYLIP) performed better at most levels of gap percentage when compared to parsimony (MP) and distance (NJ) methods, with Bayesian analysis being clearly the best, (4) methods that treat gapped sites as missing data yielded less accurate trees when compared to those that attribute phylogenetic signal to the gapped sites (by coding them as binary character data – presence/absence, or as in the MLε method), and (5) in general, the accuracy of phylogenetic inference depended upon the amount of available data when the gaps resulted from mainly deletion events, and the amount of missing data when insertion events were equally likely to have caused the alignment gaps. Conclusion When gaps in an alignment are a consequence of indel events in the evolution of the sequences, the accuracy of phylogenetic analysis is likely to improve if: (1) alignment gaps are categorized as arising from insertion events or deletion events and then treated separately in the analysis, (2) the evolutionary signal provided by indels is harnessed in the phylogenetic analysis, and (3) methods that utilize the phylogenetic signal in indels are developed for distance methods too. When the true homology is known and the amount of gaps is 20 percent of the alignment length or less, the methods used in this study are likely to yield trees with 90–100 percent accuracy. PMID:19698168

  14. Use of phylogenetic and phenotypic analyses to identify nonhemolytic streptococci isolated from bacteremic patients.

    PubMed

    Hoshino, Tomonori; Fujiwara, Taku; Kilian, Mogens

    2005-12-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate molecular and phenotypic methods for the identification of nonhemolytic streptococci. A collection of 148 strains consisting of 115 clinical isolates from cases of infective endocarditis, septicemia, and meningitis and 33 reference strains, including type strains of all relevant Streptococcus species, were examined. Identification was performed by phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences of four housekeeping genes, ddl, gdh, rpoB, and sodA; by PCR analysis of the glucosyltransferase (gtf) gene; and by conventional phenotypic characterization and identification using two commercial kits, Rapid ID 32 STREP and STREPTOGRAM and the associated databases. A phylogenetic tree based on concatenated sequences of the four housekeeping genes allowed unequivocal differentiation of recognized species and was used as the reference. Analysis of single gene sequences revealed deviation clustering in eight strains (5.4%) due to homologous recombination with other species. This was particularly evident in S. sanguinis and in members of the anginosus group of streptococci. The rate of correct identification of the strains by both commercial identification kits was below 50% but varied significantly between species. The most significant problems were observed with S. mitis and S. oralis and 11 Streptococcus species described since 1991. Our data indicate that identification based on multilocus sequence analysis is optimal. As a more practical alternative we recommend identification based on sodA sequences with reference to a comprehensive set of sequences that is available for downloading from our server. An analysis of the species distribution of 107 nonhemolytic streptococci from bacteremic patients showed a predominance of S. oralis and S. anginosus with various underlying infections.

  15. Laboratory investigation and phylogenetic analysis of enteroviruses involved in an aseptic meningitis outbreak in Greece during the summer of 2007.

    PubMed

    Logotheti, Maria; Pogka, Vasiliki; Horefti, Elina; Papadakos, Konstantinos; Giannaki, Maria; Pangalis, Anastasia; Sgouras, Dionyssios; Mentis, Andreas

    2009-11-01

    Aseptic meningitis is the most commonly observed CNS infection and is mainly attributed to Non-Polio Enteroviruses (EV). Identification and genetic analysis of the EV involved in the recent aseptic meningitis outbreak which occurred in Greece, during the summer of 2007. In total, 213 CSF and faecal samples were examined for EV presence by culture, while enteroviral RNA detection was performed by nucleic acid sequence-based amplification assay (NASBA). EV strains were typed by seroneutralization, as well as nested RT-PCR followed by VP1-2A gene partial sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis was carried out for the identification of the genetic relatedness among the isolated EV strains. EV detection rate in CSF and faecal samples was 43.9% and 70.8%, respectively. EV serotyping and VP1 region analysis revealed the predominance of echovirus 4 (ECV4) serotype and the circulation of ECV6, 9, 14, 25, Coxsackie A6, A15, A24 and Coxsackie B1 serotypes. All ECV4 isolates presented a 98.7% similarity in nucleotide sequence, with a Spanish ECV4 strain, isolated during a meningitis outbreak in 2006. It is the first time that ECV4 is associated with an aseptic meningitis outbreak in Greece, during which 9 different EV serotypes were co-circulating. All Greek ECV4 isolates were closely related to the Spanish ECV4 strain. Genetic analysis of the VP1 gene can significantly contribute to the revelation of the endemic EV strains circulation pattern and their phylogenetic relationship with enteroviruses involved in epidemics of distant geographical areas at different time periods.

  16. Evolutionary lineages of marine snails identified using molecular phylogenetics and geometric morphometric analysis of shells.

    PubMed

    Vaux, Felix; Trewick, Steven A; Crampton, James S; Marshall, Bruce A; Beu, Alan G; Hills, Simon F K; Morgan-Richards, Mary

    2018-06-15

    The relationship between morphology and inheritance is of perennial interest in evolutionary biology and palaeontology. Using three marine snail genera Penion, Antarctoneptunea and Kelletia, we investigate whether systematics based on shell morphology accurately reflect evolutionary lineages indicated by molecular phylogenetics. Members of these gastropod genera have been a taxonomic challenge due to substantial variation in shell morphology, conservative radular and soft tissue morphology, few known ecological differences, and geographical overlap between numerous species. Sampling all sixteen putative taxa identified across the three genera, we infer mitochondrial and nuclear ribosomal DNA phylogenetic relationships within the group, and compare this to variation in adult shell shape and size. Results of phylogenetic analysis indicate that each genus is monophyletic, although the status of some phylogenetically derived and likely more recently evolved taxa within Penion is uncertain. The recently described species P. lineatus is supported by genetic evidence. Morphology, captured using geometric morphometric analysis, distinguishes the genera and matches the molecular phylogeny, although using the same dataset, species and phylogenetic subclades are not identified with high accuracy. Overall, despite abundant variation, we find that shell morphology accurately reflects genus-level classification and the corresponding deep phylogenetic splits identified in this group of marine snails. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Population Structure and Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Streptococcus suis Serotype 2 Sequence Type 25 Strains.

    PubMed

    Athey, Taryn B T; Teatero, Sarah; Takamatsu, Daisuke; Wasserscheid, Jessica; Dewar, Ken; Gottschalk, Marcelo; Fittipaldi, Nahuel

    2016-01-01

    Strains of serotype 2 Streptococcus suis are responsible for swine and human infections. Different serotype 2 genetic backgrounds have been defined using multilocus sequence typing (MLST). However, little is known about the genetic diversity within each MLST sequence type (ST). Here, we used whole-genome sequencing to test the hypothesis that S. suis serotype 2 strains of the ST25 lineage are genetically heterogeneous. We evaluated 51 serotype 2 ST25 S. suis strains isolated from diseased pigs and humans in Canada, the United States of America, and Thailand. Whole-genome sequencing revealed numerous large-scale rearrangements in the ST25 genome, compared to the genomes of ST1 and ST28 S. suis strains, which result, among other changes, in disruption of a pilus island locus. We report that recombination and lateral gene transfer contribute to ST25 genetic diversity. Phylogenetic analysis identified two main and distinct Thai and North American clades grouping most strains investigated. These clades also possessed distinct patterns of antimicrobial resistance genes, which correlated with acquisition of different integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs). Some of these ICEs were found to be integrated at a recombination hot spot, previously identified as the site of integration of the 89K pathogenicity island in serotype 2 ST7 S. suis strains. Our results highlight the limitations of MLST for phylogenetic analysis of S. suis, and the importance of lateral gene transfer and recombination as drivers of diversity in this swine pathogen and zoonotic agent.

  18. Population Structure and Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles of Streptococcus suis Serotype 2 Sequence Type 25 Strains

    PubMed Central

    Athey, Taryn B. T.; Teatero, Sarah; Takamatsu, Daisuke; Wasserscheid, Jessica; Dewar, Ken; Gottschalk, Marcelo; Fittipaldi, Nahuel

    2016-01-01

    Strains of serotype 2 Streptococcus suis are responsible for swine and human infections. Different serotype 2 genetic backgrounds have been defined using multilocus sequence typing (MLST). However, little is known about the genetic diversity within each MLST sequence type (ST). Here, we used whole-genome sequencing to test the hypothesis that S. suis serotype 2 strains of the ST25 lineage are genetically heterogeneous. We evaluated 51 serotype 2 ST25 S. suis strains isolated from diseased pigs and humans in Canada, the United States of America, and Thailand. Whole-genome sequencing revealed numerous large-scale rearrangements in the ST25 genome, compared to the genomes of ST1 and ST28 S. suis strains, which result, among other changes, in disruption of a pilus island locus. We report that recombination and lateral gene transfer contribute to ST25 genetic diversity. Phylogenetic analysis identified two main and distinct Thai and North American clades grouping most strains investigated. These clades also possessed distinct patterns of antimicrobial resistance genes, which correlated with acquisition of different integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs). Some of these ICEs were found to be integrated at a recombination hot spot, previously identified as the site of integration of the 89K pathogenicity island in serotype 2 ST7 S. suis strains. Our results highlight the limitations of MLST for phylogenetic analysis of S. suis, and the importance of lateral gene transfer and recombination as drivers of diversity in this swine pathogen and zoonotic agent. PMID:26954687

  19. Relationships between Host Phylogeny, Host Type and Bacterial Community Diversity in Cold-Water Coral Reef Sponges

    PubMed Central

    Schöttner, Sandra; Hoffmann, Friederike; Cárdenas, Paco; Rapp, Hans Tore; Boetius, Antje; Ramette, Alban

    2013-01-01

    Cold-water coral reefs are known to locally enhance the diversity of deep-sea fauna as well as of microbes. Sponges are among the most diverse faunal groups in these ecosystems, and many of them host large abundances of microbes in their tissues. In this study, twelve sponge species from three cold-water coral reefs off Norway were investigated for the relationship between sponge phylogenetic classification (species and family level), as well as sponge type (high versus low microbial abundance), and the diversity of sponge-associated bacterial communities, taking also geographic location and water depth into account. Community analysis by Automated Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis (ARISA) showed that as many as 345 (79%) of the 437 different bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs) detected in the dataset were shared between sponges and sediments, while only 70 (16%) appeared purely sponge-associated. Furthermore, changes in bacterial community structure were significantly related to sponge species (63% of explained community variation), sponge family (52%) or sponge type (30%), whereas mesoscale geographic distances and water depth showed comparatively small effects (<5% each). In addition, a highly significant, positive relationship between bacterial community dissimilarity and sponge phylogenetic distance was observed within the ancient family of the Geodiidae. Overall, the high diversity of sponges in cold-water coral reefs, combined with the observed sponge-related variation in bacterial community structure, support the idea that sponges represent heterogeneous, yet structured microbial habitats that contribute significantly to enhancing bacterial diversity in deep-sea ecosystems. PMID:23393586

  20. On the use of cartographic projections in visualizing phylo-genetic tree space

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Phylogenetic analysis is becoming an increasingly important tool for biological research. Applications include epidemiological studies, drug development, and evolutionary analysis. Phylogenetic search is a known NP-Hard problem. The size of the data sets which can be analyzed is limited by the exponential growth in the number of trees that must be considered as the problem size increases. A better understanding of the problem space could lead to better methods, which in turn could lead to the feasible analysis of more data sets. We present a definition of phylogenetic tree space and a visualization of this space that shows significant exploitable structure. This structure can be used to develop search methods capable of handling much larger data sets. PMID:20529355

  1. A worldview of root traits: the influence of ancestry, growth form, climate and mycorrhizal association on the functional trait variation of fine-root tissues in seed plants.

    PubMed

    Valverde-Barrantes, Oscar J; Freschet, Grégoire T; Roumet, Catherine; Blackwood, Christopher B

    2017-09-01

    Fine-root traits play key roles in ecosystem processes, but the drivers of fine-root trait diversity remain poorly understood. The plant economic spectrum (PES) hypothesis predicts that leaf and root traits evolved in coordination. Mycorrhizal association type, plant growth form and climate may also affect root traits. However, the extent to which these controls are confounded with phylogenetic structuring remains unclear. Here we compiled information about root and leaf traits for > 600 species. Using phylogenetic relatedness, climatic ranges, growth form and mycorrhizal associations, we quantified the importance of these factors in the global distribution of fine-root traits. Phylogenetic structuring accounts for most of the variation for all traits excepting root tissue density, with root diameter and nitrogen concentration showing the strongest phylogenetic signal and specific root length showing intermediate values. Climate was the second most important factor, whereas mycorrhizal type had little effect. Substantial trait coordination occurred between leaves and roots, but the strength varied between growth forms and clades. Our analyses provide evidence that the integration of roots and leaves in the PES requires better accounting of the variation in traits across phylogenetic clades. Inclusion of phylogenetic information provides a powerful framework for predictions of belowground functional traits at global scales. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

  2. Threat Diversity Will Erode Mammalian Phylogenetic Diversity in the Near Future

    PubMed Central

    Jono, Clémentine M. A.; Pavoine, Sandrine

    2012-01-01

    To reduce the accelerating rate of phylogenetic diversity loss, many studies have searched for mechanisms that could explain why certain species are at risk, whereas others are not. In particular, it has been demonstrated that species might be affected by both extrinsic threat factors as well as intrinsic biological traits that could render a species more sensitive to extinction; here, we focus on extrinsic factors. Recently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature developed a new classification of threat types, including climate change, urbanization, pollution, agriculture and aquaculture, and harvesting/hunting. We have used this new classification to analyze two main factors that could explain the expected future loss of mammalian phylogenetic diversity: 1. differences in the type of threats that affect mammals and 2. differences in the number of major threats that accumulate for a single species. Our results showed that Cetartiodactyla, Diprotodontia, Monotremata, Perissodactyla, Primates, and Proboscidea could lose a high proportion of their current phylogenetic diversity in the coming decades. In contrast, Chiroptera, Didelphimorphia, and Rodentia could lose less phylogenetic diversity than expected if extinctions were random. Some mammalian clades, including Marsupiala, Chiroptera, and a subclade of Primates, are affected by particular threat types, most likely due solely to their geographic locations and associations with particular habitats. However, regardless of the geography, habitat, and taxon considered, it is not the threat type, but the threat diversity that determines the extinction risk for species and clades. Thus, some mammals might be randomly located in areas subjected to a large diversity of threats; they might also accumulate detrimental traits that render them sensitive to different threats, which is a characteristic that could be associated with large body size. Any action reducing threat diversity is expected to have a significant impact on future mammalian phylogeny. PMID:23029443

  3. Octocoral Mitochondrial Genomes Provide Insights into the Phylogenetic History of Gene Order Rearrangements, Order Reversals, and Cnidarian Phylogenetics

    PubMed Central

    Figueroa, Diego F.; Baco, Amy R.

    2015-01-01

    We use full mitochondrial genomes to test the robustness of the phylogeny of the Octocorallia, to determine the evolutionary pathway for the five known mitochondrial gene rearrangements in octocorals, and to test the suitability of using mitochondrial genomes for higher taxonomic-level phylogenetic reconstructions. Our phylogeny supports three major divisions within the Octocorallia and show that Paragorgiidae is paraphyletic, with Sibogagorgia forming a sister branch to the Coralliidae. Furthermore, Sibogagorgia cauliflora has what is presumed to be the ancestral gene order in octocorals, but the presence of a pair of inverted repeat sequences suggest that this gene order was not conserved but rather evolved back to this apparent ancestral state. Based on this we recommend the resurrection of the family Sibogagorgiidae to fix the paraphyly of the Paragorgiidae. This is the first study to show that in the Octocorallia, mitochondrial gene orders have evolved back to an ancestral state after going through a gene rearrangement, with at least one of the gene orders evolving independently in different lineages. A number of studies have used gene boundaries to determine the type of mitochondrial gene arrangement present. However, our findings suggest that this method known as gene junction screening may miss evolutionary reversals. Additionally, substitution saturation analysis demonstrates that while whole mitochondrial genomes can be used effectively for phylogenetic analyses within Octocorallia, their utility at higher taxonomic levels within Cnidaria is inadequate. Therefore for phylogenetic reconstruction at taxonomic levels higher than subclass within the Cnidaria, nuclear genes will be required, even when whole mitochondrial genomes are available. PMID:25539723

  4. Polaribacter gen. nov., with three new species, P. irgensii sp. nov., P. franzmannii sp. nov. and P. filamentus sp. nov., gas vacuolate polar marine bacteria of the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides group and reclassification of 'Flectobacillus glomeratus' as Polaribacter glomeratus comb. nov

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gosink, J. J.; Woese, C. R.; Staley, J. T.

    1998-01-01

    Several psychrophilic, gas vacuolate strains of the Cytophage-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides (CFB) phylogenetic group were isolated from sea ice and water from the Arctic and the Antarctic. The closest taxonomically defined species by 16S rRNA sequence analysis is 'Flectobacillus glomeratus'. However, 'Flc. glomeratus' is phylogenetically distant from the Flectobacillus type species, Flc. major. On the basis of phenotypic, genotypic and 16S rRNA sequence analyses we propose a new genus, Polaribacter, with three new species, Polaribacter irgensii strain 23-P (ATCC 700398), Polaribacter franzmannii strain 301 (ATCC 700399) and Polaribacter filamentus strain 215 (ATCC 700397). P. filamentus is the type species of the genus. None of these species exhibits a cosmopolitan or bipolar distribution. This is the first taxonomic description of gas vacuolate bacteria in the CFB group. Additionally, we propose that 'Flc. glomeratus' be reclassified to the genus Polaribacter as P. glomeratus, comb. nov.

  5. Molecular characterization and phylogenetic relationship of wild type 1 poliovirus strains circulating across Pakistan and Afghanistan bordering areas during 2010-2012.

    PubMed

    Shaukat, Shahzad; Angez, Mehar; Alam, Muhammad Masroor; Sharif, Salmaan; Khurshid, Adnan; Malik, Farzana; Rehman, Lubna; Zaidi, Syed Sohail Zahoor

    2014-01-01

    Pakistan and Afghanistan share a long uncontrolled border with extensive population movement on both sides. Wild poliovirus transmission has never been interrupted in this block due to war against terrorism, poor public health infrastructure, misconceptions about polio vaccines and inadequate immunization activities. All these issues complicate the eradication operations and reinforce the complexity of wiping out poliomyelitis from this region. This study illustrates the origins and routes of cross-border wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) transmission during 2010-2012 between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Sequence analyses were conducted based on complete VP1 capsid protein sequences for WPV1 study strains to determine the origin of poliovirus genetic lineages and their evolutionary relationships. Phylogenetic tree was constructed from VP1 gene sequences applying Maximum Likelihood method using Kimura 2- parameter model in MEGA program v 5.0. A total of 72 (14.3%) out of 502 wild-type 1 polioviruses were found circulating in border areas of both countries during 2010-2012. Molecular phylogenetic analysis classified these strains in to two sub-genotypes with four clusters and 18 lineages. Genetic data confirmed that the most of WPV1 lineages (12; 66.6%) were transmitted from Pakistan to Afghanistan. However, the genetic diversity was significantly reduced during 2012 as most of the lineages were completely eliminated. In conclusion, Pakistan-Afghanistan block has emerged as a single poliovirus reservoir sharing the multiple poliovirus lineages due to uncontrolled movement of people across the borders between two countries. If it is neglected, it can jeopardize the extensive global efforts done so-far to eradicate the poliovirus infection. Our data will be helpful to devise the preventive strategies for effective control of wild poliovirus transmission in this region.

  6. Acetobacter ghanensis sp. nov., a novel acetic acid bacterium isolated from traditional heap fermentations of Ghanaian cocoa beans.

    PubMed

    Cleenwerck, Ilse; Camu, Nicholas; Engelbeen, Katrien; De Winter, Tom; Vandemeulebroecke, Katrien; De Vos, Paul; De Vuyst, Luc

    2007-07-01

    Twenty-three acetic acid bacteria, isolated from traditional heap fermentations of Ghanaian cocoa beans, were subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. The isolates were catalase-positive, oxidase-negative, Gram-negative rods. They oxidized ethanol to acetic acid and were unable to produce 2-ketogluconic acid, 5-ketogluconic acid and 2,5-diketogluconic acid from glucose; therefore, they were tentatively identified as Acetobacter species. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis confirmed their position in the genus Acetobacter, with Acetobacter syzygii and Acetobacter lovaniensis as their closest phylogenetic neighbours. (GTG)(5)-PCR fingerprinting grouped the strains in a cluster that did not contain any type strains of members of the genus Acetobacter. DNA-DNA hybridization with the type strains of all recognized Acetobacter species revealed DNA-DNA relatedness values below the species level. The DNA G+C contents of three selected strains were 56.9-57.3 mol%. The novel strains had phenotypic characteristics that enabled them to be differentiated from phylogenetically related Acetobacter species, i.e. they were motile, did not produce 2-ketogluconic acid or 5-ketogluconic acid from glucose, were catalase-positive and oxidase-negative, grew on yeast extract with 30 % glucose, grew on glycerol (although weakly) but not on maltose or methanol as carbon sources, and did not grow with ammonium as sole nitrogen source and ethanol as carbon source. Based on the genotypic and phenotypic data, the isolates represent a novel species of the genus Acetobacter for which the name Acetobacter ghanensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is R-29337(T) (=430A(T)=LMG 23848(T)=DSM 18895(T)).

  7. Salinivirga fredricksonii gen. nov., sp. nov., a heterotrophic halophile isolated from a photosynthetic mat, a member of a novel lineage (Salinarimonadaceae fam. nov.) within the order Rhizobiales, and reclassification of the genus Salinarimonas Liu et al. 2010 into Salinarimonadaceae.

    PubMed

    Cole, Jessica K; Morton, Beau R; Cardamone, Hayley C; Lake, Hannah R R; Dohnalkova, Alice C; Kim, Young-Mo; Kyle, Jennifer E; Maezato, Yukari; Dana, Karl L; Metz, Thomas O; Romine, Margaret F; Nelson, William C; Lindemann, Stephen R

    2018-05-01

    A halophilic bacterial strain, HL-109 T , was isolated from the unicyanobacterial consortium UCC-O, which was obtained from the photosynthetic mat of Hot Lake (Washington, USA). A polyphasic approach using phenotypic, genotypic and chemotaxonomic data was used to classify the strain within the order Rhizobiales. The organism stained Gram-negative and was a moderate thermophile with a growth optimum of 45 °C. It was obligately aerobic, heterotrophic and halophilic, growing in both NaCl and MgSO4 brines. The novel isolate had a polymorphic cellular morphology of short rods with occasional branching, and cells were monotrichous. The major fatty acids detected were C18 : 1, C18 : 0, C16 : 0 and C18 : cyc. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene placed the strain in the order Rhizobiales and it shared 94 % identity with the type strain of its nearest relative, Salinarimonas ramus. Morphological, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic results did not affiliate the novel organism with any of the families in the Rhizobiales; therefore, HL-109 T is representative of a new lineage, for which the name Salinivirga fredricksonii gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain HL-109 T (=JCM 31876 T =DSM 102886 T ). In addition, examination of the phylogenetics of strain HL-109 T and its nearest relatives, Salinarimonas ramus and Salinarimonasrosea, demonstrates that these halophiles form a clade distinct from the described families of the Rhizobiales. We further propose the establishment of a new family, Salinarimonadaceae fam. nov., to accommodate the genera Salinivirga and Salinarimonas (the type genus of the family).

  8. Pedobacterpsychrotolerans sp. nov., isolated from soil.

    PubMed

    Manandhar, Pooja; Zhang, Gengxin; Lama, Arun; Hu, Yilun; Gao, Feng

    2016-11-01

    A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, light-pink-pigmented, aerobic, rod-shaped bacterium, designated V5RDT, was isolated from soil of Damxung county in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Strain V5RDT grew luxuriously at 10 °C, at pH 9.0 and in the presence of 1 % NaCl (w/v). Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences placed strain V5RDT in the genus Pedobacter and found that it was most closely related to Pedobacter alluvionis DSM 19624T (97.3 %), Pedobacter ginsenosidimutans JCM 16721T (96.84 %), Pedobacter agri DSM 19486T (96.28 %), Pedobacter roseus JCM 13399T (96.22 %), Pedobacter sandarakinus KCTC 12559T (95.92 %) and Pedobacter borealis DSM 19626T (95.85 %). The G+C content of the genomic DNA of the type strain V5RDT was 37.40 mol%. DNA-DNA relatedness for the type strain V5RDT with respect to its closest phylogenetic relative, P. alluvionis DSM 19624T, was 62.5±1.7 %. The polar lipid profile of the strain consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminolipid, one unidentified glycolipid and two unidentified polar lipids. Menaquinone MK-7 was the predominant respiratory quinone, and summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c), iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH were the major fatty acids. With respect to phenotypic characteristics, biochemical properties and phylogenetic inference, strain V5RDT represents a novel species of the genus Pedobacter, for which the name Pedobacter psychrotolerans sp. nov is proposed. The type strain is V5RDT (=CGMCC 1.15644T=DSM 103236T).

  9. Corynebacterium godavarianum sp. nov., isolated from the Godavari river, India.

    PubMed

    Jani, Kunal; Khare, Kaustubh; Senik, Svetlana; Karodi, Prachi; Vemuluri, Venkata Ramana; Bandal, Jayashree; Shouche, Yogesh; Rale, Vinay; Sharma, Avinash

    2018-01-01

    A Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped, non-motile bacterium, strain PRD07 T , was isolated from Godavari river, India during the world's largest spiritual and religious mass bathing event 'Kumbh Mela'. Molecular analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis reveals the distinct phylogenetic positioning of strain PRD07 T within the genus Corynebacterium. The strain demonstrated highest sequence similarity to Corynebacterium imitans DSM 44264 T (97.9 %), Corynebacterium appendicis DSM 44531 T (97.1 %) and <96.7 % with all other members of the genus Corynebacterium. The G+C content of PRD07 T was 68.5 mol% (Tm) and the DNA-DNA hybridization depicts 61.09 % genomic relatedness with C. imitans DSM 44264 T . Chemotaxonomic assessment of strain PRD07 T suggested presence of C16 : 0 (31.6 %), C18 : 0 (3.5 %) and C18 : 1ω9c (58.6 %) as the major cellular fatty acids. The major polar lipids of strain PRD07 T were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and glycophospholipid. Differentiating molecular, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic characteristics of strain PRD07 T with its closest relatives necessitated the description of strain PRD07 T as a novel species of genus Corynebacterium for which the name Corynebacteriumgodavarianum sp. nov., has been proposed. The type strain is PRD07 T (=MCC 3388 T =KCTC 39803 T =LMG 29598 T ).

  10. A Single Early Introduction of HIV-1 Subtype B into Central America Accounts for Most Current Cases

    PubMed Central

    Murillo, Wendy; Veras, Nazle; Prosperi, Mattia; de Rivera, Ivette Lorenzana; Paz-Bailey, Gabriela; Morales-Miranda, Sonia; Juarez, Sandra I.; Yang, Chunfu; DeVos, Joshua; Marín, José Pablo; Mild, Mattias; Albert, Jan

    2013-01-01

    Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) variants show considerable geographical separation across the world, but there is limited information from Central America. We provide the first detailed investigation of the genetic diversity and molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 in six Central American countries. Phylogenetic analysis was performed on 625 HIV-1 pol gene sequences collected between 2002 and 2010 in Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and Belize. Published sequences from neighboring countries (n = 57) and the rest of the world (n = 740) were included as controls. Maximum likelihood methods were used to explore phylogenetic relationships. Bayesian coalescence-based methods were used to time HIV-1 introductions. Nearly all (98.9%) Central American sequences were of subtype B. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 437 (70%) sequences clustered within five significantly supported monophyletic clades formed essentially by Central American sequences. One clade contained 386 (62%) sequences from all six countries; the other four clades were smaller and more country specific, suggesting discrete subepidemics. The existence of one large well-supported Central American clade provides evidence that a single introduction of HIV-1 subtype B in Central America accounts for most current cases. An introduction during the early phase of the HIV-1 pandemic may explain its epidemiological success. Moreover, the smaller clades suggest a subsequent regional spread related to specific transmission networks within each country. PMID:23616665

  11. Albirhodobacter marinus gen. nov., sp. nov., a member of the family Rhodobacteraceae isolated from sea shore water of Visakhapatnam, India.

    PubMed

    Nupur; Vaidya, Bhumika; Tanuku, Naga Radha Srinivas; Pinnaka, Anil Kumar

    2013-02-01

    A novel marine, Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain N9(T), was isolated from a water sample of the sea shore at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (India). Strain N9(T) was found to be positive for oxidase and catalase activities. The fatty acids were found to be dominated by C(16:0), C(18:1) ω7c and summed in feature 3 (C(16:1) ω7c and/or C(16:1) ω6c). Strain N9(T) was determined to contain Q-10 as the major respiratory quinone and phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, two aminophospholipids, two phospholipids and four unidentified lipids as polar lipids. The DNA G+C content of the strain N9(T) was found to be 63 mol%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that Rhodobacter sphaeroides, Rhodobacter johrii, Pseudorhodobacter ferrugineus, Rhodobacter azotoformans, Rhodobacter ovatus and Pseudorhodobacter aquimaris were the nearest phylogenetic neighbours, with pair-wise sequence similarities of 95.43, 95.36, 94.24, 95.31, 95.60 and 94.74 %, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that strain N9(T) formed a distinct branch within the family Rhodobacteraceae and clustered with the clade comprising species of the genus Pseudorhodobacter, together with species of the genera Roseicitreum, Roseinatronobacter, Roseibaca and Rhodobaca. Species of the genus Pseudorhodobacter are phylogenetically close with a 16S rRNA gene sequence dissimilarity of 5.9-7.3 % (92.7-94.1 % similarity). Based on the above-mentioned phenotypic characteristics and on phylogenetic inference, strain N9(T) is proposed as a representative of a new genus and a novel species of the family Rhodobacteraceae as Albirhodobacter marinus gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain of Albirhodobacter marinus is N9 (= MTCC 11277(T) = JCM 17680(T)).

  12. Comparative Analysis of Begonia Plastid Genomes and Their Utility for Species-Level Phylogenetics

    PubMed Central

    Harrison, Nicola; Harrison, Richard J.

    2016-01-01

    Recent, rapid radiations make species-level phylogenetics difficult to resolve. We used a multiplexed, high-throughput sequencing approach to identify informative genomic regions to resolve phylogenetic relationships at low taxonomic levels in Begonia from a survey of sixteen species. A long-range PCR method was used to generate draft plastid genomes to provide a strong phylogenetic backbone, identify fast evolving regions and provide informative molecular markers for species-level phylogenetic studies in Begonia. PMID:27058864

  13. Identification of canine parvovirus with the Q370R point mutation in the VP2 gene from a giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background In this study, we sequenced and phylogenetic analyses of the VP2 genes from twelve canine parvovirus (CPV) strains obtained from eleven domestic dogs and a giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) in China. A novel canine parvovirus (CPV) was detected from the giant panda in China. Results Nucleotide and phylogenetic analysis of the capsid protein VP2 gene classified the CPV as a new CPV-2a type. Substitution of Gln for Arg at the conserved 370 residue in CPV presents an unusual variation in the new CPV-2a amino acid sequence of the giant panda and is further evidence for the continuing evolution of the virus. Conclusions These findings extend the knowledge on CPV molecular epidemiology of particular relevance to wild carnivores. PMID:23706032

  14. Seed plant phylogenetic diversity and species richness in conservation planning within a global biodiversity hotspot in eastern Asia.

    PubMed

    Li, Rong; Kraft, Nathan J B; Yu, Haiying; Li, Heng

    2015-12-01

    One of the main goals of conservation biology is to understand the factors shaping variation in biodiversity across the planet. This understanding is critical for conservation planners to be able to develop effective conservation strategies. Although many studies have focused on species richness and the protection of rare and endemic species, less attention has been paid to the protection of the phylogenetic dimension of biodiversity. We explored how phylogenetic diversity, species richness, and phylogenetic community structure vary in seed plant communities along an elevational gradient in a relatively understudied high mountain region, the Dulong Valley, in southeastern Tibet, China. As expected, phylogenetic diversity was well correlated with species richness among the elevational bands and among communities. At the community level, evergreen broad-leaved forests had the highest levels of species richness and phylogenetic diversity. Using null model analyses, we found evidence of nonrandom phylogenetic structure across the region. Evergreen broad-leaved forests were phylogenetically overdispersed, whereas other vegetation types tended to be phylogenetically clustered. We suggest that communities with high species richness or overdispersed phylogenetic structure should be a focus for biodiversity conservation within the Dulong Valley because these areas may help maximize the potential of this flora to respond to future global change. In biodiversity hotspots worldwide, we suggest that the phylogenetic structure of a community may serve as a useful measure of phylogenetic diversity in the context of conservation planning. © 2015 Society for Conservation Biology.

  15. Characterization and virulence clustering analysis of extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from swine in China.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Yinchu; Dong, Wenyang; Ma, Jiale; Yuan, Lvfeng; Hejair, Hassan M A; Pan, Zihao; Liu, Guangjin; Yao, Huochun

    2017-04-08

    Swine extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC) is an important pathogen that leads to economic and welfare costs in the swine industry worldwide, and is occurring with increasing frequency in China. By far, various virulence factors have been recognized in ExPEC. Here, we investigated the virulence genotypes and clonal structure of collected strains to improve the knowledge of phylogenetic traits of porcine ExPECs in China. We isolated 64 Chinese porcine ExPEC strains from 2013 to 14 in China. By multiplex PCR, the distribution of isolates belonging to phylogenetic groups B1, B2, A and D was 9.4%, 10.9%, 57.8% and 21.9%, respectively. Nineteen virulence-related genes were detected by PCR assay; ompA, fimH, vat, traT and iutA were highly prevalent. Virulence-related genes were remarkably more prevalent in group B2 than in groups A, B1 and D; notably, usp, cnf1, hlyD, papA and ibeA were only found in group B2 strains. Genotyping analysis was performed and four clusters of strains (named I to IV) were identified. Cluster IV contained all isolates from group B2 and Cluster IV isolates had the strongest pathogenicity in a mouse infection model. As phylogenetic group B2 and D ExPEC isolates are generally considered virulent, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis was performed for these isolates to further investigate genetic relationships. Two novel sequence types, ST5170 and ST5171, were discovered. Among the nine clonal complexes identified among our group B2 and D isolates, CC12 and CC95 have been indicated to have high zoonotic pathogenicity. The distinction between group B2 and non-B2 isolates in virulence and genotype accorded with MLST analysis. This study reveals significant genetic diversity among ExPEC isolates and helps us to better understand their pathogenesis. Importantly, our data suggest group B2 (Cluster IV) strains have the highest risk of causing animal disease and illustrate the correlation between genotype and virulence.

  16. An attempt to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships within Caribbean nummulitids: simulating relationships and tracing character evolution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eder, Wolfgang; Ives Torres-Silva, Ana; Hohenegger, Johann

    2017-04-01

    Phylogenetic analysis and trees based on molecular data are broadly applied and used to infer genetical and biogeographic relationship in recent larger foraminifera. Molecular phylogenetic is intensively used within recent nummulitids, however for fossil representatives these trees are only of minor informational value. Hence, within paleontological studies a phylogenetic approach through morphometric analysis is of much higher value. To tackle phylogenetic relationships within the nummulitid family, a much higher number of morphological character must be measured than are commonly used in biometric studies, where mostly parameters describing embryonic size (e.g., proloculus diameter, deuteroloculus diameter) and/or the marginal spiral (e.g., spiral diagrams, spiral indices) are studied. For this purpose 11 growth-independent and/or growth-invariant characters have been used to describe the morphological variability of equatorial thin sections of seven Carribbean nummulitid taxa (Nummulites striatoreticulatus, N. macgillavry, Palaeonummulites willcoxi, P.floridensis, P. soldadensis, P.trinitatensis and P.ocalanus) and one outgroup taxon (Ranikothalia bermudezi). Using these characters, phylogenetic trees were calculated using a restricted maximum likelihood algorithm (REML), and results are cross-checked by ordination and cluster analysis. Square-change parsimony method has been run to reconstruct ancestral states, as well as to simulate the evolution of the chosen characters along the calculated phylogenetic tree and, independent - contrast analysis was used to estimate confidence intervals. Based on these simulations, phylogenetic tendencies of certain characters proposed for nummulitids (e.g., Cope's rule or nepionic acceleration) can be tested, whether these tendencies are valid for the whole family or only for certain clades. At least, within the Carribean nummulitids, phylogenetic trends along some growth-independent characters of the embryo (e.g., first chamber length and P/D ratio) and some growth-invariant characters of the chamber sequence (e.g., backbend angle, initial chamber base length and chamber length increase) are evident.

  17. Phylogenetic studies favour the unification of Pennisetum, Cenchrus and Odontelytrum (Poaceae): a combined nuclear, plastid and morphological analysis, and nomenclatural combinations in Cenchrus.

    PubMed

    Chemisquy, M Amelia; Giussani, Liliana M; Scataglini, María A; Kellogg, Elizabeth A; Morrone, Osvaldo

    2010-07-01

    Twenty-five genera having sterile inflorescence branches were recognized as the bristle clade within the x = 9 Paniceae (Panicoideae). Within the bristle clade, taxonomic circumscription of Cenchrus (20-25 species), Pennisetum (80-140) and the monotypic Odontelytrum is still unclear. Several criteria have been applied to characterize Cenchrus and Pennisetum, but none of these has proved satisfactory as the diagnostic characters, such as fusion of bristles in the inflorescences, show continuous variation. A phylogenetic analysis based on morphological, plastid (trnL-F, ndhF) and nuclear (knotted) data is presented for a representative species sampling of the genera. All analyses were conducted under parsimony, using heuristic searches with TBR branch swapping. Branch support was assessed with parsimony jackknifing. Based on plastid and morphological data, Pennisetum, Cenchrus and Odontelytrum were supported as a monophyletic group: the PCO clade. Only one section of Pennisetum (Brevivalvula) was supported as monophyletic. The position of P. lanatum differed among data partitions, although the combined plastid and morphology and nuclear analyses showed this species to be a member of the PCO clade. The basic chromosome number x = 9 was found to be plesiomorphic, and x = 5, 7, 8, 10 and 17 were derived states. The nuclear phylogenetic analysis revealed a reticulate pattern of relationships among Pennisetum and Cenchrus, suggesting that there are at least three different genomes. Because apomixis can be transferred among species through hybridization, its history most likely reflects crossing relationships, rather than multiple independent appearances. Due to the consistency between the present results and different phylogenetic hypotheses (including morphological, developmental and multilocus approaches), and the high support found for the PCO clade, also including the type species of the three genera, we propose unification of Pennisetum, Cenchrus and Odontelytrum. Species of Pennisetum and Odontelytrum are here transferred into Cenchrus, which has priority. Sixty-six new combinations are made here.

  18. Phylogenetic studies favour the unification of Pennisetum, Cenchrus and Odontelytrum (Poaceae): a combined nuclear, plastid and morphological analysis, and nomenclatural combinations in Cenchrus

    PubMed Central

    Chemisquy, M. Amelia; Giussani, Liliana M.; Scataglini, María A.; Kellogg, Elizabeth A.; Morrone, Osvaldo

    2010-01-01

    Backgrounds and Aims Twenty-five genera having sterile inflorescence branches were recognized as the bristle clade within the x = 9 Paniceae (Panicoideae). Within the bristle clade, taxonomic circumscription of Cenchrus (20–25 species), Pennisetum (80–140) and the monotypic Odontelytrum is still unclear. Several criteria have been applied to characterize Cenchrus and Pennisetum, but none of these has proved satisfactory as the diagnostic characters, such as fusion of bristles in the inflorescences, show continuous variation. Methods A phylogenetic analysis based on morphological, plastid (trnL-F, ndhF) and nuclear (knotted) data is presented for a representative species sampling of the genera. All analyses were conducted under parsimony, using heuristic searches with TBR branch swapping. Branch support was assessed with parsimony jackknifing. Key Results Based on plastid and morphological data, Pennisetum, Cenchrus and Odontelytrum were supported as a monophyletic group: the PCO clade. Only one section of Pennisetum (Brevivalvula) was supported as monophyletic. The position of P. lanatum differed among data partitions, although the combined plastid and morphology and nuclear analyses showed this species to be a member of the PCO clade. The basic chromosome number x = 9 was found to be plesiomorphic, and x = 5, 7, 8, 10 and 17 were derived states. The nuclear phylogenetic analysis revealed a reticulate pattern of relationships among Pennisetum and Cenchrus, suggesting that there are at least three different genomes. Because apomixis can be transferred among species through hybridization, its history most likely reflects crossing relationships, rather than multiple independent appearances. Conclusions Due to the consistency between the present results and different phylogenetic hypotheses (including morphological, developmental and multilocus approaches), and the high support found for the PCO clade, also including the type species of the three genera, we propose unification of Pennisetum, Cenchrus and Odontelytrum. Species of Pennisetum and Odontelytrum are here transferred into Cenchrus, which has priority. Sixty-six new combinations are made here. PMID:20570830

  19. Phylogenetic relatedness determined between antibiotic resistance and 16S rRNA genes in actinobacteria.

    PubMed

    Sagova-Mareckova, Marketa; Ulanova, Dana; Sanderova, Petra; Omelka, Marek; Kamenik, Zdenek; Olsovska, Jana; Kopecky, Jan

    2015-04-01

    Distribution and evolutionary history of resistance genes in environmental actinobacteria provide information on intensity of antibiosis and evolution of specific secondary metabolic pathways at a given site. To this day, actinobacteria producing biologically active compounds were isolated mostly from soil but only a limited range of soil environments were commonly sampled. Consequently, soil remains an unexplored environment in search for novel producers and related evolutionary questions. Ninety actinobacteria strains isolated at contrasting soil sites were characterized phylogenetically by 16S rRNA gene, for presence of erm and ABC transporter resistance genes and antibiotic production. An analogous analysis was performed in silico with 246 and 31 strains from Integrated Microbial Genomes (JGI_IMG) database selected by the presence of ABC transporter genes and erm genes, respectively. In the isolates, distances of erm gene sequences were significantly correlated to phylogenetic distances based on 16S rRNA genes, while ABC transporter gene distances were not. The phylogenetic distance of isolates was significantly correlated to soil pH and organic matter content of isolation sites. In the analysis of JGI_IMG datasets the correlation between phylogeny of resistance genes and the strain phylogeny based on 16S rRNA genes or five housekeeping genes was observed for both the erm genes and ABC transporter genes in both actinobacteria and streptomycetes. However, in the analysis of sequences from genomes where both resistance genes occurred together the correlation was observed for both ABC transporter and erm genes in actinobacteria but in streptomycetes only in the erm gene. The type of erm resistance gene sequences was influenced by linkage to 16S rRNA gene sequences and site characteristics. The phylogeny of ABC transporter gene was correlated to 16S rRNA genes mainly above the genus level. The results support the concept of new specific secondary metabolite scaffolds occurring more likely in taxonomically distant producers but suggest that the antibiotic selection of gene pools is also influenced by site conditions.

  20. A phylogenetic analysis of the megadiverse Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera)

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera) are extremely diverse with an estimated 500,000 species. We present the first phylogenetic analysis of the superfamily based on a cladistic analysis of both morphological and molecular data. A total of 233 morphological characters were scored for 300 taxa and 265 genera, a...

  1. Phylogenetic Analysis of Ruminant Theileria spp. from China Based on 28S Ribosomal RNA Gene

    PubMed Central

    Gou, Huitian; Guan, Guiquan; Ma, Miling; Liu, Aihong; Liu, Zhijie; Xu, Zongke; Ren, Qiaoyun; Li, Youquan; Yang, Jifei; Chen, Ze

    2013-01-01

    Species identification using DNA sequences is the basis for DNA taxonomy. In this study, we sequenced the ribosomal large-subunit RNA gene sequences (3,037-3,061 bp) in length of 13 Chinese Theileria stocks that were infective to cattle and sheep. The complete 28S rRNA gene is relatively difficult to amplify and its conserved region is not important for phylogenetic study. Therefore, we selected the D2-D3 region from the complete 28S rRNA sequences for phylogenetic analysis. Our analyses of 28S rRNA gene sequences showed that the 28S rRNA was useful as a phylogenetic marker for analyzing the relationships among Theileria spp. in ruminants. In addition, the D2-D3 region was a short segment that could be used instead of the whole 28S rRNA sequence during the phylogenetic analysis of Theileria, and it may be an ideal DNA barcode. PMID:24327775

  2. Phylogenetic analysis of ruminant Theileria spp. from China based on 28S ribosomal RNA gene.

    PubMed

    Gou, Huitian; Guan, Guiquan; Ma, Miling; Liu, Aihong; Liu, Zhijie; Xu, Zongke; Ren, Qiaoyun; Li, Youquan; Yang, Jifei; Chen, Ze; Yin, Hong; Luo, Jianxun

    2013-10-01

    Species identification using DNA sequences is the basis for DNA taxonomy. In this study, we sequenced the ribosomal large-subunit RNA gene sequences (3,037-3,061 bp) in length of 13 Chinese Theileria stocks that were infective to cattle and sheep. The complete 28S rRNA gene is relatively difficult to amplify and its conserved region is not important for phylogenetic study. Therefore, we selected the D2-D3 region from the complete 28S rRNA sequences for phylogenetic analysis. Our analyses of 28S rRNA gene sequences showed that the 28S rRNA was useful as a phylogenetic marker for analyzing the relationships among Theileria spp. in ruminants. In addition, the D2-D3 region was a short segment that could be used instead of the whole 28S rRNA sequence during the phylogenetic analysis of Theileria, and it may be an ideal DNA barcode.

  3. Phylogeny, host-parasite relationship and zoogeography

    PubMed Central

    1999-01-01

    Phylogeny is the evolutionary history of a group or the lineage of organisms and is reconstructed based on morphological, molecular and other characteristics. The genealogical relationship of a group of taxa is often expressed as a phylogenetic tree. The difficulty in categorizing the phylogeny is mainly due to the existence of frequent homoplasies that deceive observers. At the present time, cladistic analysis is believed to be one of the most effective methods of reconstructing a phylogenetic tree. Excellent computer program software for phylogenetic analysis is available. As an example, cladistic analysis was applied for nematode genera of the family Acuariidae, and the phylogenetic tree formed was compared with the system used currently. Nematodes in the genera Nippostrongylus and Heligmonoides were also analyzed, and the validity of the reconstructed phylogenetic trees was observed from a zoogeographical point of view. Some of the theories of parasite evolution were briefly reviewed as well. Coevolution of parasites and humans was discussed with special reference to the evolutionary relationship between Enterobius and primates. PMID:10634036

  4. Community structures and population dynamics of "Candidatus Accumulibacter" in activated sludges of wastewater treatment plants using ppk1 as phylogenetic marker.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Wei; Zhang, Limin; Fan, Pengchao; Guo, Jingjing; Peng, Yongzhen

    2018-05-01

    Candidatus Accumulibacter has been identified as dominant polyphosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs) in enhanced biological phosphorus (P) removal (EBPR) from wastewater. This study revealed the relevance of community structure, abundance and seasonal population dynamics of Candidatus Accumulibacter to process operation of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in China using ppk1 gene as phylogenetic marker. All sludge samples had properties of denitrifying P removal using nitrate as an electron acceptor. Accumulibacter abundance in the anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (A 2 O) process was the highest (26% of total bacteria), and higher in winter than in summer with a better EBPR performance. Type-II was the dominant Accumulibacter in all processes, and type-I accounted for a small proportion of total Accumulibacter. The abundance of Clade-IIC as the most dominant clade reached 2.59×10 9 cells/g MLSS and accounted for 87.3% of total Accumulibacter. Clade IIC mainly contributed to denitrifying P removal. Clades IIA, IIC and IID were found in all processes, while clade-IIF was only found in oxidation ditch process through phylogenetic analysis. High proportion of clade IID to total Accumulibacter led to poor performance of aerobic P-uptake in inverted A 2 O process. Therefore, Accumulibacter clades in WWTPs were diverse, and EBPR performance was closely related to the clade-level community structures and abundances of Accumulibacter. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  5. Genome-wide comparison of ferritin family from Archaea, Bacteria, Eukarya, and Viruses: its distribution, characteristic motif, and phylogenetic relationship

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bai, Lina; Xie, Ting; Hu, Qingqing; Deng, Changyan; Zheng, Rong; Chen, Wanping

    2015-10-01

    Ferritins are highly conserved proteins that are widely distributed in various species from archaea to humans. The ubiquitous characteristic of these proteins reflects the pivotal contribution of ferritins to the safe storage and timely delivery of iron to achieve iron homeostasis. This study investigated the ferritin genes in 248 genomes from various species, including viruses, archaea, bacteria, and eukarya. The distribution comparison suggests that mammals and eudicots possess abundant ferritin genes, whereas fungi contain very few ferritin genes. Archaea and bacteria show considerable numbers of ferritin genes. Generally, prokaryotes possess three types of ferritin (the typical ferritin, bacterioferritin, and DNA-binding protein from starved cell), whereas eukaryotes have various subunit types of ferritin, thereby indicating the individuation of the ferritin family during evolution. The characteristic motif analysis of ferritins suggested that all key residues specifying the unique structural motifs of ferritin are highly conserved across three domains of life. Meanwhile, the characteristic motifs were also distinguishable between ferritin groups, especially phytoferritins, which show a plant-specific motif. The phylogenetic analyses show that ferritins within the same subfamily or subunits are generally clustered together. The phylogenetic relationships among ferritin members suggest that both gene duplication and horizontal transfer contribute to the wide variety of ferritins, and their possible evolutionary scenario was also proposed. The results contribute to a better understanding of the distribution, characteristic motif, and evolutionary relationship of the ferritin family.

  6. Human parainfluenza virus in patients with influenza-like illness from Central and South America during 2006–2010

    PubMed Central

    Villaran, Manuel V; García, Josefina; Gomez, Jorge; Arango, Ana E; Gonzales, Marina; Chicaiza, Wilson; Alemán, Washington; Lorenzana de Rivera, Ivette; Sanchez, Felix; Aguayo, Nicolas; Kochel, Tadeusz J; Halsey, Eric S

    2014-01-01

    Background Human parainfluenza viruses (HPIVs) are common viral causes of community-acquired pneumonia, particularly in children. The four types of HPIV have world-wide distribution; however, limited information exists about the epidemiological profile of HPIV in Latin-America. Objective Provide epidemiologic and phylogenetic information about HPIVs that circulated in Latin America between 2006 and 2010 to better characterize the extent and variability of this respiratory virus in the region. Methods Oropharyngeal swabs, demographic data and clinical characteristics were obtained from individuals with influenza-like illness in 10 Latin-American countries between 2006–2010. Specimens were analyzed with culture and molecular methods. Results A total of 30 561 individuals were enrolled; 991 (3·2%) were HPIV positive. Most infected participants were male (53·7%) and under 5 years of age (68·7%). The HPIV type most frequently isolated was HPIV-3 (403, 40·7%). In 66/2007 (3·3%) hospitalized individuals, HPIV was identified. The most frequent symptoms at enrollment were cough and rhinorrhea. We identified certain patterns for HPIV-1, -2 and -3 in specific cities. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a homogeneous distribution in the region. Conclusions In the current scenario, no vaccine or treatment is available for this pathogen. Our results contribute to the scarce epidemiologic and phylogenetic information of HPIV in the region that could support the development of specific management. PMID:24286248

  7. When Homoplasy Is Not Homoplasy: Dissecting Trait Evolution by Contrasting Composite and Reductive Coding.

    PubMed

    Torres-Montúfar, Alejandro; Borsch, Thomas; Ochoterena, Helga

    2018-05-01

    The conceptualization and coding of characters is a difficult issue in phylogenetic systematics, no matter which inference method is used when reconstructing phylogenetic trees or if the characters are just mapped onto a specific tree. Complex characters are groups of features that can be divided into simpler hierarchical characters (reductive coding), although the implied hierarchical relational information may change depending on the type of coding (composite vs. reductive). Up to now, there is no common agreement to either code characters as complex or simple. Phylogeneticists have discussed which coding method is best but have not incorporated the heuristic process of reciprocal illumination to evaluate the coding. Composite coding allows to test whether 1) several characters were linked resulting in a structure described as a complex character or trait or 2) independently evolving characters resulted in the configuration incorrectly interpreted as a complex character. We propose that complex characters or character states should be decomposed iteratively into simpler characters when the original homology hypothesis is not corroborated by a phylogenetic analysis, and the character or character state is retrieved as homoplastic. We tested this approach using the case of fruit types within subfamily Cinchonoideae (Rubiaceae). The iterative reductive coding of characters associated with drupes allowed us to unthread fruit evolution within Cinchonoideae. Our results show that drupes and berries are not homologous. As a consequence, a more precise ontology for the Cinchonoideae drupes is required.

  8. Lutibacter litoralis gen. nov., sp. nov., a marine bacterium of the family Flavobacteriaceae isolated from tidal flat sediment.

    PubMed

    Choi, Dong H; Cho, Byung C

    2006-04-01

    A rod-shaped marine bacterium, designated strain CL-TF09T, isolated from a tidal flat in Ganghwa, Korea, was characterized based on its physiological and biochemical features, fatty acid profile and phylogenetic position. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed a clear affiliation with the family Flavobacteriaceae. Strain CL-TF09T showed the closest phylogenetic relationship with the genera Tenacibaculum and Polaribacter; sequence similarities between CL-TF09T and the type strains of Tenacibaculum and Polaribacter species ranged from 90.7 to 91.8 %. Cells of strain CL-TF09T were non-motile and grew on solid media as yellow colonies. The strain grew in the presence of 1-5 % sea salts, within a temperature range of 5-30 degrees C and at pH 7-8. The strain had iso-C(15 : 0) 3-OH (17.4 %), iso-C(15 : 0) (16.7 %), anteiso-C(15 : 0) (15.1 %) and iso-C(16 : 0) 3-OH (13.4 %) as predominant fatty acids. The DNA G+C content was 33.9 mol%. Based on the physiological, fatty acid composition and phylogenetic data presented, strain CL-TF09T is considered to represent a novel genus and species of the family Flavobacteriaceae, for which the name Lutibacter litoralis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is CL-TF09T (=KCCM 42118T = JCM 13034T).

  9. Chryseomicrobium imtechense gen. nov., sp. nov., a new member of the family Planococcaceae.

    PubMed

    Arora, Pankaj Kumar; Chauhan, Archana; Pant, Bhawana; Korpole, Suresh; Mayilraj, Shanmugam; Jain, Rakesh Kumar

    2011-08-01

    A Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped, yellow, non-motile, non-spore-forming, strictly aerobic bacterial strain, designated MW 10(T), was isolated from seawater of the Bay of Bengal, India, and was subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain MW 10(T) showed highest similarity to the type strains of Psychrobacillus psychrodurans (96.15 %) and Psychrobacillus psychrotolerans (96.01 %) and showed less than 96 % similarity to members of the genera Paenisporosarcina, Planococcus, Sporosarcina and Planomicrobium. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain MW 10(T) formed a clade separate from members of closely related genera. The morphological, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics of strain MW 10(T) differed from those of members of closely related genera. The major fatty acid in strain MW 10(T) was iso-C(15 : 0) and the menaquinones were MK-7 (48.4 %), MK-8 (32.3 %), MK-7(H(2)) (13.7 %) and MK-6 (5.6 %). The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, an unknown phospholipid, an unknown lipid and an unknown glycolipid. The cell-wall peptidoglycan type was l-Lys-d-Asp. The genomic DNA G+C content (53.4 mol%) of strain MW 10(T) was significantly different from those of members of closely related genera. On the basis of its morphological, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics as well as our phylogenetic analysis, we conclude that strain MW 10(T) is a member of a novel genus and species, for which the name Chryseomicrobium imtechense gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain of Chryseomicrobium imtechense is MW 10(T) ( = MTCC 10098(T)  = JCM 16573(T)).

  10. Genomic Analysis of Attenuation in Pandemic Vibrio parahaemolyticus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pinnell, L. J.; Tallman, J. J., III; Turner, J.

    2016-02-01

    A critical problem in the prevention and treatment of infectious disease is the ability to differentiate virulent from avirulent bacterial strains. The distinction is commonly based on the presence or absence of specific virulence-associated genes. Alternately, serotypic or phylogenetic typing can accurately differentiate virulent from avirulent strains. When these approaches fail, more discriminatory analysis is needed. Pandemic Vibiro parahaemolyticus, distinguishable by genotyping (thermostable direct hemolysin or tdh), serotyping (O3:K6) and multilocus sequence typing (ST3), is regarded as a highly virulent clonal complex. We have previously shown, through population genetics and cytotoxicity testing, that some pandemic strains isolated from environmental sources are avirulent. To investigate the basis for attenuation, we sequenced the draft genomes of 10 pandemic V. parahaemolyticus isolates originating from environmental (N = 7) and clinical sources (N = 3). Genomic comparison of these 10 draft genomes, and the pandemic type strain (RIMD2210633), revealed a large core genome (5,158,719 bp) and a much smaller accessory genome (141,403 bp). The accessory genome was largely comprised of hypothetical proteins; however, several genes encoded phage-related proteins. Phylogenetic analysis, based on 2,902 single nucleotide polymorphisms in the core genome, did not reveal a discernable pattern. Current efforts are focused on the identification of insertions, deletions and point mutations that may alter protein expression or protein function. Preliminary results show that attenuated strains lack the virulence-associated vacB gene (VP1890). This gene encodes a 741 amino acid exoribonuclease homologous to exoribonucleases known to modulate virulence in Salmonella enterica and Helicobacter pylori. The correlation between attenuation and the absence of this gene, suggests that VP1890 plays an important role in human pathogenesis.

  11. Genetic Characterization of Clostridium botulinum Associated with Type B Infant Botulism in Japan▿

    PubMed Central

    Umeda, Kaoru; Seto, Yoshiyuki; Kohda, Tomoko; Mukamoto, Masafumi; Kozaki, Shunji

    2009-01-01

    The 15 proteolytic Clostridium botulinum type B strains, including 3 isolates associated with infant botulism in Japan, were genetically characterized by phylogenetic analysis of boNT/B gene sequences, genotyping, and determination of the boNT/B gene location by using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for molecular epidemiological analysis of infant botulism in Japan. Strain Osaka05, isolated from a case in 2005, showed a unique boNT/B gene sequence and was considered to be a new BoNT/B subtype by phylogenetic analysis. Strain Osaka06, isolated from a case in 2006, was classified as the B2 subtype, the same as strain 111, isolated from a case in 1995. The five isolates associated with infant botulism in the United States were classified into the B1 subtype. Isolates from food samples in Japan were divided into the B1 and the B2 subtypes, although no relation with infant botulism was shown by PFGE genotyping. The results of PFGE and Southern blot hybridization with undigested DNA suggested that the boNT/B gene is located on large plasmids (approximately 150 kbp, 260 kbp, 275 kbp, or 280 kbp) in five strains belonging to three BoNT/B subtypes from various sources. The botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) of Osaka05 was suggested to have an antigenicity different from the antigenicities of BoNT/B1 and BoNT/B2 by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with the recombinant BoNT/B-C-terminal domain. We established a multiplex PCR assay for BoNT/B subtyping which will be useful for epidemiological studies of type B strains and the infectious diseases that they cause. PMID:19571018

  12. Comparative genomic and transcriptomic analyses of the Fuzhuan brick tea-fermentation fungus Aspergillus cristatus.

    PubMed

    Ge, Yongyi; Wang, Yuchen; Liu, YongXiang; Tan, Yumei; Ren, Xiuxiu; Zhang, Xinyu; Hyde, Kevin D; Liu, Yongfeng; Liu, Zuoyi

    2016-06-07

    Aspergillus cristatus is the dominant fungus involved in the fermentation of Chinese Fuzhuan brick tea. Aspergillus cristatus is a homothallic fungus that undergoes a sexual stage without asexual conidiation when cultured in hypotonic medium. The asexual stage is induced by a high salt concentration, which completely inhibits sexual development. The taxon is therefore appropriate for investigating the mechanisms of asexual and sexual reproduction in fungi. In this study, de novo genome sequencing and analysis of transcriptomes during culture under high- and low-osmolarity conditions were performed. These analyses facilitated investigation of the evolution of mating-type genes, which determine the mode of sexual reproduction, in A. cristatus, the response of the high-osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway to osmotic stimulation, and the detection of mycotoxins and evaluation of the relationship with the location of the encoding genes. The A. cristatus genome comprised 27.9 Mb and included 68 scaffolds, from which 10,136 protein-coding gene models were predicted. A phylogenetic analysis suggested a considerable phylogenetic distance between A. cristatus and A. nidulans. Comparison of the mating-type gene loci among Aspergillus species indicated that the mode in A. cristatus differs from those in other Aspergillus species. The components of the HOG pathway were conserved in the genome of A. cristatus. Differential gene expression analysis in A. cristatus using RNA-Seq demonstrated that the expression of most genes in the HOG pathway was unaffected by osmotic pressure. No gene clusters associated with the production of carcinogens were detected. A model of the mating-type locus in A. cristatus is reported for the first time. Aspergillus cristatus has evolved various mechanisms to cope with high osmotic stress. As a fungus associated with Fuzhuan tea, it is considered to be safe under low- and high-osmolarity conditions.

  13. SUNPLIN: Simulation with Uncertainty for Phylogenetic Investigations

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Phylogenetic comparative analyses usually rely on a single consensus phylogenetic tree in order to study evolutionary processes. However, most phylogenetic trees are incomplete with regard to species sampling, which may critically compromise analyses. Some approaches have been proposed to integrate non-molecular phylogenetic information into incomplete molecular phylogenies. An expanded tree approach consists of adding missing species to random locations within their clade. The information contained in the topology of the resulting expanded trees can be captured by the pairwise phylogenetic distance between species and stored in a matrix for further statistical analysis. Thus, the random expansion and processing of multiple phylogenetic trees can be used to estimate the phylogenetic uncertainty through a simulation procedure. Because of the computational burden required, unless this procedure is efficiently implemented, the analyses are of limited applicability. Results In this paper, we present efficient algorithms and implementations for randomly expanding and processing phylogenetic trees so that simulations involved in comparative phylogenetic analysis with uncertainty can be conducted in a reasonable time. We propose algorithms for both randomly expanding trees and calculating distance matrices. We made available the source code, which was written in the C++ language. The code may be used as a standalone program or as a shared object in the R system. The software can also be used as a web service through the link: http://purl.oclc.org/NET/sunplin/. Conclusion We compare our implementations to similar solutions and show that significant performance gains can be obtained. Our results open up the possibility of accounting for phylogenetic uncertainty in evolutionary and ecological analyses of large datasets. PMID:24229408

  14. SUNPLIN: simulation with uncertainty for phylogenetic investigations.

    PubMed

    Martins, Wellington S; Carmo, Welton C; Longo, Humberto J; Rosa, Thierson C; Rangel, Thiago F

    2013-11-15

    Phylogenetic comparative analyses usually rely on a single consensus phylogenetic tree in order to study evolutionary processes. However, most phylogenetic trees are incomplete with regard to species sampling, which may critically compromise analyses. Some approaches have been proposed to integrate non-molecular phylogenetic information into incomplete molecular phylogenies. An expanded tree approach consists of adding missing species to random locations within their clade. The information contained in the topology of the resulting expanded trees can be captured by the pairwise phylogenetic distance between species and stored in a matrix for further statistical analysis. Thus, the random expansion and processing of multiple phylogenetic trees can be used to estimate the phylogenetic uncertainty through a simulation procedure. Because of the computational burden required, unless this procedure is efficiently implemented, the analyses are of limited applicability. In this paper, we present efficient algorithms and implementations for randomly expanding and processing phylogenetic trees so that simulations involved in comparative phylogenetic analysis with uncertainty can be conducted in a reasonable time. We propose algorithms for both randomly expanding trees and calculating distance matrices. We made available the source code, which was written in the C++ language. The code may be used as a standalone program or as a shared object in the R system. The software can also be used as a web service through the link: http://purl.oclc.org/NET/sunplin/. We compare our implementations to similar solutions and show that significant performance gains can be obtained. Our results open up the possibility of accounting for phylogenetic uncertainty in evolutionary and ecological analyses of large datasets.

  15. Genomic analysis of the type VI secretion systems in Pseudomonas spp.: novel clusters and putative effectors uncovered.

    PubMed

    Barret, Matthieu; Egan, Frank; Fargier, Emilie; Morrissey, John P; O'Gara, Fergal

    2011-06-01

    Bacteria encode multiple protein secretion systems that are crucial for interaction with the environment and with hosts. In recent years, attention has focused on type VI secretion systems (T6SSs), which are specialized transporters widely encoded in Proteobacteria. The myriad of processes associated with these secretion systems could be explained by subclasses of T6SS, each involved in specialized functions. To assess diversity and predict function associated with different T6SSs, comparative genomic analysis of 34 Pseudomonas genomes was performed. This identified 70 T6SSs, with at least one locus in every strain, except for Pseudomonas stutzeri A1501. By comparing 11 core genes of the T6SS, it was possible to identify five main Pseudomonas phylogenetic clusters, with strains typically carrying T6SSs from more than one clade. In addition, most strains encode additional vgrG and hcp genes, which encode extracellular structural components of the secretion apparatus. Using a combination of phylogenetic and meta-analysis of transcriptome datasets it was possible to associate specific subsets of VgrG and Hcp proteins with each Pseudomonas T6SS clade. Moreover, a closer examination of the genomic context of vgrG genes in multiple strains highlights a number of additional genes associated with these regions. It is proposed that these genes may play a role in secretion or alternatively could be new T6S effectors.

  16. Sphingomonas morindae sp. nov., isolated from Noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) branch.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yang; Yao, Su; Lee, Yong-Jae; Cao, Yanhua; Zhai, Lei; Zhang, Xin; Su, Jiaojiao; Ge, Yuanyuan; Kim, Song-Gun; Cheng, Chi

    2015-09-01

    Two yellow bacterial strains, designated NBD5(T) and NBD8, isolated from Noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) branch were investigated using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-spore-forming, non-motile and short rod-shaped. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences suggested that the strains were members of a novel species of the genus Sphingomonas, the seven closest neighbours being Sphingomonas oligoaromativorans SY-6(T) (96.9% similarity), Sphingomonas polyaromaticivorans B2-7(T) (95.8%), Sphingomonas yantingensis 1007(T) (94.9%), Sphingomonas sanguinis IFO 13937(T) (94.7%), Sphingomonas ginsenosidimutans Gsoil 1429(T) (94.6%), Sphingomonas wittichii RW1(T) (94.6%) and Sphingomonas formosensis CC-Nfb-2(T) (94.5%). Strains NBD5T and NBD8 had sphingoglycolipid, phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine as the major polar lipids, ubiquinone 10 as the predominant respiratory quinone, and sym-homospermidine as the major polyamine. Strains NBD5(T) and NBD8 were clearly distinguished from reference type strains based on phylogenetic analysis, DNA-DNA hybridization, fatty acid composition data analysis, and comparison of a range of physiological and biochemical characteristics. It is evident from the genotypic and phenotypic data that strains NBD5(T) and NBD8 represent a novel species of the genus Sphingomonas, for which the name Sphingomonas morindae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NBD5(T) ( = DSM 29151(T) = KCTC 42183(T) = CICC 10879(T)).

  17. Evolution & Phylogenetic Analysis: Classroom Activities for Investigating Molecular & Morphological Concepts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Franklin, Wilfred A.

    2010-01-01

    In a flexible multisession laboratory, students investigate concepts of phylogenetic analysis at both the molecular and the morphological level. Students finish by conducting their own analysis on a collection of skeletons representing the major phyla of vertebrates, a collection of primate skulls, or a collection of hominid skulls.

  18. Antifungal drug susceptibility and phylogenetic diversity among Cryptococcus isolates from dogs and cats in North America.

    PubMed

    Singer, Lisa M; Meyer, Wieland; Firacative, Carolina; Thompson, George R; Samitz, Eileen; Sykes, Jane E

    2014-06-01

    Molecular types of the Cryptococcus neoformans/Cryptococcus gattii species complex that infect dogs and cats differ regionally and with host species. Antifungal drug susceptibility can vary with molecular type, but the susceptibility of Cryptococcus isolates from dogs and cats is largely unknown. Cryptococcus isolates from 15 dogs and 27 cats were typed using URA5 restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (RFLP), PCR fingerprinting, and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Susceptibility was determined using a microdilution assay (Sensititre YeastOne; Trek Diagnostic Systems). MICs were compared among groups. The 42 isolates studied comprised molecular types VGI (7%), VGIIa (7%), VGIIb (5%), VGIIc (5%), VGIII (38%), VGIV (2%), VNI (33%), and VNII (2%), as determined by URA5 RFLP. The VGIV isolate was more closely related to VGIII according to MLST. All VGIII isolates were from cats. All sequence types identified from veterinary isolates clustered with isolates from humans. VGIII isolates showed considerable genetic diversity compared with other Cryptococcus molecular types and could be divided into two major subgroups. Compared with C. neoformans MICs, C. gattii MICs were lower for flucytosine, and VGIII MICs were lower for flucytosine and itraconazole. For all drugs except itraconazole, C. gattii isolates exhibited a wider range of MICs than C. neoformans. MICs varied with Cryptococcus species and molecular type in dogs and cats, and MICs of VGIII isolates were most variable and may reflect phylogenetic diversity in this group. Because sequence types of dogs and cats reflect those infecting humans, these observations may also have implications for treatment of human cryptococcosis. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  19. Symbiosis between hydra and chlorella: molecular phylogenetic analysis and experimental study provide insight into its origin and evolution.

    PubMed

    Kawaida, Hitomi; Ohba, Kohki; Koutake, Yuhki; Shimizu, Hiroshi; Tachida, Hidenori; Kobayakawa, Yoshitaka

    2013-03-01

    Although many physiological studies have been reported on the symbiosis between hydra and green algae, very little information from a molecular phylogenetic aspect of symbiosis is available. In order to understand the origin and evolution of symbiosis between the two organisms, we compared the phylogenetic relationships among symbiotic green algae with the phylogenetic relationships among host hydra strains. To do so, we reconstructed molecular phylogenetic trees of several strains of symbiotic chlorella harbored in the endodermal epithelial cells of viridissima group hydra strains and investigated their congruence with the molecular phylogenetic trees of the host hydra strains. To examine the species specificity between the host and the symbiont with respect to the genetic distance, we also tried to introduce chlorella strains into two aposymbiotic strains of viridissima group hydra in which symbiotic chlorella had been eliminated in advance. We discussed the origin and history of symbiosis between hydra and green algae based on the analysis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Clinical Features and Molecular Epidemiology of CMY-Type β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli

    PubMed Central

    Sidjabat, Hanna E.; Paterson, David L.; Qureshi, Zubair A.; Adams-Haduch, Jennifer M.; O’Keefe, Alexandra; Pascual, Alvaro; Rodríguez-Baño, Jesús; Doi, Yohei

    2009-01-01

    Background Knowledge on the clinical features of infections caused by Escherichia coli producing plasmid-mediated AmpC β-lactamase is limited. Of the several groups of plasmid-mediated AmpC β-lactamase, CMY-type β-lactamase is the most common in the United States. Methods We prospectively identified E. coli producing CMY-type β-lactamase and collected clinical data over a seven-month period. A retrospective cohort study was performed to identify features associated with these cases, using cases due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli as controls. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), plasmid analysis and phylogenetic typing were performed. Results Twenty-two cases with CMY-producing E. coli and 25 cases with ESBL-producing E. coli were identified. The demographics of the patients were similar between the CMY and ESBL cohorts. CMY cases were significantly more likely to represent symptomatic infection compared with ESBL cases (P=0.028). The CMY-type β-lactamase was identified as CMY-2 or its variants. Ninety-four percent of the CMY-producing isolates belonged to E. coli phylogenetic groups B2 and D, which are associated with virulence. Many of them shared similar plasmid profiles, whereas the PFGE profiles were diverse. Co-resistance to non-β-lactam antimicrobials was common. Conclusion In Pittsburgh, CMY-producing E. coli is almost as common as ESBL-producing E. coli and causes symptomatic infection in the majority of cases. PMID:19187027

  1. Degenerate primer MOB typing of multiresistant clinical isolates of E. coli uncovers new plasmid backbones.

    PubMed

    Garcillán-Barcia, M Pilar; Ruiz del Castillo, Belén; Alvarado, Andrés; de la Cruz, Fernando; Martínez-Martínez, Luis

    2015-01-01

    Degenerate Primer MOB Typing is a PCR-based protocol for the classification of γ-proteobacterial transmissible plasmids in five phylogenetic relaxase MOB families. It was applied to a multiresistant E. coli collection, previously characterized by PCR-based replicon-typing, in order to compare both methods. Plasmids from 32 clinical isolates of multiresistant E. coli (19 extended spectrum beta-lactamase producers and 13 non producers) and their transconjugants were analyzed. A total of 95 relaxases were detected, at least one per isolate, underscoring the high potential of these strains for antibiotic-resistance transmission. MOBP12 and MOBF12 plasmids were the most abundant. Most MOB subfamilies detected were present in both subsets of the collection, indicating a shared mobilome among multiresistant E. coli. The plasmid profile obtained by both methods was compared, which provided useful data upon which decisions related to the implementation of detection methods in the clinic could be based. The phylogenetic depth at which replicon and MOB-typing classify plasmids is different. While replicon-typing aims at plasmid replication regions with non-degenerate primers, MOB-typing classifies plasmids into relaxase subfamilies using degenerate primers. As a result, MOB-typing provides a deeper phylogenetic depth than replicon-typing and new plasmid groups are uncovered. Significantly, MOB typing identified 17 plasmids and an integrative and conjugative element, which were not detected by replicon-typing. Four of these backbones were different from previously reported elements. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Marinospirillum gen. nov., with descriptions of Marinospirillum megaterium sp. nov., isolated from kusaya gravy, and transfer of Oceanospirillum minutulum to Marinospirillum minutulum comb. nov.

    PubMed

    Satomi, M; Kimura, B; Hayashi, M; Shouzen, Y; Okuzumi, M; Fujii, T

    1998-10-01

    Two strains of helical, halophilic, Gram-negative, heterotrophic bacteria were isolated from kusaya gravy which is a traditional Japanese fermented brine. These strains were motile by means of a single polar or bipolar tuft flagellum. They had a large cell size, were helical, formed coccoid bodies, were microaerophilic and had quinone type Q-8. The DNA G + C content of the strains was 44-45 mol %. A detailed investigation of the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic characteristics of the strains revealed that they represent a new species of halophilic helical bacteria. The sequence of the 16S rRNA gene of strain H7T, designated the type strain of the new isolates, and all of the Oceanospirillum species except for Oceanospirillum linum were determined. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that these strains were closely related to Oceanospirillum minutulum, with enough distance to separate the O. minutulum/new isolate H7T cluster from Oceanospirillum sensu stricto on the genus level. It is proposed that a new genus, Marinospirillum, be created; this genus should include Marinospirillum minutulum ATCC 19193T (formerly Oceanospirillum minutulum) as the type species, as well as Marinospirillum megaterium JCM 10129T (= H7T).

  3. Soft-tissue anatomy of the extant hominoids: a review and phylogenetic analysis.

    PubMed

    Gibbs, S; Collard, M; Wood, B

    2002-01-01

    This paper reports the results of a literature search for information about the soft-tissue anatomy of the extant non-human hominoid genera, Pan, Gorilla, Pongo and Hylobates, together with the results of a phylogenetic analysis of these data plus comparable data for Homo. Information on the four extant non-human hominoid genera was located for 240 out of the 1783 soft-tissue structures listed in the Nomina Anatomica. Numerically these data are biased so that information about some systems (e.g. muscles) and some regions (e.g. the forelimb) are over-represented, whereas other systems and regions (e.g. the veins and the lymphatics of the vascular system, the head region) are either under-represented or not represented at all. Screening to ensure that the data were suitable for use in a phylogenetic analysis reduced the number of eligible soft-tissue structures to 171. These data, together with comparable data for modern humans, were converted into discontinuous character states suitable for phylogenetic analysis and then used to construct a taxon-by-character matrix. This matrix was used in two tests of the hypothesis that soft-tissue characters can be relied upon to reconstruct hominoid phylogenetic relationships. In the first, parsimony analysis was used to identify cladograms requiring the smallest number of character state changes. In the second, the phylogenetic bootstrap was used to determine the confidence intervals of the most parsimonious clades. The parsimony analysis yielded a single most parsimonious cladogram that matched the molecular cladogram. Similarly the bootstrap analysis yielded clades that were compatible with the molecular cladogram; a (Homo, Pan) clade was supported by 95% of the replicates, and a (Gorilla, Pan, Homo) clade by 96%. These are the first hominoid morphological data to provide statistically significant support for the clades favoured by the molecular evidence.

  4. Classification and phylogenetic analyses of the Arabidopsis and tomato G-type lectin receptor kinases.

    PubMed

    Teixeira, Marcella A; Rajewski, Alex; He, Jiangman; Castaneda, Olenka G; Litt, Amy; Kaloshian, Isgouhi

    2018-04-06

    Pathogen perception by plants is mediated by plasma membrane-localized immune receptors that have varied extracellular domains. Lectin receptor kinases (LecRKs) are among these receptors and are subdivided into 3 classes, C-type LecRKs (C-LecRKs), L-type LecRKs (L-LecRKs) and G-type LecRKs (G-LecRKs). While C-LecRKs are represented by one or two members in all plant species investigated and have unknown functions, L-LecRKs have been characterized in a few plant species and have been shown to play roles in plant defense against pathogens. Whereas Arabidopsis G-LecRKs have been characterized, this family of LecRKs has not been studied in tomato. This investigation updates the current characterization of Arabidopsis G-LecRKs and characterizes the tomato G-LecRKs, using LecRKs from the monocot rice and the basal eudicot columbine to establish a basis for comparisons between the two core eudicots. Additionally, revisiting parameters established for Arabidopsis nomenclature for LecRKs is suggested for both Arabidopsis and tomato. Moreover, using phylogenetic analysis, we show the relationship among and between members of G-LecRKs from all three eudicot plant species. Furthermore, investigating presence of motifs in G-LecRKs we identified conserved motifs among members of G-LecRKs in tomato and Arabidopsis, with five present in at least 30 of the 38 Arabidopsis members and in at least 45 of the 73 tomato members. This work characterized tomato G-LecRKs and added members to the currently characterized Arabidopsis G-LecRKs. Additionally, protein sequence analysis showed an expansion of this family in tomato as compared to Arabidopsis, and the existence of conserved common motifs in the two plant species as well as conserved species-specific motifs.

  5. Fourteen types of co-circulating recombinant enterovirus were associated with hand, foot, and mouth disease in children from Wenzhou, China.

    PubMed

    Guo, Wen-Ping; Lin, Xian-Dan; Chen, Yi-Ping; Liu, Qi; Wang, Wen; Wang, Cai-Qiao; Li, Ming-Hui; Sun, Xiao-Yu; Shi, Mang; Holmes, Edward C; Zhang, Yong-Zhen

    2015-09-01

    Although hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a major public concern in China, the prevalence and clinical symptoms associated with the different agents of HFMD in this country remain poorly understood. We investigated the clinical and molecular characteristics of enteroviruses in patients with HFMD from Wenzhou, China. Patients with laboratory-confirmed HFMD admitted to the Yuying Children's Hospital in Wenzhou, China during 2013 were included in this study. Viral RNA sequences were amplified using RT-PCR, determined by sequencing, and compared by phylogenetic analysis. A total of 955 clinically diagnosed HFMD cases were determined using PCR, with whole viral genomes obtained for each enterovirus type. 14 types of enterovirus belonging to two viral species were identified. Notably, Coxsackievirus A6 (CV-A6) was the most common species detected (77.8%), followed by EV-A71 (8.2%) and CV-A10 (8.1%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed multiple independent introductions of these viruses into Wenzhou. In addition, the enterovirus observed in Wenzhou had a recombinant history, with two or three recombination breakpoints. Although the illness associated with CV-A6 was milder than that of EV-A71, CV-A6 infection caused more widespread rash, larger blisters, and subsequent skin peeling and/or nail shedding. Our study revealed the co-circulation of 14 types of enteroviruses in a single location - Wenzhou, China - with CV-A6 virus the predominant agent of HFMD. This work highlights the need to perform larger-scale surveillance to fully understand the epidemiology of enteroviruses in China and the wider Asia-Pacific region. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. A taxonomic and phylogenetic re-appraisal of the genus Curvularia

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Species of Curvularia are important plant and human pathogens worldwide. In this study, the genus Curvularia is re-assessed based on molecular phylogenetic analysis and morphological observations of available isolates and specimens. A multi-gene phylogenetic tree inferred from ITS, TEF and GPDH gene...

  7. Molecular diversity of Chaerilidae venom peptides reveals the dynamic evolution of scorpion venom components from Buthidae to non-Buthidae.

    PubMed

    He, Yawen; Zhao, Ruiming; Di, Zhiyong; Li, Zhongjie; Xu, Xiaobo; Hong, Wei; Wu, Yingliang; Zhao, Huabin; Li, Wenxin; Cao, Zhijian

    2013-08-26

    The scorpion family Chaerilidae is phylogenetically differentiated from Buthidae. Their venom components are not known, and the evolution of the venom components is not well understood. Here, we performed a transcriptome analysis of the venom glands from two scorpion species, Chaerilus tricostatus and Chaerilus tryznai. Fourteen types of venom peptides were discovered from two species, 10 of which were shared by both C. tricostatus and C. tryznai. Notably, the venom components of Chaerilidae were also found to contain four toxin types (NaTx, β-KTx, Scamp and bpp-like peptides), previously considered to be specific to Buthidae. Moreover, cytolytic peptides were the most abundant toxin type in C. tricostatus, C. tryznai and the family Euscorpiidae. Furthermore, 39 and 35 novel atypical venom molecules were identified from C. tricostatus and C. tryznai, respectively. Finally, the evolutionary analysis showed that the NaTx, β-KTx, and bpp-like toxin types were recruited into the venom before the lineage split between Buthidae and non-Buthidae families. This study provides an integrated understanding of the venom components of the scorpion family Chaerilidae. The family Chaerilidae has a specific venom arsenal that is intermediate between Buthidae and non-Buthidae, which suggests the dynamic evolution of scorpion venom components from Buthidae to non-Buthidae species. This work gave a first overview of the venom components of Chaerilidae scorpions, and discovered large numbers of new toxin molecules, which significantly enriches the molecular diversity of scorpion venom peptides/proteins components. Based on phylogenetic analysis we speculated that the NaTx, β-KTx and bpp-like toxin type genes were recruited into venom before the lineage split between Buthidae and non-Buthidae. By Comparing the toxin types and abundance of the Buthidae, Chaerilidae and non-Buthidae families, we found that the family Chaerilidae has a specific venom arsenal that is intermediate Buthidae and non-Buthidae, which suggests the dynamic evolution of scorpion venom components from Buthidae to non-Buthidae species. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Phylogenetic multilocus sequence analysis of indigenous slow-growing rhizobia nodulating cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) in Greece.

    PubMed

    Tampakaki, Anastasia P; Fotiadis, Christos T; Ntatsi, Georgia; Savvas, Dimitrios

    2017-04-01

    Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is a promiscuous grain legume, capable of establishing efficient symbiosis with diverse symbiotic bacteria, mainly slow-growing rhizobial species belonging to the genus Bradyrhizobium. Although much research has been done on cowpea-nodulating bacteria in various countries around the world, little is known about the genetic and symbiotic diversity of indigenous cowpea rhizobia in European soils. In the present study, the genetic and symbiotic diversity of indigenous rhizobia isolated from field-grown cowpea nodules in three geographically different Greek regions were studied. Forty-five authenticated strains were subjected to a polyphasic approach. ERIC-PCR based fingerprinting analysis grouped the isolates into seven groups and representative strains of each group were further analyzed. The analysis of the rrs gene showed that the strains belong to different species of the genus Bradyrhizobium. The analysis of the 16S-23S IGS region showed that the strains from each geographic region were characterized by distinct IGS types which may represent novel phylogenetic lineages, closely related to the type species of Bradyrhizobium pachyrhizi, Bradyrhizobium ferriligni and Bradyrhizobium liaoningense. MLSA analysis of three housekeeping genes (recA, glnII, and gyrB) showed the close relatedness of our strains with B. pachyrhizi PAC48 T and B. liaoningense USDA 3622 T and confirmed that the B. liaoningense-related isolate VUEP21 may constitute a novel species within Bradyrhizobium. Moreover, symbiotic gene phylogenies, based on nodC and nifH genes, showed that the B. pachyrhizi-related isolates belonged to symbiovar vignae, whereas the B. liaoningense-related isolates may represent a novel symbiovar. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  9. Phylogenetic relationships of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli isolated from Peruvian children

    PubMed Central

    Contreras, C. A.; Ruiz, J.; Lacher, D. W.; Rivera, F. P.; Saenz, Y.; Chea-Woo, E.; Zavaleta, N.; Gil, A. I.; Lanata, C. F.; Huicho, L.; Maves, R. C.; Torres, C.; DebRoy, C.; Cleary, T. G.

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, virulence factors (stx, eae, ehxA and astA) and phylogenetic relationships [PFGE and multilocus sequence typing (MLST)] of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains isolated from four previous cohort studies in 2212 Peruvian children aged <36 months. STEC prevalence was 0.4 % (14/3219) in diarrhoeal and 0.6 % (15/2695) in control samples. None of the infected children developed haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) or other complications of STEC. stx1 was present in 83 % of strains, stx2 in 17 %, eae in 72 %, ehxA in 59 % and astA in 14 %. The most common serotype was O26 : H11 (14 %) and the most common seropathotype was B (45 %). The strains belonged mainly to phylogenetic group B1 (52 %). The distinct combinations of alleles across the seven MLST loci were used to define 13 sequence types among 19 STEC strains. PFGE typing of 20 STEC strains resulted in 19 pulsed-field patterns. Comparison of the patterns revealed 11 clusters (I–XI), each usually including strains belonging to different serotypes; one exception was cluster VI, which gathered exclusively seven strains of seropathotype B, clonal group enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) 2 and phylogenetic group B1. In summary, STEC prevalence was low in Peruvian children with diarrhoea in the community setting. The strains were phylogenetically diverse and associated with mild infections. However, additional studies are needed in children with bloody diarrhoea and HUS. PMID:21292859

  10. Emergence of a deviating genotype VI pigeon paramyxovirus type-1 isolated from India.

    PubMed

    Ganar, Ketan; Das, Moushumee; Raut, Ashwin Ashok; Mishra, Anamika; Kumar, Sachin

    2017-07-01

    Pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 (PPMV-1) is an antigenic variant of avian paramyxovirus type 1 (APMV-1), which infects pigeons. The virus causes high morbidity and mortality, creating an alarming state for the poultry industry. The present work describes the molecular and pathogenic characterization of a PPMV-1 strain isolated from pigeon in Bhopal, India. Complete genome sequence analysis revealed a genome of 15,192 nucleotides encoding six genes organized in the order 3'-N-P-M-F-HN-L-5'. The fusion gene sequence analysis showed the presence of multiple basic amino acids 112 R-R-Q-K-R-F 117 at the cleavage site corresponding to pathogenic strains. The mean death time and intracerebral pathogenicity index values indicated a mesogenic nature for the PPMV-1 isolate. On phylogenetic analysis, the strain clustered with genotype VI viruses, including isolates from pigeon and dove. The Bhopal strain showed significant intra and inter-genotype evolutionary distance, suggesting the emergence of a new sub-genotype, VIj.

  11. Global genetic capacity for mixotrophy in marine picocyanobacteria.

    PubMed

    Yelton, Alexis P; Acinas, Silvia G; Sunagawa, Shinichi; Bork, Peer; Pedrós-Alió, Carlos; Chisholm, Sallie W

    2016-12-01

    The assimilation of organic nutrients by autotrophs, a form of mixotrophy, has been demonstrated in the globally abundant marine picocyanobacterial genera Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus. However, the range of compounds used and the distribution of organic compound uptake genes within picocyanobacteria are unknown. Here we analyze genomic and metagenomic data from around the world to determine the extent and distribution of mixotrophy in these phototrophs. Analysis of 49 Prochlorococcus and 18 Synechococcus isolate genomes reveals that all have the transporters necessary to take up amino acids, peptides and sugars. However, the number and type of transporters and associated catabolic genes differ between different phylogenetic groups, with low-light IV Prochlorococcus, and 5.1B, 5.2 and 5.3 Synechococcus strains having the largest number. Metagenomic data from 68 stations from the Tara Oceans expedition indicate that the genetic potential for mixotrophy in picocyanobacteria is globally distributed and differs between clades. Phylogenetic analyses indicate gradual organic nutrient transporter gene loss from the low-light IV to the high-light II Prochlorococcus. The phylogenetic differences in genetic capacity for mixotrophy, combined with the ubiquity of picocyanobacterial organic compound uptake genes suggests that mixotrophy has a more central role in picocyanobacterial ecology than was previously thought.

  12. Streptomyces ziwulingensis sp. nov., isolated from grassland soil.

    PubMed

    Lin, Yan Bing; Wang, Xin Ye; Wang, Ting Ting; An, Shao Shan; Shi, Peng; Wei, Ge Hong

    2013-04-01

    A novel actinobacterium, designated strain F22(T), was isolated from grassland soil collected from the Ziwuling area on the Loess Plateau, China. The novel strain was found to have morphological and chemotaxonomic characteristics typical of members of the genus Streptomyces. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain F22(T) belonged to the genus Streptomyces, being most closely related to Streptomyces resistomycificus NBRC 12814(T) (98.28 % sequence similarity), Streptomyces ciscaucasicus NBRC 12872(T) (98.14 %), Streptomyces chartreusis NBRC 12753(T) (98.14 %) and Streptomyces canus NRRL B-1989(T) (98.14 %). In DNA-DNA hybridizations and comparisons of morphological and phenotypic data, strain F22(T) could be distinguished from all of its closest phylogenetic relatives. Strain F22(T) exhibited antibacterial and antifungal activity, especially against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Cylindrocarpon destructans. Based on the DNA-DNA hybridization data and morphological, phenotypic and phylogenetic evidence, strain F22(T) represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces ziwulingensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is F22(T) ( = CCNWFX 0001(T) = JCM 18081(T) = ACCC41875(T)).

  13. Insight into the validity of Leptobrachium guangxiense (Anura: Megophryidae): evidence from mitochondrial DNA sequences and morphological characters.

    PubMed

    Chen, Weicai; Zhang, Wei; Zhou, Shichu; Li, Ning; Huang, Yong; Mo, Yunming

    2013-01-01

    Lepobrachiun guangxiense Fei, Mo, Ye and Jiang, 2009 (Anura: Megophryidae), is presently thought to be endemic to Shangsi, Guangxi Province, China. A molecular phylogenetic analysis and morphological data were performed to gain insight into the phylogenetic position of this species. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference methods were employed to reconstruct phylogenetic relationship, using 1914 bp of sequences from mtDNA genes of 12S rRNA, tRNAVal and 16S rRNA. Topologies revealed that L. guangxiense and Tam Dao (Vietnam) L. chapaense lineage (3A) formed a monophyletic group with well-supported values. The uncorrected p-distance of ~1.4k bp 16S rRNA data-sets between Tam Dao L. chapaense lineage (3A) and L. guangxiense is only 0.1%. Morphologically, L. guangxiense and Tam Dao L. chapaense lineage (3A) shared the same characters, and are distinguishable from "true" L. chapaense from the type locality in Sa Pa, Vietnam. Based on morphological characters and mitochondrial DNA, we suggested that the Tam Dao lineages of L. chapaense are conspecific with L. guangxiense. This represents a range extension for L. guangxiense, and a new country record for Vietnam.

  14. Phylogenetic and Temporal Dynamics of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 CRF01_AE in China

    PubMed Central

    Su, Xueli; Lu, Hongyan; Pang, Xinghuo; Yan, Hong; Feng, Xia; He, Xiong; Zeng, Yi

    2013-01-01

    To explore the epidemic history of HIV-1 CRF01_AE in China, 408 fragments of gag gene sequences of CRF01_AE sampled in 2002–2010 were determined from different geographical regions and risk populations in China. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the CRF01_AE sequences can be grouped into four clusters, suggesting that at least four genetically independent CRF01_AE descendants are circulating in China, of which two were closely related to the isolates from Thailand and Vietnam. Cluster 1 has the most extensive distribution in China. In North China, cluster 1 and cluster 4 were mainly transmitted through homosexuality.The real substance of the recent HIV-1 epidemic in men who have sex with men(MSM) of North China is a rapid spread of CRF01_AE, or rather two distinctive natives CRF01_AE.The time of the most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) of four CRF01_AE clusters ranged from the years 1990.9 to 2003.8 in different regions of China. This is the first phylogenetic and temporal dynamics study of HIV-1 CRF01_AE in China. PMID:23365653

  15. The genus Syllis Savigny in Lamarck, 1818 (Annelida, Syllidae) from Australia. Molecular analysis and re-description of some poorly-known species.

    PubMed

    Álvarez-Campos, Patricia; Riesgo, Ana; Hutchings, Pat; San Martín, Guillermo

    2015-12-03

    The taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships within Syllis Savigny in Lamarck, 1818, the type genus of the family Syllidae, are still a matter of debate because the group does not show clear synapomorphies and because of the lack of molecular data for many of the species. In order to help understand some of the phylogenetic relationships within the genus Syllis, we have performed a morphological revision of part of the material collected during decades by the Australian Museum staff, and provide molecular data for species not sequenced before. In particular, seven poorly known Australian species of the genus Syllis Savigny in Lamarck, 1818 have been re-described in detail and sequenced to analyze their phylogenetic position: Syllis broomensis n. comb., S. crassicirrata (Treadwell, 1925) n. comb., Syllis cruzi Núñez & San Martín, 1991, S. edensis (Hartmann-Schröder, 1989), Syllis gracilis Grube, 1840, Syllis picta (Kinberg, 1866) n. comb., and S. setoensis (Imajima, 1966). The results obtained indicate the paraphyly of Typosyllis and a possible new organization of Syllis, which contains at least four well-supported clades.

  16. Lactobacillus kimchii sp. nov., a new species from kimchi.

    PubMed

    Yoon, J H; Kang, S S; Mheen, T I; Ahn, J S; Lee, H J; Kim, T K; Park, C S; Kho, Y H; Kang, K H; Park, Y H

    2000-09-01

    A bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacterium, which was isolated from the Korean fermented-vegetable food kimchi, was subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study using phenotypic characterization and phylogenetic and genetic methods. This organism (MT-1077T) has phenotypic properties that are consistent with the description characterizing the genus Lactobacillus. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequences showed clearly that strain MT-1077T is a member of the genus Lactobacillus. The closest phylogenetic relatives are Lactobacillus alimentarius KCTC 3593T and Lactobacillus farciminis LMG 9200T, with levels of 16S rDNA similarity of 98.4 and 98.2%, respectively. Levels of 16S rDNA similarity between strain MT-1077T and other Lactobacillus species were less than 93.0%. Differences in some phenotypic characteristics and DNA-DNA relatedness data indicated that strain MT-1077T should be distinguished from L. alimentarius KCTC 3593T and L. farciminis LMG 9200T. On the basis of the data presented, it is proposed that strain MT-1077T should be placed in the genus Lactobacillus as a new species, Lactobacillus kimchii sp. nov. The type strain of the new species is strain MT-1077T (= KCTC 8903PT = JCM 10707T).

  17. Histology and affinity of anaspids, and the early evolution of the vertebrate dermal skeleton

    PubMed Central

    Keating, Joseph N.; Donoghue, Philip C. J.

    2016-01-01

    The assembly of the gnathostome bodyplan constitutes a formative episode in vertebrate evolutionary history, an interval in which the mineralized skeleton and its canonical suite of cell and tissue types originated. Fossil jawless fishes, assigned to the gnathostome stem-lineage, provide an unparalleled insight into the origin and evolution of the skeleton, hindered only by uncertainty over the phylogenetic position and evolutionary significance of key clades. Chief among these are the jawless anaspids, whose skeletal composition, a rich source of phylogenetic information, is poorly characterized. Here we survey the histology of representatives spanning anaspid diversity and infer their generalized skeletal architecture. The anaspid dermal skeleton is composed of odontodes comprising spheritic dentine and enameloid, overlying a basal layer of acellular parallel fibre bone containing an extensive shallow canal network. A recoded and revised phylogenetic analysis using equal and implied weights parsimony resolves anaspids as monophyletic, nested among stem-gnathostomes. Our results suggest the anaspid dermal skeleton is a degenerate derivative of a histologically more complex ancestral vertebrate skeleton, rather than reflecting primitive simplicity. Hypotheses that anaspids are ancestral skeletonizing lampreys, or a derived lineage of jawless vertebrates with paired fins, are rejected. PMID:26962140

  18. Tangfeifania diversioriginum gen. nov., sp. nov., a representative of the family Draconibacteriaceae.

    PubMed

    Liu, Qian-Qian; Li, Xiao-Li; Rooney, Alejandro P; Du, Zong-Jun; Chen, Guan-Jun

    2014-10-01

    A novel Gram-stain-negative, facultatively anaerobic, catalase- and oxidase-positive, non-motile and pink-pigmented bacterium, designated G22(T), was isolated from Gahai, a saltwater lake in Qinghai province, China. Optimal growth occurred at 33-35 °C, pH 7.0-7.5, and in the presence of 2-4% (w/v) NaCl. The DNA G+C content was 40.0 mol%. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine and three unknown lipids. The predominant cellular fatty acids were iso-C15:0, anteiso-C15:0, iso-C17:0 3-OH and iso-C15:0 3-OH, and MK-7 was the main respiratory quinone. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain G22(T) fell within the class Bacteroidia. Its closest phylogenetic neighbour was the recently described species Draconibacterium orientale, the sole member of the family Draconibacteriaceae, with merely 90.04% sequence similarity. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic evidence observed, a novel species in a new genus, Tangfeifania diversioriginum gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed within the family Draconibacteriaceae. The type strain is G22(T) ( = CICC 10587(T) =DSM 27063(T)).

  19. [Genetic characterization of echovirus 6 isolated from meningitis and encephalitis cases in Shandong Province, China].

    PubMed

    Lin, Xiao-Juan; Tao, Ze-Xin; Liu, Gui-Fang; Wang, Min; Song, Li-Zhi; Wang, Su-Ting; Ji, Feng; Wang, Hai-Yan; Xu, Ai-Qiang

    2014-03-01

    To analyze the genetic characteristics of echovirus 6 (E6) isolated from meningitis and encephalitis cases in Shandong Province, China, we collected cerebrospinal fluid samples from meningitis and encephalitis cases in Shandong Province from 2007 to 2012 for virus isolation. Viral RNAs were extracted from positive isolates, and complete VP1 coding regions were amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced. Homology comparison and phylogenetic analysis were performed. Six isolates were identified as E6 by microneutralization assay and molecular typing. The homology analysis showed that the six isolates had 78. 6%-99. 8% nucleotide and 95. 5%-100. 0% amino acid identities with each other, as well as 76. 9%-78. 4% nucleotide and 92. 3%-95. 1% amino acid identities with the prototype strain (D' Amori). The phylogenetic analysis based on the integrated VP1 sequences indicated that all Shandong E6 isolates could be separated into four clusters, designated as A, B, C, and D. The six E6 isolates belonged to clusters A, B, and D. Our study reveals high genetic differences between Shandong E6 isolates and suggests different transmission lineages of E6 co-circulated in Shandong Province.

  20. Genomic Repeat Abundances Contain Phylogenetic Signal

    PubMed Central

    Dodsworth, Steven; Chase, Mark W.; Kelly, Laura J.; Leitch, Ilia J.; Macas, Jiří; Novák, Petr; Piednoël, Mathieu; Weiss-Schneeweiss, Hanna; Leitch, Andrew R.

    2015-01-01

    A large proportion of genomic information, particularly repetitive elements, is usually ignored when researchers are using next-generation sequencing. Here we demonstrate the usefulness of this repetitive fraction in phylogenetic analyses, utilizing comparative graph-based clustering of next-generation sequence reads, which results in abundance estimates of different classes of genomic repeats. Phylogenetic trees are then inferred based on the genome-wide abundance of different repeat types treated as continuously varying characters; such repeats are scattered across chromosomes and in angiosperms can constitute a majority of nuclear genomic DNA. In six diverse examples, five angiosperms and one insect, this method provides generally well-supported relationships at interspecific and intergeneric levels that agree with results from more standard phylogenetic analyses of commonly used markers. We propose that this methodology may prove especially useful in groups where there is little genetic differentiation in standard phylogenetic markers. At the same time as providing data for phylogenetic inference, this method additionally yields a wealth of data for comparative studies of genome evolution. PMID:25261464

  1. Phylogenetics.

    PubMed

    Sleator, Roy D

    2011-04-01

    The recent rapid expansion in the DNA and protein databases, arising from large-scale genomic and metagenomic sequence projects, has forced significant development in the field of phylogenetics: the study of the evolutionary relatedness of the planet's inhabitants. Advances in phylogenetic analysis have greatly transformed our view of the landscape of evolutionary biology, transcending the view of the tree of life that has shaped evolutionary theory since Darwinian times. Indeed, modern phylogenetic analysis no longer focuses on the restricted Darwinian-Mendelian model of vertical gene transfer, but must also consider the significant degree of lateral gene transfer, which connects and shapes almost all living things. Herein, I review the major tree-building methods, their strengths, weaknesses and future prospects.

  2. Molecular characterization and epidemiology of cefoxitin resistance among Enterobacteriaceae lacking inducible chromosomal ampC genes from hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients in Algeria: description of new sequence type in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates.

    PubMed

    Gharout-Sait, Alima; Touati, Abdelaziz; Guillard, Thomas; Brasme, Lucien; de Champs, Christophe

    2015-01-01

    In this study, 922 consecutive non-duplicate clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae obtained from hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients at Bejaia, Algeria were analyzed for AmpC-type β-lactamases production. The ampC genes and their genetic environment were characterized using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. Plasmid incompatibility groups were determined by using PCR-based replicon typing. Phylogenetic grouping and multilocus sequence typing were determined for molecular typing of the plasmid-mediated AmpC (pAmpC) isolates. Of the isolates, 15 (1.6%) were identified as AmpC producers including 14 CMY-4-producing isolates and one DHA-1-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae. All AmpC-producing isolates co-expressed the broad-spectrum TEM-1 β-lactamase and three of them co-produced CTX-M and/or SHV-12 ESBL. Phylogenetic grouping and virulence genotyping of the E. coli isolates revealed that most of them belonged to groups D and B1. Multilocus sequence typing analysis of K. pneumoniae isolates identified four different sequence types (STs) with two new sequences: ST1617 and ST1618. Plasmid replicon typing indicates that blaCMY-4 gene was located on broad host range A/C plasmid, while LVPK replicon was associated with blaDHA-1. All isolates carrying blaCMY-4 displayed the transposon-like structures ISEcp1/ΔISEcp1-blaCMY-blc-sugE. Our study showed that CMY-4 was the main pAmpC in the Enterobacteriaceae isolates in Algeria. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  3. New clade of enigmatic early archosaurs yields insights into early pseudosuchian phylogeny and the biogeography of the archosaur radiation

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background The origin and early radiation of archosaurs and closely related taxa (Archosauriformes) during the Triassic was a critical event in the evolutionary history of tetrapods. This radiation led to the dinosaur-dominated ecosystems of the Jurassic and Cretaceous, and the high present-day archosaur diversity that includes around 10,000 bird and crocodylian species. The timing and dynamics of this evolutionary radiation are currently obscured by the poorly constrained phylogenetic positions of several key early archosauriform taxa, including several species from the Middle Triassic of Argentina (Gracilisuchus stipanicicorum) and China (Turfanosuchus dabanensis, Yonghesuchus sangbiensis). These species act as unstable ‘wildcards’ in morphological phylogenetic analyses, reducing phylogenetic resolution. Results We present new anatomical data for the type specimens of G. stipanicicorum, T. dabanensis, and Y. sangbiensis, and carry out a new morphological phylogenetic analysis of early archosaur relationships. Our results indicate that these three previously enigmatic taxa form a well-supported clade of Middle Triassic archosaurs that we refer to as Gracilisuchidae. Gracilisuchidae is placed basally within Suchia, among the pseudosuchian (crocodile-line) archosaurs. The approximately contemporaneous and morphologically similar G. stipanicicorum and Y. sangbiensis may be sister taxa within Gracilisuchidae. Conclusions Our results provide increased resolution of the previously poorly constrained relationships of early archosaurs, with increased levels of phylogenetic support for several key early pseudosuchian clades. Moreover, they falsify previous hypotheses suggesting that T. dabanensis and Y. sangbiensis are not members of the archosaur crown group. The recognition of Gracilisuchidae provides further support for a rapid phylogenetic diversification of crown archosaurs by the Middle Triassic. The disjunct distribution of the gracilisuchid clade in China and Argentina demonstrates that early archosaurs were distributed over much or all of Pangaea although they may have initially been relatively rare members of faunal assemblages. PMID:24916124

  4. Novel reassortant influenza A(H1N2) virus derived from A(H1N1)pdm09 virus isolated from swine, Japan, 2012.

    PubMed

    Kobayashi, Miho; Takayama, Ikuyo; Kageyama, Tsutomu; Tsukagoshi, Hiroyuki; Saitoh, Mika; Ishioka, Taisei; Yokota, Yoko; Kimura, Hirokazu; Tashiro, Masato; Kozawa, Kunihisa

    2013-12-01

    We isolated a novel influenza virus A(H1N2) strain from a pig on January 13, 2012, in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the strain was a novel type of double-reassortant virus derived from the swine influenza virus strains H1N1pdm09 and H1N2, which were prevalent in Gunma at that time.

  5. Exploring phylogenetic and functional signals in complex morphologies: the hamate of extant anthropoids as a test-case study.

    PubMed

    Almécija, Sergio; Orr, Caley M; Tocheri, Matthew W; Patel, Biren A; Jungers, William L

    2015-01-01

    Three-dimensional geometric morphometrics (3DGM) is a powerful tool for capturing and visualizing the "pure" shape of complex structures. However, these shape differences are sometimes difficult to interpret from a functional viewpoint, unless specific approaches (mostly based on biomechanical modeling) are employed. Here, we use 3DGM to explore the complex shape variation of the hamate, the disto-ulnar wrist bone, in anthropoid primates. Major trends of shape variation are explored using principal components analysis along with analyses of shape and size covariation. We also evaluate the phylogenetic patterning of hamate shape by plotting an anthropoid phylogenetic tree onto the shape space (i.e., phylomorphospace) and test against complete absence of phylogenetic signal using posterior permutation. Finally, the covariation of hamate shape and locomotor categories is explored by means of 2-block partial least squares (PLS) using shape coordinates and a matrix of data on arboreal locomotor behavior. Our results show that 3DGM is a valuable and versatile tool for characterizing the shape of complex structures such as wrist bones in anthropoids. For the hamate, a significant phylogenetic pattern is found in both hamate shape and size, indicating that closely related taxa are typically the most similar in hamate form. Our allometric analyses show that major differences in hamate shape among taxa are not a direct consequence of differences in hamate size. Finally, our PLS indicates a significant covariation of hamate shape and different types of arboreal locomotion, highlighting the relevance of this approach in future 3DGM studies seeking to capture a functional signal from complex biological structures. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Octocoral mitochondrial genomes provide insights into the phylogenetic history of gene order rearrangements, order reversals, and cnidarian phylogenetics.

    PubMed

    Figueroa, Diego F; Baco, Amy R

    2014-12-24

    We use full mitochondrial genomes to test the robustness of the phylogeny of the Octocorallia, to determine the evolutionary pathway for the five known mitochondrial gene rearrangements in octocorals, and to test the suitability of using mitochondrial genomes for higher taxonomic-level phylogenetic reconstructions. Our phylogeny supports three major divisions within the Octocorallia and show that Paragorgiidae is paraphyletic, with Sibogagorgia forming a sister branch to the Coralliidae. Furthermore, Sibogagorgia cauliflora has what is presumed to be the ancestral gene order in octocorals, but the presence of a pair of inverted repeat sequences suggest that this gene order was not conserved but rather evolved back to this apparent ancestral state. Based on this we recommend the resurrection of the family Sibogagorgiidae to fix the paraphyly of the Paragorgiidae. This is the first study to show that in the Octocorallia, mitochondrial gene orders have evolved back to an ancestral state after going through a gene rearrangement, with at least one of the gene orders evolving independently in different lineages. A number of studies have used gene boundaries to determine the type of mitochondrial gene arrangement present. However, our findings suggest that this method known as gene junction screening may miss evolutionary reversals. Additionally, substitution saturation analysis demonstrates that while whole mitochondrial genomes can be used effectively for phylogenetic analyses within Octocorallia, their utility at higher taxonomic levels within Cnidaria is inadequate. Therefore for phylogenetic reconstruction at taxonomic levels higher than subclass within the Cnidaria, nuclear genes will be required, even when whole mitochondrial genomes are available. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

  7. Genetic analysis of Enterobius vermicularis isolated from a chimpanzee with lethal hemorrhagic colitis and pathology of the associated lesions.

    PubMed

    Yaguchi, Yuji; Okabayashi, Sachi; Abe, Niichiro; Masatou, Haruhisa; Iida, Shinya; Teramoto, Isao; Matsubayashi, Makoto; Shibahara, Tomoyuki

    2014-11-01

    Human pinworms, Enterobius vermicularis, are normally recognized as minor pathogens. However, a fatal case of human pinworm infection has been reported in a nonhuman primate, a zoo reared chimpanzee. Here, we histopathologically examined the lesions in tissues from the deceased chimpanzee and genetically characterized the isolated worms to investigate the pathogenicity and determine the phylogeny. We identified ulcers deep in the submucosa where many parasites were found to have invaded the lamina propria mucosa or submucous tissue. An inflammatory reaction consisting mainly of neutrophils and lymphocytes but not eosinophils was observed around the parasites, and intense hemorrhage in the lamina propria was confirmed. The parasites were morphologically similar to E. vermicularis based on the shape of the copulatory spicules. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene products were amplified from worm DNA by PCR and were genetically identified as E. vermicularis based on >98.7% similarity of partial sequences. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the sequences clustered together with other chimpanzee E. vermicularis isolates in a group which has been referred to as type C and which differs from human isolates (type A). The samples were negative for bacterial pathogens and Entamoeba histolytica indicating that E. vermicularis could be pathogenic in chimpanzees. Phylogenetic clustering of the isolates indicated that the parasite may be host specific.

  8. Actinomyces vulturis sp. nov., isolated from Gyps himalayensis.

    PubMed

    Meng, Xiangli; Lu, Shan; Wang, Yiting; Lai, Xin-He; Wen, Yumeng; Jin, Dong; Yang, Jing; Bai, Xiangning; Zhang, Gui; Pu, Ji; Lan, Ruiting; Xu, Jianguo

    2017-06-01

    Two strains of Gram-stain-positive, facultatively anaerobic, non-spore-forming short rods (VUL7T and VUL8) were isolated from rectal swabs of Old World vultures, namely Gyps himalayensis, in Tibet-Qinghai Plateau, China. Optimal growth occurred at 37 °C, pH 6-7, with 1 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences classified the two strains to the genus Actinomyces, with highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (95 %) to type strains of Actinomyces haliotis, Actinomyces radicidentis and Actinomyces urogenitalis. The major cellular fatty acids were C18 : 1ω9c and C16 : 0. MK-10(H4) was the major respiratory quinone. The genomic DNA G+C content of the isolate was 54.4 mol%. DNA-DNA hybridization values with the most closely related species ofthe genusActinomyces was 24.6 %. The two strains can be differentiated from the most closely related species such as A. haliotis, A. radicidentis, A. graevenitzii and A. urogenitalis by a list of carbohydrate fermentations and enzyme activities. On the basis of physiological, biochemical and phylogenetic analysis, strains VUL7T and VUL8 represent novel species of the genus Actinomyces, for which the name Actinomyces vulturis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is VUL7T (=CGMCC 4.7366T=DSM 103437T).

  9. Phylogenetic analysis of canine parvovirus isolates from Sichuan and Gansu provinces of China in 2011.

    PubMed

    Xu, J; Guo, H-C; Wei, Y-Q; Shu, L; Wang, J; Li, J-S; Cao, S-Z; Sun, S-Q

    2015-02-01

    Canine parvovirus causes serious disease in dogs. Study of the genetic variation in emerging CPV strains is important for disease control strategy. The antigenic property of CPV is connected with specific amino acid changes, mainly in the capsid protein VP2. This study was carried out to characterize VP2 gene of CPV viruses from two provinces of China in 2011. The complete VP2 genes of the CPV-positive samples were amplified and sequenced. Genetic analysis based on the VP2 genes of CPV was conducted. All of the isolates screened and sequenced in this study were typed as CPV-2a except GS-K11 strain, which was typed as CPV-2b. Sequence comparison showed nucleotide identities of 98.8-100% among CPV strains, whereas the Aa similarities were 99.6-100%. Compared with the reference strains, there are three distinctive amino acid changes at VP2 gene residue 267, 324 and 440 of the strains isolated in this study. Of the 27 strains, fourteen (51.85%) had the 267 (Phe-Tyr) and 440 (Thr-Ala) substitution, all the 27 (100%) had 324 (Tyr-Ile) substitution. Phylogenetically, all of the strains isolated in this study formed a major monophyletic cluster together with one South Korean isolate, two Thailand isolates and four Chinese former isolates. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  10. Lactobacillus musae sp. nov., a novel lactic acid bacterium isolated from banana fruits.

    PubMed

    Chen, Yi-Sheng; Wang, Li-Ting; Liao, Yu-Jou; Lan, Yi-Shan; Chang, Chi-Huan; Chang, Yu-Chung; Wu, Hui-Chung; Lo, Huei-Yin; Otoguro, Misa; Yanagida, Fujitoshi

    2017-12-01

    Two Gram-stain-positive, catalase-negative, rod-shaped, bacterial strains (313 T and 311) were isolated from banana fruits in Taiwan. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the highest similarity to both strains corresponded to the type strain of Lactobacillus nantensis (99.19 %), followed by Lactobacillus crustorum (98.99 %), Lactobacillus heilongjiangensis (98.59 %) and Lactobacillus farciminis (98.52 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on the sequences of two housekeeping genes, pheS and rpoA, revealed that these two strains were well separated from the Lactobacillus reference strains. DNA-DNA relatedness values revealed genotype separation of the two strains from the above four species. The DNA G+C content of strain 313 T was 35.5 mol%. The strains were homofermentative and mainly produced l-lactic acid from glucose. The major cellular fatty acids of strain 313 T were 18 : 1ω6c and/or 18 : 1ω7c, 16 : 0, and 19 : 1ω6c and/or 19 : 0 cyclo ω10c. Based on their physiological and genotypic characteristics, the isolates represent a novel species of the genus Lactobacillus, for which the name Lactobacillusmusae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 313 T =NBRC 112868 T =BCRC 81020 T ).

  11. Genetic variability and fumonisin production by Fusarium proliferatum isolated from durum wheat grains in Argentina.

    PubMed

    Palacios, S A; Susca, A; Haidukowski, M; Stea, G; Cendoya, E; Ramírez, M L; Chulze, S N; Farnochi, M C; Moretti, A; Torres, A M

    2015-05-18

    Fusarium proliferatum is a member of the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC) involved in the maize ear rot together with Fusarium verticillioides, which is a very closely related species. Recently, different studies have detected natural fumonisin contamination in wheat kernels and most of them have shown that the main species isolated was F. proliferatum. Fusarium strains obtained from freshly harvested durum wheat samples (2008 to 2011 harvest seasons) from Argentina were characterized through a phylogenetic analysis based on translation elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1α) and calmodulin (CaM) genes, determination of mating type alleles, and evaluation of fumonisin production capability. The strains were identified as F. proliferatum (72%), F. verticillioides (24%) and other Fusarium species. The ratio of mating type alleles (MAT-1 and MAT-2) obtained for both main populations suggests possible occurrence of sexual reproduction in the wheat fields, although this seems more frequent in F. proliferatum. Phylogenetic analysis revealed greater nucleotide variability in F. proliferatum strains than in F. verticillioides, however this was not related to origin, host or harvest year. The fumonisin-producing ability was detected in 92% of the strains isolated from durum wheat grains. These results indicate that F. proliferatum and F. verticillioides, among the fumonisin producing species, frequently contaminate durum wheat grains in Argentina, presenting a high risk for human and animal health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Detection of emerging rotavirus G12P[8] in Sonora, México.

    PubMed

    González-Ochoa, G; J, G de; Calleja-García, P M; Rosas-Rodríguez, J A; Virgen-Ortíz, A; Tamez-Guerra, P

    2016-06-01

    Rotavirus is the most common cause of gastroenteritis in children up to five years of age worldwide. The aim of the present study was to analyze the genotypes of rotavirus strains isolated from children with gastroenteritis, after the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine in México. Rotavirus was detected in 14/100 (14%) fecal samples from children with gastroenteritis, using a commercial test kit. The viral genome was purified from these samples and used as a template in RT-PCR amplification of the VP4 and VP7 genes, followed by gene cloning and sequencing. Among the rotavirus strains, 4/14 (28.5%) were characterized as G12P[8], 2/14 (14.3%), as G12P (not typed), and 3/14 (21.42%) as G (not typed) P[8]. Phylogenetic analysis of the VP7 gene showed that G12 genotypes clustered in lineage III. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that VP4 genotype P[8] sequences clustered in lineage V, whereas other P[8] sequences previously reported in Mexico (2005-2008) clustered in different lineages. Rotavirus genotype G12 is currently recognized as a globally emerging rotavirus. To our knowledge, this is the first report of this emerging rotavirus strain G12P[8] in México. Ongoing surveillance is recommended to monitor the distribution of rotavirus genotypes and to continually reassess the suitability of currently available rotavirus vaccines.

  13. Desulfothermobacter acidiphilus gen. nov., sp. nov., a thermoacidophilic sulfate-reducing bacterium isolated from a terrestrial hot spring.

    PubMed

    Frolov, E N; Zayulina, K S; Kopitsyn, D S; Kublanov, I V; Bonch-Osmolovskaya, E A; Chernyh, N A

    2018-03-01

    An anaerobic sulfate-reducing micro-organism, strain 3408-1 T , was isolated from a terrestrial hot spring in Kamchatka peninsula (Russia). The cells were spore-forming rods with a Gram-positive type of cell wall. The new isolate was a moderately thermoacidophilic anaerobe able to grow either by sulfate or thiosulfate respiration with H2 or formate as substrates, or by fermenting yeast extract, maltose, sucrose, glucose and pyruvate. The fermentation products were acetate, CO2 and H2. The pH range for growth was 2.9-6.5, with an optimum at 4.5. The temperature range for growth was 42-70 °C, with an optimum at 55 °C. The G+C content of DNA was 58 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene showed that strain 3408-1 T belongs to the family Thermoanaerobacteraceae, order Thermoanaerobacterales and was distantly related to the species of the genus Ammonifex(93-94 % sequence similarity). On the basis of physiological properties and results of phylogenetic analysis, strain 3408-1 T is considered to represent a novel species of a new genus, for which the name Desulfothermobacter acidiphilus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 3408-1 T (=DSM 105356 T =VKM B-3183 T ).

  14. Isolation and molecular characterization of Chikungunya virus from the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, India: evidence of an East, Central, and South African genotype.

    PubMed

    Muruganandam, N; Chaaithanya, I K; Senthil, G S; Shriram, A N; Bhattacharya, D; Jeevabharathi, G S; Sudeep, A B; Pradeepkumar, N; Vijayachari, P

    2011-12-01

    Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an Alphavirus belonging to the family Togaviridae. In 2006, CHIKV infection struck the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, with an attack rate of 60%. There were more than 10 cases with acute flaccid paralysis simulating the Guillian Barre Syndrome. The majority of the patients presented severe joint pain. The cause for such an explosive nature of the outbreak with increased morbidity was not known. The isolation of CHIKV was attempted and succeeded from nine subjects presenting clinical symptoms of Chikungunya fever. The cDNA of all the isolates was sequenced for partial E1 and nsP1 genes. Sequences were aligned based on the double locus sequence typing concept. The phylogenetic analysis shows that sequences of Andaman isolates grouped with the East, Central, and South African genotype of virus isolates from India, Sri Lanka, and Réunion. The genetic distance between Andaman isolates and the Réunion isolates was very small. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed the origin of the isolates responsible for the first ever confirmed CHIKV outbreak in these islands to be the East, Central, and South African genotype. In this manuscript, we discuss the involvement of the East, Central, and South African strain with the Chikungunya fever outbreak in this archipelago and double locus sequence typing as a first time approach.

  15. Identification and Characterization of C-type Lectins in Ostrinia furnacalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

    PubMed Central

    Shen, Dongxu; Wang, Lei; Ji, Jiayue; Liu, Qizhi; An, Chunju

    2018-01-01

    Abstract C-type lectins (CTLs) are a large family of calcium-dependent carbohydrate-binding proteins. They function primarily in cell adhesion and immunity by recognizing various glycoconjugates. We identified 14 transcripts encoding proteins with one or two CTL domains from the transcriptome from Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée; Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Among them, five (OfCTL-S1 through S5) only contain one CTL domain, the remaining nine (OfIML-1 through 9) have two tandem CTL domains. Five CTL-Ss and six OfIMLs have a signal peptide are likely extracellular while another two OfIMLs might be cytoplasmic. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that OfCTL-Ss had 1:1 orthologs in Lepidoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera and Hymenoptera species, but OfIMLs only clustered with immulectins (IMLs) from Lepidopteran. Structural modeling revealed that the 22 CTL domains adopt a similar double-loop fold consisting of β-sheets and α-helices. The key residues for calcium-dependent or independent binding of specific carbohydrates by CTL domains were predicted with homology modeling. Expression profiles assay showed distinct expression pattern of 14 CTLs: the expression and induction were related to the developmental stages and infected microorganisms. Overall, our work including the gene identification, sequence alignment, phylogenetic analysis, structural modeling, and expression profile assay would provide a valuable basis for the further functional studies of O. furnacalis CTLs. PMID:29718486

  16. Rhabdobacter roseus gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from soil.

    PubMed

    Dahal, Ram Hari; Kim, Jaisoo

    2016-01-01

    An aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, oxidase- and catalase-positive, non-motile, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped, pink-pigmented bacterium, designated strain R49T, was isolated from soil. Flexirubin-type pigments were absent. Phylogenetic analysis based on its 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain R49T formed a lineage within the family Cytophagaceae of the phylum Bacteroidetes that was distinct from the most closely related genera Dyadobacter (91.98-93.85 % sequence similarity), Persicitalea (88.69 %) and Runella (84.79-85.81 %). The major isoprenoid quinone was menaquinone-7 (MK-7) and the major polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine. The major cellular fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c), iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 1ω5c, C16 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH. The DNA G+C content of strain R49T was 53.9 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic, genotypic and phylogenetic analysis, strain R49T represents a novel species of a new genus in the family Cytophagaceae, for which the name Rhabdobacter roseus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Rhabdobacter roseus is R49T ( = KEMB 9005-318T = KACC 18395T = JCM 30685T).

  17. Mycobacterium leprae genomes from a British medieval leprosy hospital: towards understanding an ancient epidemic.

    PubMed

    Mendum, Tom A; Schuenemann, Verena J; Roffey, Simon; Taylor, G Michael; Wu, Huihai; Singh, Pushpendra; Tucker, Katie; Hinds, Jason; Cole, Stewart T; Kierzek, Andrzej M; Nieselt, Kay; Krause, Johannes; Stewart, Graham R

    2014-04-08

    Leprosy has afflicted humankind throughout history leaving evidence in both early texts and the archaeological record. In Britain, leprosy was widespread throughout the Middle Ages until its gradual and unexplained decline between the 14th and 16th centuries. The nature of this ancient endemic leprosy and its relationship to modern strains is only partly understood. Modern leprosy strains are currently divided into 5 phylogenetic groups, types 0 to 4, each with strong geographical links. Until recently, European strains, both ancient and modern, were thought to be exclusively type 3 strains. However, evidence for type 2 strains, a group normally associated with Central Asia and the Middle East, has recently been found in archaeological samples in Scandinavia and from two skeletons from the medieval leprosy hospital (or leprosarium) of St Mary Magdalen, near Winchester, England. Here we report the genotypic analysis and whole genome sequencing of two further ancient M. leprae genomes extracted from the remains of two individuals, Sk14 and Sk27, that were excavated from 10th-12th century burials at the leprosarium of St Mary Magdalen. DNA was extracted from the surfaces of bones showing osteological signs of leprosy. Known M. leprae polymorphisms were PCR amplified and Sanger sequenced, while draft genomes were generated by enriching for M. leprae DNA, and Illumina sequencing. SNP-typing and phylogenetic analysis of the draft genomes placed both of these ancient strains in the conserved type 2 group, with very few novel SNPs compared to other ancient or modern strains. The genomes of the two newly sequenced M. leprae strains group firmly with other type 2F strains. Moreover, the M. leprae strain most closely related to one of the strains, Sk14, in the worldwide phylogeny is a contemporaneous ancient St Magdalen skeleton, vividly illustrating the epidemic and clonal nature of leprosy at this site. The prevalence of these type 2 strains indicates that type 2F strains, in contrast to later European and associated North American type 3 isolates, may have been the co-dominant or even the predominant genotype at this location during the 11th century.

  18. Genetic diversity and classification of Tibetan yak populations based on the mtDNA COIII gene.

    PubMed

    Song, Q Q; Chai, Z X; Xin, J W; Zhao, S J; Ji, Q M; Zhang, C F; Ma, Z J; Zhong, J C

    2015-03-13

    To determine the level of genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships among Tibetan yak populations, the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit 3 (COIII) genes of 378 yak individuals from 16 populations were analyzed in this study. The results showed that the length of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 3 gene sequences was 781 bp, with nucleotide frequencies of 29.2, 29.4, 26.1, and 15.2% for T, C, A, and G, respectively. A total of 26 haplotypes were identified, with 69 polymorphic sites, including 11 parsimony-informative sites and 58 single-nucleotide polymorphism sites. No deletions/insertions were found in sequence comparison, indicating that nucleotide mutation types were transitions and transversions. Haplotype and nucleotide diversities were 0.562 and 0.00138, respectively, indicating a high level of genetic diversity in Tibetan yak populations. Phylogenetic relationship analysis indicated that Tibetan yak populations are divided into 2 groups.

  19. The Deinococcus-Thermus phylum and the effect of rRNA composition on phylogenetic tree construction

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Weisburg, W. G.; Giovannoni, S. J.; Woese, C. R.

    1989-01-01

    Through comparative analysis of 16S ribosomal RNA sequences, it can be shown that two seemingly dissimilar types of eubacteria Deinococcus and the ubiquitous hot spring organism Thermus are distantly but specifically related to one another. This confirms an earlier report based upon 16S rRNA oligonucleotide cataloging studies (Hensel et al., 1986). Their two lineages form a distinctive grouping within the eubacteria that deserved the taxonomic status of a phylum. The (partial) sequence of T. aquaticus rRNA appears relatively close to those of other thermophilic eubacteria. e.g. Thermotoga maritima and Thermomicrobium roseum. However, this closeness does not reflect a true evolutionary closeness; rather it is due to a "thermophilic convergence", the result of unusually high G+C composition in the rRNAs of thermophilic bacteria. Unless such compositional biases are taken into account, the branching order and root of phylogenetic trees can be incorrectly inferred.

  20. Lactobacillus nantensis sp. nov., isolated from French wheat sourdough.

    PubMed

    Valcheva, Rosica; Ferchichi, Mounir F; Korakli, Maher; Ivanova, Iskra; Gänzle, Michael G; Vogel, Rudi F; Prévost, Hervé; Onno, Bernard; Dousset, Xavier

    2006-03-01

    A polyphasic taxonomic study of the bacterial flora isolated from traditional French wheat sourdough, using phenotypic characterization and phylogenetic as well as genetic methods, revealed a consistent group of isolates that could not be assigned to any recognized species. These results were confirmed by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA and amplified fragment length polymorphism fingerprinting analyses. Cells were Gram-positive, homofermentative rods. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of the representative strain LP33T indicated that these strains belong to the genus Lactobacillus and that they formed a branch distinct from their closest relatives Lactobacillus farciminis, Lactobacillus alimentarius, Lactobacillus paralimentarius and Lactobacillus mindensis. DNA-DNA reassociation experiments with the three phylogenetically closest Lactobacillus species confirmed that LP33T (= DSM 16982T = CIP 108546T = TMW 1.1265T) represents the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Lactobacillus nantensis sp. nov. is proposed.

  1. Comparative analysis of antibiotic resistance and phylogenetic group patterns in human and porcine urinary tract infectious Escherichia coli.

    PubMed

    Hancock, Viktoria; Nielsen, Eva Møller; Krag, Louise; Engberg, Jørgen; Klemm, Per

    2009-11-01

    Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infectious diseases in humans and domestic animals such as pigs. The most frequent infectious agent in such infections is Escherichia coli. Virulence characteristics of E. coli UTI strains range from highly virulent pyelonephritis strains to relatively benign asymptomatic bacteriuria strains. Here we analyse a spectrum of porcine and human UTI E. coli strains with respect to their antibiotic resistance patterns and their phylogenetic groups, determined by multiplex PCR. The clonal profiles of the strains differed profoundly; whereas human strains predominantly belonged to clonal types B2 and D, these were not seen among the porcine strains, which all belonged to the E. coli clonal groups A and B1. Contrary to the human strains, the majority of the porcine strains were multidrug resistant. The distinct profiles of the porcine strains suggest selective pressure due to extensive antibiotic use.

  2. A Gateway for Phylogenetic Analysis Powered by Grid Computing Featuring GARLI 2.0

    PubMed Central

    Bazinet, Adam L.; Zwickl, Derrick J.; Cummings, Michael P.

    2014-01-01

    We introduce molecularevolution.org, a publicly available gateway for high-throughput, maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis powered by grid computing. The gateway features a garli 2.0 web service that enables a user to quickly and easily submit thousands of maximum likelihood tree searches or bootstrap searches that are executed in parallel on distributed computing resources. The garli web service allows one to easily specify partitioned substitution models using a graphical interface, and it performs sophisticated post-processing of phylogenetic results. Although the garli web service has been used by the research community for over three years, here we formally announce the availability of the service, describe its capabilities, highlight new features and recent improvements, and provide details about how the grid system efficiently delivers high-quality phylogenetic results. [garli, gateway, grid computing, maximum likelihood, molecular evolution portal, phylogenetics, web service.] PMID:24789072

  3. Phylogenetic analysis of dengue virus types 1 and 4 circulating in Puerto Rico and Key West, Florida, during 2010 epidemics.

    PubMed

    Añez, Germán; Heisey, Daniel A R; Espina, Luz M; Stramer, Susan L; Rios, Maria

    2012-09-01

    We describe sequences of six strains of dengue virus (DENV): three DENV-1 isolates and two DENV-4 isolates from Puerto Rico, and a DENV-1 strain from Key West, Florida, obtained from blood donors during 2010 epidemics. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Puerto Rico DENV-1 strains constitute a new lineage within genotype V different from those that circulated in Puerto Rico during the past two decades. The newer Puerto Rico DENV-1 strains associated with strains from the Caribbean and South America. The DENV-1 strain from Key West, Florida clustered with a strain isolated from mosquito pools collected in that area and with a number of strains from Nicaragua and Mexico circulating during 2006-2009. The Puerto Rico DENV-4 isolates of genotype II associated with strains that have circulated on the island throughout the 1980s and 1990s and with strains from the Caribbean region and Central America. Introduction and circulation of novel DENV lineages in dengue-endemic regions have the potential to increase the severity of dengue cases.

  4. Isolation and identification of feline herpesvirus type 1 from a South China tiger in China.

    PubMed

    Sun, Heting; Li, Yuanguo; Jiao, Weiyi; Liu, Cunfa; Liu, Xiujuan; Wang, Haijun; Hua, Fuyou; Dong, Jianxiu; Fan, Shengtao; Yu, Zhijun; Gao, Yuwei; Xia, Xianzhu

    2014-02-28

    In 2012, an FHV-1-like virus was isolated from a tiger that presented with clinical signs of sialorrhea, sneezing and purulent rhinorrhea. Isolation was performed with the FK81 cell line, and the virus was identified by PCR, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the phylogenetic analysis of the partial thymidine kinase (TK) and glycoprotein B (gB) genes. A total of 253 bp of the TK gene and 566 bp of the gB gene were amplified from the trachea of the tiger by PCR/RT-PCR method. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the isolate belonged to the same cluster with other FHV-1 strains obtained from GenBank. Herpes-like viruses with an envelope and diameters of approximately 200 nm were observed in the culture supernatants of FK81 cells inoculated with samples from the tiger. The FHV-1 infection was confirmed by an animal challenge experiment in a cat model. Our finding extends the host range of FHV-1 and has implications for FHV-1 infection and South China tiger conservation.

  5. HIV-1 phylogenetic analysis shows HIV-1 transits through the meninges to brain and peripheral tissues.

    PubMed

    Lamers, Susanna L; Gray, Rebecca R; Salemi, Marco; Huysentruyt, Leanne C; McGrath, Michael S

    2011-01-01

    Brain infection by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has been investigated in many reports with a variety of conclusions concerning the time of entry and degree of viral compartmentalization. To address these diverse findings, we sequenced HIV-1 gp120 clones from a wide range of brain, peripheral and meningeal tissues from five patients who died from several HIV-1 associated disease pathologies. High-resolution phylogenetic analysis confirmed previous studies that showed a significant degree of compartmentalization in brain and peripheral tissue subpopulations. Some intermixing between the HIV-1 subpopulations was evident, especially in patients that died from pathologies other than HIV-associated dementia. Interestingly, the major tissue harboring virus from both the brain and peripheral tissues was the meninges. These results show that (1) HIV-1 is clearly capable of migrating out of the brain, (2) the meninges are the most likely primary transport tissues, and (3) infected brain macrophages comprise an important HIV reservoir during highly active antiretroviral therapy. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Arcticibacter pallidicorallinus sp. nov. isolated from glacier ice.

    PubMed

    Liu, Qing; Kim, Song-gun; Liu, Hong-can; Xin, Yu-hua; Zhou, Yu-guang

    2014-07-01

    A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped bacterium (strain Hh36(T)) was isolated from the No. 1 glacier in Xinjiang, north-west China. Colonies of strain Hh36(T) were pink, convex and round on PYG medium plates. Strain Hh36(T) was able to grow at 4-30 °C and pH 6.0-8.0. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain Hh36(T) was related to members of the genus Arcticibacter. The major cellular fatty acids of the novel strain were iso-C15 : 0, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω6c and/or C16 : 1ω7c) and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 44.0 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic characteristics and phylogenetic analysis, strain Hh36(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Arcticibacter, for which the name Arcticibacter pallidicorallinus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Hh36(T) ( = CGMCC 1.9313(T)  = KCTC 32542(T)). © 2014 Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

  7. Genetic structure of typical and atypical populations of Candida albicans from Africa.

    PubMed

    Forche, A; Schönian, G; Gräser, Y; Vilgalys, R; Mitchell, T G

    1999-11-01

    Atypical isolates of the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans have been reported with increasing frequency. To investigate the origin of a set of atypical isolates and their relationship to typical isolates, we employed a combination of molecular phylogenetic and population genetic analyses using rDNA sequencing, PCR fingerprinting, and analysis of co-dominant DNA nucleotide polymorphisms to characterize the population structure of one typical and two atypical populations of C. albicans from Angola and Madagascar. The extent of clonality and recombination was assessed in each population. The analyses revealed that the structure of all three populations of C. albicans was predominantly clonal but, as in previous studies, there was also evidence for recombination. Allele frequencies differed significantly between the typical and the atypical populations, suggesting very low levels of gene flow between them. However, allele frequencies were quite similar in the two atypical C. albicans populations, suggesting that they are closely related. Phylogenetic analysis of partial sequences encoding the nuclear 26S rDNA demonstrated that all three populations belong to a single monophyletic group, which includes the type strain of C. albicans. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

  8. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides s.l. associated with Theobroma cacao and other plants in Panama: multilocus phylogenies distinguish host-associated pathogens from asymptomatic endophytes.

    PubMed

    Rojas, Enith I; Rehner, Stephen A; Samuels, Gary J; Van Bael, Sunshine A; Herre, Edward A; Cannon, Paul; Chen, Rui; Pang, Junfeng; Wang, Ruiwu; Zhang, Yaping; Peng, Yan-Qiong; Sha, Tao

    2010-01-01

    Colletotrichum interacts with numerous plant species overtly as symptomatic pathogens and cryptically as asymptomatic endophytes. It is not known whether these contrasting ecological modes are optional strategies expressed by individual Colletotrichum species or whether a species' ecology is explicitly pathogenic or endophytic. We explored this question by inferring relationships among 77 C. gloeosporioides s.l. strains isolated from asymptomatic leaves and from anthracnose lesions on leaves and fruits of Theobroma cacao (cacao) and other plants from Panamá. ITS and 5'-tef1 were used to assess diversity and to delineate operational taxonomic units for multilocus phylogenetic analysis. The ITS and 5'-tef1 screens concordantly resolved four strongly supported lineages, clades A-D: Clade A includes the ex type of C. gloeosporioides, clade B includes the ex type ITS sequence of C. boninense, and clades C and D are unidentified. The ITS yielded limited resolution and support within all clades, in particular the C. gloeosporioides clade (A), the focal lineage dealt with in this study. In contrast the 5'-tef1 screen differentiated nine distinctive haplotype subgroups within the C. gloeosporioides clade that were concordant with phylogenetic terminals resolved in a five-locus nuclear phylogeny. Among these were two phylogenetic species associated with symptomatic infections specific to either cacao or mango and five phylogenetic species isolated principally as asymptomatic infections from cacao and other plant hosts. We formally describe two new species, C. tropicale and C. ignotum, that are frequent asymptomatic associates of cacao and other Neotropical plant species, and epitypify C. theobromicola, which is associated with foliar and fruit anthracnose lesions of cacao. Asymptomatic Colletotrichum strains isolated from cacao plants grown in China included six distinct C. gloeosporioides clade taxa, only one of which is known to occur in the Neotropics.

  9. Exploring the Genomic Roadmap and Molecular Phylogenetics Associated with MODY Cascades Using Computational Biology.

    PubMed

    Chakraborty, Chiranjib; Bandyopadhyay, Sanghamitra; Doss, C George Priya; Agoramoorthy, Govindasamy

    2015-04-01

    Maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is a metabolic and genetic disorder. It is different from type 1 and type 2 diabetes with low occurrence level (1-2%) among all diabetes. This disorder is a consequence of β-cell dysfunction. Till date, 11 subtypes of MODY have been identified, and all of them can cause gene mutations. However, very little is known about the gene mapping, molecular phylogenetics, and co-expression among MODY genes and networking between cascades. This study has used latest servers and software such as VarioWatch, ClustalW, MUSCLE, G Blocks, Phylogeny.fr, iTOL, WebLogo, STRING, and KEGG PATHWAY to perform comprehensive analyses of gene mapping, multiple sequences alignment, molecular phylogenetics, protein-protein network design, co-expression analysis of MODY genes, and pathway development. The MODY genes are located in chromosomes-2, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 17, and 20. Highly aligned block shows Pro, Gly, Leu, Arg, and Pro residues are highly aligned in the positions of 296, 386, 437, 455, 456 and 598, respectively. Alignment scores inform us that HNF1A and HNF1B proteins have shown high sequence similarity among MODY proteins. Protein-protein network design shows that HNF1A, HNF1B, HNF4A, NEUROD1, PDX1, PAX4, INS, and GCK are strongly connected, and the co-expression analyses between MODY genes also show distinct association between HNF1A and HNF4A genes. This study has used latest tools of bioinformatics to develop a rapid method to assess the evolutionary relationship, the network development, and the associations among eleven MODY genes and cascades. The prediction of sequence conservation, molecular phylogenetics, protein-protein network and the association between the MODY cascades enhances opportunities to get more insights into the less-known MODY disease.

  10. Phylogenetic inertia and Darwin's higher law.

    PubMed

    Shanahan, Timothy

    2011-03-01

    The concept of 'phylogenetic inertia' is routinely deployed in evolutionary biology as an alternative to natural selection for explaining the persistence of characteristics that appear sub-optimal from an adaptationist perspective. However, in many of these contexts the precise meaning of 'phylogenetic inertia' and its relationship to selection are far from clear. After tracing the history of the concept of 'inertia' in evolutionary biology, I argue that treating phylogenetic inertia and natural selection as alternative explanations is mistaken because phylogenetic inertia is, from a Darwinian point of view, simply an expected effect of selection. Although Darwin did not discuss 'phylogenetic inertia,' he did assert the explanatory priority of selection over descent. An analysis of 'phylogenetic inertia' provides a perspective from which to assess Darwin's view. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Phylogenomic and MALDI-TOF MS Analysis of Streptococcus sinensis HKU4T Reveals a Distinct Phylogenetic Clade in the Genus Streptococcus

    PubMed Central

    Tse, Herman; Chen, Jonathan H.K.; Tang, Ying; Lau, Susanna K.P.; Woo, Patrick C.Y.

    2014-01-01

    Streptococcus sinensis is a recently discovered human pathogen isolated from blood cultures of patients with infective endocarditis. Its phylogenetic position, as well as those of its closely related species, remains inconclusive when single genes were used for phylogenetic analysis. For example, S. sinensis branched out from members of the anginosus, mitis, and sanguinis groups in the 16S ribosomal RNA gene phylogenetic tree, but it was clustered with members of the anginosus and sanguinis groups when groEL gene sequences used for analysis. In this study, we sequenced the draft genome of S. sinensis and used a polyphasic approach, including concatenated genes, whole genomes, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry to analyze the phylogeny of S. sinensis. The size of the S. sinensis draft genome is 2.06 Mb, with GC content of 42.2%. Phylogenetic analysis using 50 concatenated genes or whole genomes revealed that S. sinensis formed a distinct cluster with Streptococcus oligofermentans and Streptococcus cristatus, and these three streptococci were clustered with the “sanguinis group.” As for phylogenetic analysis using hierarchical cluster analysis of the mass spectra of streptococci, S. sinensis also formed a distinct cluster with S. oligofermentans and S. cristatus, but these three streptococci were clustered with the “mitis group.” On the basis of the findings, we propose a novel group, named “sinensis group,” to include S. sinensis, S. oligofermentans, and S. cristatus, in the Streptococcus genus. Our study also illustrates the power of phylogenomic analyses for resolving ambiguities in bacterial taxonomy. PMID:25331233

  12. Phylogenomic and MALDI-TOF MS analysis of Streptococcus sinensis HKU4T reveals a distinct phylogenetic clade in the genus Streptococcus.

    PubMed

    Teng, Jade L L; Huang, Yi; Tse, Herman; Chen, Jonathan H K; Tang, Ying; Lau, Susanna K P; Woo, Patrick C Y

    2014-10-20

    Streptococcus sinensis is a recently discovered human pathogen isolated from blood cultures of patients with infective endocarditis. Its phylogenetic position, as well as those of its closely related species, remains inconclusive when single genes were used for phylogenetic analysis. For example, S. sinensis branched out from members of the anginosus, mitis, and sanguinis groups in the 16S ribosomal RNA gene phylogenetic tree, but it was clustered with members of the anginosus and sanguinis groups when groEL gene sequences used for analysis. In this study, we sequenced the draft genome of S. sinensis and used a polyphasic approach, including concatenated genes, whole genomes, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry to analyze the phylogeny of S. sinensis. The size of the S. sinensis draft genome is 2.06 Mb, with GC content of 42.2%. Phylogenetic analysis using 50 concatenated genes or whole genomes revealed that S. sinensis formed a distinct cluster with Streptococcus oligofermentans and Streptococcus cristatus, and these three streptococci were clustered with the "sanguinis group." As for phylogenetic analysis using hierarchical cluster analysis of the mass spectra of streptococci, S. sinensis also formed a distinct cluster with S. oligofermentans and S. cristatus, but these three streptococci were clustered with the "mitis group." On the basis of the findings, we propose a novel group, named "sinensis group," to include S. sinensis, S. oligofermentans, and S. cristatus, in the Streptococcus genus. Our study also illustrates the power of phylogenomic analyses for resolving ambiguities in bacterial taxonomy. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

  13. Multivariate Phylogenetic Comparative Methods: Evaluations, Comparisons, and Recommendations.

    PubMed

    Adams, Dean C; Collyer, Michael L

    2018-01-01

    Recent years have seen increased interest in phylogenetic comparative analyses of multivariate data sets, but to date the varied proposed approaches have not been extensively examined. Here we review the mathematical properties required of any multivariate method, and specifically evaluate existing multivariate phylogenetic comparative methods in this context. Phylogenetic comparative methods based on the full multivariate likelihood are robust to levels of covariation among trait dimensions and are insensitive to the orientation of the data set, but display increasing model misspecification as the number of trait dimensions increases. This is because the expected evolutionary covariance matrix (V) used in the likelihood calculations becomes more ill-conditioned as trait dimensionality increases, and as evolutionary models become more complex. Thus, these approaches are only appropriate for data sets with few traits and many species. Methods that summarize patterns across trait dimensions treated separately (e.g., SURFACE) incorrectly assume independence among trait dimensions, resulting in nearly a 100% model misspecification rate. Methods using pairwise composite likelihood are highly sensitive to levels of trait covariation, the orientation of the data set, and the number of trait dimensions. The consequences of these debilitating deficiencies are that a user can arrive at differing statistical conclusions, and therefore biological inferences, simply from a dataspace rotation, like principal component analysis. By contrast, algebraic generalizations of the standard phylogenetic comparative toolkit that use the trace of covariance matrices are insensitive to levels of trait covariation, the number of trait dimensions, and the orientation of the data set. Further, when appropriate permutation tests are used, these approaches display acceptable Type I error and statistical power. We conclude that methods summarizing information across trait dimensions, as well as pairwise composite likelihood methods should be avoided, whereas algebraic generalizations of the phylogenetic comparative toolkit provide a useful means of assessing macroevolutionary patterns in multivariate data. Finally, we discuss areas in which multivariate phylogenetic comparative methods are still in need of future development; namely highly multivariate Ornstein-Uhlenbeck models and approaches for multivariate evolutionary model comparisons. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Systematic Biology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  14. Genomic characterization of two new enterovirus types, EV-A114 and EV-A121.

    PubMed

    Deshpande, Jagadish M; Sharma, Deepa K; Saxena, Vinay K; Shetty, Sushmitha A; Qureshi, Tarique Husain I H; Nalavade, Uma P

    2016-12-01

    Enteroviruses cause a variety of illnesses of the gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system and cardiovascular system. Phylogenetic analysis of VP1 sequences has identified 106 different human enteroviruses classified into four enterovirus species within the genus Enterovirus of the family Picornaviridae. It is likely that not all enterovirus types have been discovered. Between September 2013 and October 2014, stool samples of 6274 apparently healthy children of up to 5 years of age residing in Gorakhpur district, Uttar Pradesh, India were screened for enteroviruses. Virus isolates obtained in RD and Hep-2c cells were identified by complete VP1 sequencing. Enteroviruses were isolated from 3042 samples. A total of 87 different enterovirus types were identified. Two isolates with 71 and 74 % nucleotide sequence similarity to all other known enteroviruses were recognized as novel types. In this paper we report identification and complete genome sequence analysis of these two isolates classified as EV-A114 and EV-A121.

  15. Phylogenetic and structural comparisons of the three types of methyl-coenzyme M reductase from Methanococcales and Methanobacteriales.

    PubMed

    Wagner, Tristan; Wegner, Carl-Eric; Kahnt, Jörg; Ermler, Ulrich; Shima, Seigo

    2017-05-30

    The phylogenetically diverse family of methanogenic archaea universally use methyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR) for catalyzing the final methane-forming reaction step of the methanogenic energy metabolism. Some methanogens of the orders Methanobacteriales and Methanococcales contain two isoenzymes. Comprehensive phylogenetic analyses on the basis of all three subunits grouped MCRs from Methanobacteriales, Methanococcales and Methanopyrales into three distinct types: (1) MCRs from Methanobacteriales, (2) MCRs from Methanobacteriales and Methanococcales and (3) MCRs from Methanococcales. The first and second types contain MCR isoenzyme I and II from Methanothermobacter marburgensis , respectively; therefore, they were designated as MCR type I and type II and accordingly, the third one was designated as MCR type III. For comparison with the known MCR type I and type II structures, we determined the structure of MCR type III from Methanotorris formicicus and Methanothermococcus thermolithotrophicus As predicted, the three MCR types revealed highly similar overall structures and a virtually identical active site architecture reflecting the chemically challenging mechanism of methane formation. Pronounced differences were found at the protein surface with respect to loop geometries and electrostatic properties, which also involve the entrance of the active site funnel. In addition, the C-terminal end of the γ-subunit is prolonged by an extra helix after helix γ8 in MCR type II and type III, which is, however, differently arranged in the two MCR types. MCR types I, II and III share most of the post-translational modifications which appear to fine-tune the enzymatic catalysis. Interestingly, MCR type III lacks the methyl-cysteine but possesses in subunit α of M. formicicus a 6-hydroxy-tryptophan, which has been, so far, only found in the α-amanitin toxin peptide but not in proteins. IMPORTANCE Methyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR) represents a prime target for the mitigation of methane releases. Phylogenetic analyses of MCR suggested several distinct sequence clusters; those from Methanobacteriales and Methanococcales were subdivided into three types: MCR type I from Methanobacteriales, MCR type II from Methanobacteriales and Methanococcales and the newly designated MCR type III exclusively from Methanococcales. We determined the first X-ray structures for an MCR type III. Detailed analyses only revealed substantial differences between the three types in the peripheral region. Identified subtle modifications and electrostatic profiles suggested enhanced substrate binding for MCR type III. In addition, MCR type III from Methanotorris formicicus contains 6-hydroxy-tryptophan, a new post-translational modification that was, so far, only found in the α-amanitin toxin. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

  16. New insights on the evolution of Leafy cotyledon1 (LEC1) type genes in vascular plants.

    PubMed

    Cagliari, Alexandro; Turchetto-Zolet, Andreia Carina; Korbes, Ana Paula; Maraschin, Felipe Dos Santos; Margis, Rogerio; Margis-Pinheiro, Marcia

    2014-01-01

    NF-Y is a conserved oligomeric transcription factor found in all eukaryotes. In plants, this regulator evolved with a broad diversification of the genes coding for its three subunits (NF-YA, NF-YB and NF-YC). The NF-YB members can be divided into Leafy Cotyledon1 (LEC1) and non-LEC1 types. Here we presented a comparative genomic study using phylogenetic analyses to validate an evolutionary model for the origin of LEC-type genes in plants and their emergence from non-LEC1-type genes. We identified LEC1-type members in all vascular plant genomes, but not in amoebozoa, algae, fungi, metazoa and non-vascular plant representatives, which present exclusively non-LEC1-type genes as constituents of their NF-YB subunits. The non-synonymous to synonymous nucleotide substitution rates (Ka/Ks) between LEC1 and non-LEC1-type genes indicate the presence of positive selection acting on LEC1-type members to the fixation of LEC1-specific amino acid residues. The phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that plant LEC1-type genes are evolutionary divergent from the non-LEC1-type genes of plants, fungi, amoebozoa, algae and animals. Our results point to a scenario in which LEC1-type genes have originated in vascular plants after gene expansion in plants. We suggest that processes of neofunctionalization and/or subfunctionalization were responsible for the emergence of a versatile role for LEC1-type genes in vascular plants, especially in seed plants. LEC1-type genes besides being phylogenetic divergent also present different expression profile when compared with non-LEC1-type genes. Altogether, our data provide new insights about the LEC1 and non-LEC1 evolutionary relationship during the vascular plant evolution. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. On the information content of discrete phylogenetic characters.

    PubMed

    Bordewich, Magnus; Deutschmann, Ina Maria; Fischer, Mareike; Kasbohm, Elisa; Semple, Charles; Steel, Mike

    2017-12-16

    Phylogenetic inference aims to reconstruct the evolutionary relationships of different species based on genetic (or other) data. Discrete characters are a particular type of data, which contain information on how the species should be grouped together. However, it has long been known that some characters contain more information than others. For instance, a character that assigns the same state to each species groups all of them together and so provides no insight into the relationships of the species considered. At the other extreme, a character that assigns a different state to each species also conveys no phylogenetic signal. In this manuscript, we study a natural combinatorial measure of the information content of an individual character and analyse properties of characters that provide the maximum phylogenetic information, particularly, the number of states such a character uses and how the different states have to be distributed among the species or taxa of the phylogenetic tree.

  18. Spatial patterns of phylogenetic diversity.

    PubMed

    Morlon, Hélène; Schwilk, Dylan W; Bryant, Jessica A; Marquet, Pablo A; Rebelo, Anthony G; Tauss, Catherine; Bohannan, Brendan J M; Green, Jessica L

    2011-02-01

    Ecologists and conservation biologists have historically used species-area and distance-decay relationships as tools to predict the spatial distribution of biodiversity and the impact of habitat loss on biodiversity. These tools treat each species as evolutionarily equivalent, yet the importance of species' evolutionary history in their ecology and conservation is becoming increasingly evident. Here, we provide theoretical predictions for phylogenetic analogues of the species-area and distance-decay relationships. We use a random model of community assembly and a spatially explicit flora dataset collected in four Mediterranean-type regions to provide theoretical predictions for the increase in phylogenetic diversity - the total phylogenetic branch-length separating a set of species - with increasing area and the decay in phylogenetic similarity with geographic separation. These developments may ultimately provide insights into the evolution and assembly of biological communities, and guide the selection of protected areas. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS.

  19. Typing of the rabies virus in Chile, 2002-2008.

    PubMed

    Yung, V; Favi, M; Fernandez, J

    2012-12-01

    In Chile, dog rabies has been controlled and insectivorous bats have been identified as the main rabies reservoir. This study aimed to determine the rabies virus (RABV) variants circulating in the country between 2002 and 2008. A total of 612 RABV isolates were tested using a panel with eight monoclonal antibodies against the viral nucleoprotein (N-mAbs) for antigenic typing, and a product of 320-bp of the nucleoprotein gene was sequenced from 99 isolates. Typing of the isolates revealed six different antigenic variants but phylogenetic analysis identified four clusters associated with four different bat species. Tadarida brasiliensis bats were confirmed as the main reservoir. This methodology identified several independent rabies enzootics maintained by different species of insectivorous bats in Chile.

  20. Genetic diversity analysis of Leuconostoc mesenteroides from Korean vegetables and food products by multilocus sequence typing.

    PubMed

    Sharma, Anshul; Kaur, Jasmine; Lee, Sulhee; Park, Young-Seo

    2018-06-01

    In the present study, 35 Leuconostoc mesenteroides strains isolated from vegetables and food products from South Korea were studied by multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of seven housekeeping genes (atpA, groEL, gyrB, pheS, pyrG, rpoA, and uvrC). The fragment sizes of the seven amplified housekeeping genes ranged in length from 366 to 1414 bp. Sequence analysis indicated 27 different sequence types (STs) with 25 of them being represented by a single strain indicating high genetic diversity, whereas the remaining 2 were characterized by five strains each. In total, 220 polymorphic nucleotide sites were detected among seven housekeeping genes. The phylogenetic analysis based on the STs of the seven loci indicated that the 35 strains belonged to two major groups, A (28 strains) and B (7 strains). Split decomposition analysis showed that intraspecies recombination played a role in generating diversity among strains. The minimum spanning tree showed that the evolution of the STs was not correlated with food source. This study signifies that the multilocus sequence typing is a valuable tool to access the genetic diversity among L. mesenteroides strains from South Korea and can be used further to monitor the evolutionary changes.

  1. Bacillus nanhaiisediminis sp. nov., an alkalitolerant member of Bacillus rRNA group 6.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jianli; Wang, Jiewei; Song, Fei; Fang, Caiyuan; Xin, Yuhua; Zhang, Yabo

    2011-05-01

    A Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain NH3(T), was isolated from a sediment sample from the South China Sea and was subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. The isolate grew optimally at 37 °C and pH 9. Strain NH3(T) had cell-wall peptidoglycan based on meso-diaminopimelic acid and MK-7 as the predominant menaquinone. The cellular fatty acid profile included significant amounts of iso-C(15 : 0) and iso-C(14 : 0). The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol. The DNA G+C content of strain NH3(T) was 40.3 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain NH3(T) was a member of rRNA group 6 of the genus Bacillus, which includes alkalitolerant, alkaliphilic and halotolerant species. The closest phylogenetic relatives were Bacillus akibai 1139(T) (96.82 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), B. pseudofirmus DSM 8715(T) (96.76 %), B. okhensis Kh10-101(T) (96.76 %) and B. alkalidiazotrophicus MS 6(T) (96.47 %). Strain NH3(T) could be distinguished from these phylogenetically close neighbours based on a number of phenotypic properties. On the basis of phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics and phylogenetic data, we conclude that strain NH3(T) ( = CGMCC 1.10116(T)  = JCM 16507(T)) merits classification as the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Bacillus nanhaiisediminis sp. nov. is proposed.

  2. Phylogeography of the tropical planktonic foraminifera lineage globigerinella reveals isolation inconsistent with passive dispersal by ocean currents.

    PubMed

    Weiner, Agnes K M; Weinkauf, Manuel F G; Kurasawa, Atsushi; Darling, Kate F; Kucera, Michal; Grimm, Guido W

    2014-01-01

    Morphologically defined species of marine plankton often harbor a considerable level of cryptic diversity. Since many morphospecies show cosmopolitan distribution, an understanding of biogeographic and evolutionary processes at the level of genetic diversity requires global sampling. We use a database of 387 single-specimen sequences of the SSU rDNA of the planktonic foraminifera Globigerinella as a model to assess the biogeographic and phylogenetic distributions of cryptic diversity in marine microplankton on a global scale. Our data confirm the existence of multiple, well isolated genetic lineages. An analysis of their abundance and distribution indicates that our sampling is likely to approximate the actual total diversity. Unexpectedly, we observe an uneven allocation of cryptic diversity among the phylogenetic lineages. We show that this pattern is neither an artifact of sampling intensity nor a function of lineage age. Instead, we argue that it reflects an ongoing speciation process in one of the three major lineages. Surprisingly, four of the six genetic types in the hyperdiverse lineage are biogeographically restricted to the Indopacific. Their mutual co-occurrence and their hierarchical phylogenetic structure provide no evidence for an origin through sudden habitat fragmentation and their limitation to the Indopacific challenges the view of a global gene flow within the warm-water provinces. This phenomenon shows that passive dispersal is not sufficient to describe the distribution of plankton diversity. Rather, these organisms show differentiated distribution patterns shaped by species interactions and reflecting phylogenetic contingency with unique histories of diversification rates.

  3. The First Comprehensive Phylogeny of Coptis (Ranunculaceae) and Its Implications for Character Evolution and Classification

    PubMed Central

    Xiang, Kun-Li; Wu, Sheng-Dan; Yu, Sheng-Xian; Liu, Yang; Jabbour, Florian; Erst, Andrey S.; Zhao, Liang; Wang, Wei; Chen, Zhi-Duan

    2016-01-01

    Coptis (Ranunculaceae) contains 15 species and is one of the pharmaceutically most important plant genera in eastern Asia. Understanding of the evolution of morphological characters and phylogenetic relationships within the genus is very limited. Here, we present the first comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the genus based on two plastid and one nuclear markers. The phylogeny was reconstructed using Bayesian inference, as well as maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood methods. The Swofford-Olsen-Waddell-Hillis and Bayesian tests were used to assess the strength of the conflicts between traditional taxonomic units and those suggested by the phylogenetic inferences. Evolution of morphological characters was inferred using Bayesian method to identify synapomorphies for the infrageneric lineages. Our data recognize two strongly supported clades within Coptis. The first clade contains subgenus Coptis and section Japonocoptis of subgenus Metacoptis, supported by morphological characters, such as traits of the central leaflet base, petal color, and petal shape. The second clade consists of section Japonocoptis of subgenus Metacoptis. Coptis morii is not united with C. quinquefolia, in contrast with the view that C. morii is a synonym of C. quinquefolia. Two varieties of C. chinensis do not cluster together. Coptis groenlandica and C. lutescens are reduced to C. trifolia and C. japonica, respectively. Central leaflet base, sepal shape, and petal blade carry a strong phylogenetic signal in Coptis, while leaf type, sepal and petal color, and petal shape exhibit relatively higher levels of evolutionary flexibility. PMID:27044035

  4. A proposal to rationalize within-species plant virus nomenclature: benefits and implications of inaction.

    PubMed

    Jones, Roger A C; Kehoe, Monica A

    2016-07-01

    Current approaches used to name within-species, plant virus phylogenetic groups are often misleading and illogical. They involve names based on biological properties, sequence differences and geographical, country or place-association designations, or any combination of these. This type of nomenclature is becoming increasingly unsustainable as numbers of sequences of the same virus from new host species and different parts of the world increase. Moreover, this increase is accelerating as world trade and agriculture expand, and climate change progresses. Serious consequences for virus research and disease management might arise from incorrect assumptions made when current within-species phylogenetic group names incorrectly identify properties of group members. This could result in development of molecular tools that incorrectly target dangerous virus strains, potentially leading to unjustified impediments to international trade or failure to prevent such strains being introduced to countries, regions or continents formerly free of them. Dangerous strains might be missed or misdiagnosed by diagnostic laboratories and monitoring programs, and new cultivars with incorrect strain-specific resistances released. Incorrect deductions are possible during phylogenetic analysis of plant virus sequences and errors from strain misidentification during molecular and biological virus research activities. A nomenclature system for within-species plant virus phylogenetic group names is needed which avoids such problems. We suggest replacing all other naming approaches with Latinized numerals, restricting biologically based names only to biological strains and removing geographically based names altogether. Our recommendations have implications for biosecurity authorities, diagnostic laboratories, disease-management programs, plant breeders and researchers.

  5. Resolution in forensic microbial genotyping

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Velsko, S P

    2005-08-30

    Resolution is a key parameter for differentiating among the large number of strain typing methods that could be applied to pathogens involved in bioterror events or biocrimes. In this report we develop a first-principles analysis of strain typing resolution using a simple mathematical model to provide a basis for the rational design of microbial typing systems for forensic applications. We derive two figures of merit that describe the resolving power and phylogenetic depth of a strain typing system. Rough estimates of these figures-of-merit for MLVA, MLST, IS element, AFLP, hybridization microarrays, and other bacterial typing methods are derived from mutationmore » rate data reported in the literature. We also discuss the general problem of how to construct a ''universal'' practical typing system that has the highest possible resolution short of whole-genome sequencing, and that is applicable with minimal modification to a wide range of pathogens.« less

  6. PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIP OF ALEXANDRIUM MONILATUM (DINOPHYCEAE) TO OTHER ALEXANDRIUM SPECIES BASED ON 18S RIBOSOMAL RNA GENE SEQUENCES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The phylogenetic relationship of Alexandrium monilatum to other Alexandrium spp. was explored using 18S rDNA sequences. Maximum likelilhood phylogenetic analysis of the combined rDNA sequences established that A. monilatum paired with Alexandrium taylori and that the pair was the...

  7. PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIP OF ALEXANDRIUM MONILATUM (DINOPHYCAE)TO OTHER ALEXANDRIUM SPECIES BASED ON 18S RIBOSOMAL RNA GENE SEQUENCES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The phylogenetic relationship of Alexandrium monilatum to other Alexandrium spp. was explored using 18S rDNA sequences. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis of the combined rDNA sequences established that A. monilatum paired with Alexandrium taylori and that the pair was the ...

  8. Enterobacter tabaci sp. nov., a novel member of the genus Enterobacter isolated from a tobacco stem.

    PubMed

    Duan, Yan-Qing; Zhou, Xing-Kui; Di-Yan, Li; Li, Qing-Qing; Dang, Li-Zhi; Zhang, Yong-Guang; Qiu, Li-Hong; Nimaichand, Salam; Li, Wen-Jun

    2015-11-01

    A Gram-stain negative, motile, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain YIM Hb-3(T), was isolated from the stem of a tobacco plant. The strain was observed to form convex, circular and yellow-colored colonies. The predominant respiratory quinone was identified as Q-8. The major fatty acids (>5%) detected were C(16:1)ω7c and/or C(16:1)ω6c (summed feature 3), C(16:0), C(17:0)cyclo, C(18:1)ω7c and/or C(18:1)ω6c (summed feature 8), C(14:0)3-OH and/or iso-C(16:1)I (summed feature 2), C(14:0) and C(12:0). The genomic DNA G+C content was determined to be 54.8 mol%. Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and multilocus sequence analysis showed that strain YIM Hb-3(T) had the closest phylogenetic relationship with Enterobacter mori LMG 25706(T). DNA-DNA relatedness value between strain YIM Hb-3(T) and E. mori LMG 25706(T) was 46.9 ± 3.8%. On the basis of phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data, phylogenetic analysis, and DNA-DNA relatedness value, strain YIM Hb-3(T) is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Enterobacter, for which the name Enterobacter tabaci sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM Hb-3(T) (=KACC 17832(T) =KCTC 42694(T)).

  9. Pan-genome and phylogeny of Bacillus cereus sensu lato.

    PubMed

    Bazinet, Adam L

    2017-08-02

    Bacillus cereus sensu lato (s. l.) is an ecologically diverse bacterial group of medical and agricultural significance. In this study, I use publicly available genomes and novel bioinformatic workflows to characterize the B. cereus s. l. pan-genome and perform the largest phylogenetic and population genetic analyses of this group to date in terms of the number of genes and taxa included. With these fundamental data in hand, I identify genes associated with particular phenotypic traits (i.e., "pan-GWAS" analysis), and quantify the degree to which taxa sharing common attributes are phylogenetically clustered. A rapid k-mer based approach (Mash) was used to create reduced representations of selected Bacillus genomes, and a fast distance-based phylogenetic analysis of this data (FastME) was performed to determine which species should be included in B. cereus s. l. The complete genomes of eight B. cereus s. l. species were annotated de novo with Prokka, and these annotations were used by Roary to produce the B. cereus s. l. pan-genome. Scoary was used to associate gene presence and absence patterns with various phenotypes. The orthologous protein sequence clusters produced by Roary were filtered and used to build HaMStR databases of gene models that were used in turn to construct phylogenetic data matrices. Phylogenetic analyses used RAxML, DendroPy, ClonalFrameML, PAUP*, and SplitsTree. Bayesian model-based population genetic analysis assigned taxa to clusters using hierBAPS. The genealogical sorting index was used to quantify the phylogenetic clustering of taxa sharing common attributes. The B. cereus s. l. pan-genome currently consists of ≈60,000 genes, ≈600 of which are "core" (common to at least 99% of taxa sampled). Pan-GWAS analysis revealed genes associated with phenotypes such as isolation source, oxygen requirement, and ability to cause diseases such as anthrax or food poisoning. Extensive phylogenetic analyses using an unprecedented amount of data produced phylogenies that were largely concordant with each other and with previous studies. Phylogenetic support as measured by bootstrap probabilities increased markedly when all suitable pan-genome data was included in phylogenetic analyses, as opposed to when only core genes were used. Bayesian population genetic analysis recommended subdividing the three major clades of B. cereus s. l. into nine clusters. Taxa sharing common traits and species designations exhibited varying degrees of phylogenetic clustering. All phylogenetic analyses recapitulated two previously used classification systems, and taxa were consistently assigned to the same major clade and group. By including accessory genes from the pan-genome in the phylogenetic analyses, I produced an exceptionally well-supported phylogeny of 114 complete B. cereus s. l. genomes. The best-performing methods were used to produce a phylogeny of all 498 publicly available B. cereus s. l. genomes, which was in turn used to compare three different classification systems and to test the monophyly status of various B. cereus s. l. species. The majority of the methodology used in this study is generic and could be leveraged to produce pan-genome estimates and similarly robust phylogenetic hypotheses for other bacterial groups.

  10. PAMLX: a graphical user interface for PAML.

    PubMed

    Xu, Bo; Yang, Ziheng

    2013-12-01

    This note announces pamlX, a graphical user interface/front end for the paml (for Phylogenetic Analysis by Maximum Likelihood) program package (Yang Z. 1997. PAML: a program package for phylogenetic analysis by maximum likelihood. Comput Appl Biosci. 13:555-556; Yang Z. 2007. PAML 4: Phylogenetic analysis by maximum likelihood. Mol Biol Evol. 24:1586-1591). pamlX is written in C++ using the Qt library and communicates with paml programs through files. It can be used to create, edit, and print control files for paml programs and to launch paml runs. The interface is available for free download at http://abacus.gene.ucl.ac.uk/software/paml.html.

  11. Combined Use of 16S Ribosomal DNA and 16S rRNA To Study the Bacterial Community of Polychlorinated Biphenyl-Polluted Soil

    PubMed Central

    Nogales, Balbina; Moore, Edward R. B.; Llobet-Brossa, Enrique; Rossello-Mora, Ramon; Amann, Rudolf; Timmis, Kenneth N.

    2001-01-01

    The bacterial diversity assessed from clone libraries prepared from rRNA (two libraries) and ribosomal DNA (rDNA) (one library) from polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-polluted soil has been analyzed. A good correspondence of the community composition found in the two types of library was observed. Nearly 29% of the cloned sequences in the rDNA library were identical to sequences in the rRNA libraries. More than 60% of the total cloned sequence types analyzed were grouped in phylogenetic groups (a clone group with sequence similarity higher than 97% [98% for Burkholderia and Pseudomonas-type clones]) represented in both types of libraries. Some of those phylogenetic groups, mostly represented by a single (or pair) of cloned sequence type(s), were observed in only one of the types of library. An important difference between the libraries was the lack of clones representative of the Actinobacteria in the rDNA library. The PCB-polluted soil exhibited a high bacterial diversity which included representatives of two novel lineages. The apparent abundance of bacteria affiliated to the beta-subclass of the Proteobacteria, and to the genus Burkholderia in particular, was confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis. The possible influence on apparent diversity of low template concentrations was assessed by dilution of the RNA template prior to amplification by reverse transcription-PCR. Although differences in the composition of the two rRNA libraries obtained from high and low RNA concentrations were observed, the main components of the bacterial community were represented in both libraries, and therefore their detection was not compromised by the lower concentrations of template used in this study. PMID:11282645

  12. Core genome conservation of Staphylococcus haemolyticus limits sequence based population structure analysis.

    PubMed

    Cavanagh, Jorunn Pauline; Klingenberg, Claus; Hanssen, Anne-Merethe; Fredheim, Elizabeth Aarag; Francois, Patrice; Schrenzel, Jacques; Flægstad, Trond; Sollid, Johanna Ericson

    2012-06-01

    The notoriously multi-resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus is an emerging pathogen causing serious infections in immunocompromised patients. Defining the population structure is important to detect outbreaks and spread of antimicrobial resistant clones. Currently, the standard typing technique is pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). In this study we describe novel molecular typing schemes for S. haemolyticus using multi locus sequence typing (MLST) and multi locus variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) analysis. Seven housekeeping genes (MLST) and five VNTR loci (MLVF) were selected for the novel typing schemes. A panel of 45 human and veterinary S. haemolyticus isolates was investigated. The collection had diverse PFGE patterns (38 PFGE types) and was sampled over a 20 year-period from eight countries. MLST resolved 17 sequence types (Simpsons index of diversity [SID]=0.877) and MLVF resolved 14 repeat types (SID=0.831). We found a low sequence diversity. Phylogenetic analysis clustered the isolates in three (MLST) and one (MLVF) clonal complexes, respectively. Taken together, neither the MLST nor the MLVF scheme was suitable to resolve the population structure of this S. haemolyticus collection. Future MLVF and MLST schemes will benefit from addition of more variable core genome sequences identified by comparing different fully sequenced S. haemolyticus genomes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of HTLV-1 in a segregated population in Iran.

    PubMed

    Rafatpanah, Houshang; Torkamani, Mahmood; Valizadeh, Narges; Vakili, Rosita; Meshkani, Baratali; Khademi, Hassan; Gerayli, Sina; Mozhgani, Sayed Hamid Reza; Rezaee, Seyed Abdolrahim

    2016-07-01

    Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection is an important health issue that affects a variety of endemic areas. The Khorasan province, mainly its capital Mashhad in northeastern Iran, was reported to be as one of these endemic regions. Torbat-e Heydarieh, a large city Southwest border to Mashhad with a segregated population was investigated for the prevalence and associated risk factors of HTLV-1 infection in 400 randomly selected individuals. Blood samples were tested for the presence of HTLV-1 antibodies via the ELISA method and then were confirmed by an Immunoblot test. For the presence of HTLV-1 in lymphocytes of infected subjects, PCR was performed on LTR and TAX regions. DNA sequencing of LTR fragment was also carried out to determine the phylogenetic of HTLV-1, using the Maximum likelihood method. HTLV-1 sero-reactivity (sero-prevalence) among the study population was 2% (8/400), of which 1.25% had HTLV-1 provirus in lymphocytes (actual prevalence). HTLV-1 infection was significantly associated with the age, marital status, and history of blood transfusion (P < 0.05). However, there were no statistical differences between HTLV-1 infection, and gender, surgery, and hospitalization. In regression analysis, age showed the most significant correlation with the infection (P = 0.006, OR = 4.33). Based on our phylogenetic study, the HTLV-1 prevalent sequence type of Torbat-e Heydarieh belongs to the cosmopolitan subtype A. HTLV-1 prevalence in Torbat-e Heydarieh (1.25%) is low comparing to those of both Mashhad (2-3%) and Neishabour (3.5-5%) in the province of Khorasan. Thus, traveling mobility and population mixing such as marriage, bureaucratic affairs, occupation, and economic activities could be the usual routs of HTLV-1 new wave of spreading in this segregated city. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Isolation and sequence analysis of the complete NS1 and VP2 genes of canine parvovirus from domestic dogs in 2013 and 2014 in China.

    PubMed

    Wang, Hualei; Jin, Hongli; Li, Qian; Zhao, Guoxing; Cheng, Nan; Feng, Na; Zheng, Xuexing; Wang, Jianzhong; Zhao, Yongkun; Li, Ling; Cao, Zengguo; Yan, Feihu; Wang, Lina; Wang, Tiecheng; Gao, Yuwei; Yang, Songtao; Xia, Xianzhu

    2016-02-01

    Canine parvovirus (CPV) can cause severe disease in animals and continuously generates new variant and recombinant strains in dogs that have a strong impact on sanitation. It is therefore necessary to investigate epidemic CPV strains to improve our understanding of CPV transmission and epidemic behavior. However, most studies have focused on the analysis of VP2, and therefore, information about recombination and relationships between strains is still lacking. Here, 14 strains of CPV were isolated from domestic dogs suspected of hosting CPV between 2013 and 2014 in China. The complete NS1 and VP2 genes were sequenced and analyzed. The results suggest that the new CPV-2a and new CPV-2b types are the prevalent strains in China. In addition to a few mutations (residues 19, 544, 545, 572 and 583 of NS1 and residues 267, 370, 377 and 440 of VP2) that were preserved during transmission, new mutations (residues 60, 630 of NS1, and residues 21, 310 of VP2) were found in the isolated strains. A phylogenetic tree based on VP2 sequences illustrated that the new CPV-2a and new CPV-2b strains from China form single clusters that are distinct from lineages from other countries. Moreover, recombination between the new CPV-2a and new CPV-2b types was also identified in the isolated strains. Due to differences in selection pressures or recombination, there were a small number of inconsistencies between the phylogenetic trees for VP2 and NS1, which indicated that phylogenetic relationships based on VP2 might not be representative of those based on NS1. The data indicated that mutations and recombination are constantly occurring along with the spread of CPV in China.

  15. Alloactinosynnema iranicum sp. nov., a rare actinomycete isolated from a hypersaline wetland, and emended description of the genus Alloactinosynnema.

    PubMed

    Nikou, Mahdi Moshtaghi; Ramezani, Mohaddaseh; Amoozegar, Mohammad Ali; Fazeli, Seyed Abolhassan Shahzadeh; Schumann, Peter; Spröer, Cathrin; Sánchez-Porro, Cristina; Ventosa, Antonio

    2014-04-01

    A Gram-staining-positive actinobacterial strain, Chem10(T), was isolated from soil around Inche-Broun hypersaline wetland in the north of Iran. Strain Chem10(T) was strictly aerobic, and catalase- and oxidase-positive. The isolate grew with 0-3 % NaCl, at 20-40 °C and at pH 6.0-8.0. The optimum temperature and pH for growth were 30 °C and pH 7.0, respectively. The cell wall of strain Chem10(T) contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as diamino acid and galactose, ribose and arabinose as whole-cell sugars. The polar lipid pattern contained diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. Strain Chem10(T) synthesized cellular fatty acids of the straight-chain saturated and mono-unsaturated, and iso- and anteiso-branched types C14 : 0, C16 : 0, iso-C16 : 1, anteiso-C17 : 0, iso-C16 : 0, iso-C14 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0, and the major respiratory quinone was MK-9(H4). The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 70.7 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain Chem10(T) belonged to the family Pseudonocardiaceae and showed the closest phylogenetic similarity to Alloactinosynnema album KCTC 19294(T) (98.3 %) and Actinokineospora cibodasensis DSM 45658(T) (97.9 %). DNA-DNA relatedness values between the novel strain and strains Alloactinosynnema album KCTC 19294(T) and Actinokineospora cibodasensis DSM 45658(T) were only 52 % and 23 %, respectively. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis, phenotypic characteristics and DNA-DNA hybridization data, a novel species of the genus Alloactinosynnema is proposed, Alloactinosynnema iranicum sp. nov. The type strain is Chem10(T) ( = IBRC-M 10403(T) = CECT 8209(T)). In addition, an emended description of the genus Alloactinosynnema is proposed.

  16. Phylomemetics—Evolutionary Analysis beyond the Gene

    PubMed Central

    Howe, Christopher J.; Windram, Heather F.

    2011-01-01

    Genes are propagated by error-prone copying, and the resulting variation provides the basis for phylogenetic reconstruction of evolutionary relationships. Horizontal gene transfer may be superimposed on a tree-like evolutionary pattern, with some relationships better depicted as networks. The copying of manuscripts by scribes is very similar to the replication of genes, and phylogenetic inference programs can be used directly for reconstructing the copying history of different versions of a manuscript text. Phylogenetic methods have also been used for some time to analyse the evolution of languages and the development of physical cultural artefacts. These studies can help to answer a range of anthropological questions. We propose the adoption of the term “phylomemetics” for phylogenetic analysis of reproducing non-genetic elements. PMID:21655311

  17. Short Tree, Long Tree, Right Tree, Wrong Tree: New Acquisition Bias Corrections for Inferring SNP Phylogenies

    PubMed Central

    Leaché, Adam D.; Banbury, Barbara L.; Felsenstein, Joseph; de Oca, Adrián nieto-Montes; Stamatakis, Alexandros

    2015-01-01

    Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are useful markers for phylogenetic studies owing in part to their ubiquity throughout the genome and ease of collection. Restriction site associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) methods are becoming increasingly popular for SNP data collection, but an assessment of the best practises for using these data in phylogenetics is lacking. We use computer simulations, and new double digest RADseq (ddRADseq) data for the lizard family Phrynosomatidae, to investigate the accuracy of RAD loci for phylogenetic inference. We compare the two primary ways RAD loci are used during phylogenetic analysis, including the analysis of full sequences (i.e., SNPs together with invariant sites), or the analysis of SNPs on their own after excluding invariant sites. We find that using full sequences rather than just SNPs is preferable from the perspectives of branch length and topological accuracy, but not of computational time. We introduce two new acquisition bias corrections for dealing with alignments composed exclusively of SNPs, a conditional likelihood method and a reconstituted DNA approach. The conditional likelihood method conditions on the presence of variable characters only (the number of invariant sites that are unsampled but known to exist is not considered), while the reconstituted DNA approach requires the user to specify the exact number of unsampled invariant sites prior to the analysis. Under simulation, branch length biases increase with the amount of missing data for both acquisition bias correction methods, but branch length accuracy is much improved in the reconstituted DNA approach compared to the conditional likelihood approach. Phylogenetic analyses of the empirical data using concatenation or a coalescent-based species tree approach provide strong support for many of the accepted relationships among phrynosomatid lizards, suggesting that RAD loci contain useful phylogenetic signal across a range of divergence times despite the presence of missing data. Phylogenetic analysis of RAD loci requires careful attention to model assumptions, especially if downstream analyses depend on branch lengths. PMID:26227865

  18. A Deliberate Practice Approach to Teaching Phylogenetic Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hobbs, F. Collin; Johnson, Daniel J.; Kearns, Katherine D.

    2013-01-01

    One goal of postsecondary education is to assist students in developing expert-level understanding. Previous attempts to encourage expert-level understanding of phylogenetic analysis in college science classrooms have largely focused on isolated, or "one-shot," in-class activities. Using a deliberate practice instructional approach, we…

  19. Emticicia oligotrophica gen. nov., sp. nov., a new member of the family 'Flexibacteraceae', phylum Bacteroidetes.

    PubMed

    Saha, P; Chakrabarti, T

    2006-05-01

    An aquatic bacterium, strain GPTSA100-15T, was isolated on nutritionally poor medium TSBA100 (tryptic soy broth diluted 100 times and solidified with 1.5 % agarose) and characterized using a polyphasic approach. The isolate was unable to grow on commonly used nutritionally rich media such as tryptic soy agar, nutrient agar and Luria-Bertani agar. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the isolate was affiliated with the family 'Flexibacteraceae' in the phylum Bacteroidetes. Phylogenetically, it showed closest similarity (94.0 %) with an uncultured bacterial clone, HP1A92, detected in a sludge microbial community. Among the culturable bacteria, the isolate had highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with Leadbetterella byssophila 4M15T (87.8 %). Sequence similarities with other members of the phylum Bacteroidetes were less than 85 %. The fatty acid profile of the isolate grown on TSBA100 indicated that the major fatty acid was iso-C15:0, which is also present in many members of the family 'Flexibacteraceae'. Cells of strain GPTSA100-15T are Gram-negative, strictly aerobic rods. The DNA G+C content of the isolate is 36.9 mol%. Results of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses clearly indicate that strain GPTSA100-15T represents a new genus within the family 'Flexibacteraceae'; the name Emticicia gen. nov. is proposed for the genus, with Emticicia oligotrophica sp. nov. as the type species. The type strain of Emticicia oligotrophica is GPTSA100-15T (=MTCC 6937T=DSM 17448T).

  20. Evolution of the mitochondrial genome in snakes: Gene rearrangements and phylogenetic relationships

    PubMed Central

    Yan, Jie; Li, Hongdan; Zhou, Kaiya

    2008-01-01

    Background Snakes as a major reptile group display a variety of morphological characteristics pertaining to their diverse behaviours. Despite abundant analyses of morphological characters, molecular studies using mitochondrial and nuclear genes are limited. As a result, the phylogeny of snakes remains controversial. Previous studies on mitochondrial genomes of snakes have demonstrated duplication of the control region and translocation of trnL to be two notable features of the alethinophidian (all serpents except blindsnakes and threadsnakes) mtDNAs. Our purpose is to further investigate the gene organizations, evolution of the snake mitochondrial genome, and phylogenetic relationships among several major snake families. Results The mitochondrial genomes were sequenced for four taxa representing four different families, and each had a different gene arrangement. Comparative analyses with other snake mitochondrial genomes allowed us to summarize six types of mitochondrial gene arrangement in snakes. Phylogenetic reconstruction with commonly used methods of phylogenetic inference (BI, ML, MP, NJ) arrived at a similar topology, which was used to reconstruct the evolution of mitochondrial gene arrangements in snakes. Conclusion The phylogenetic relationships among the major families of snakes are in accordance with the mitochondrial genomes in terms of gene arrangements. The gene arrangement in Ramphotyphlops braminus mtDNA is inferred to be ancestral for snakes. After the divergence of the early Ramphotyphlops lineage, three types of rearrangements occurred. These changes involve translocations within the IQM tRNA gene cluster and the duplication of the CR. All phylogenetic methods support the placement of Enhydris plumbea outside of the (Colubridae + Elapidae) cluster, providing mitochondrial genomic evidence for the familial rank of Homalopsidae. PMID:19038056

  1. Community assembly of the ferns of Florida.

    PubMed

    Sessa, Emily B; Chambers, Sally M; Li, Daijiang; Trotta, Lauren; Endara, Lorena; Burleigh, J Gordon; Baiser, Benjamin

    2018-03-01

    Many ecological and evolutionary processes shape the assembly of organisms into local communities from a regional pool of species. We analyzed phylogenetic and functional diversity to understand community assembly of the ferns of Florida at two spatial scales. We built a phylogeny for 125 of the 141 species of ferns in Florida using five chloroplast markers. We calculated mean pairwise dissimilarity (MPD) and mean nearest taxon distance (MNTD) from phylogenetic distances and functional trait data for both spatial scales and compared the results to null models to assess significance. Our results for over vs. underdispersion in functional and phylogenetic diversity differed depending on spatial scale and metric considered. At the county scale, MPD revealed evidence for phylogenetic overdispersion, while MNTD revealed phylogenetic and functional underdispersion, and at the conservation area scale, MPD revealed phylogenetic and functional underdispersion while MNTD revealed evidence only of functional underdispersion. Our results are consistent with environmental filtering playing a larger role at the smaller, conservation area scale. The smaller spatial units are likely composed of fewer local habitat types that are selecting for closely related species, with the larger-scale units more likely to be composed of multiple habitat types that bring together a larger pool of species from across the phylogeny. Several aspects of fern biology, including their unique physiology and water relations and the importance of the independent gametophyte stage of the life cycle, make ferns highly sensitive to local, microhabitat conditions. © 2018 The Authors. American Journal of Botany is published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the Botanical Society of America.

  2. Beta-diversity of ectoparasites at two spatial scales: nested hierarchy, geography and habitat type.

    PubMed

    Warburton, Elizabeth M; van der Mescht, Luther; Stanko, Michal; Vinarski, Maxim V; Korallo-Vinarskaya, Natalia P; Khokhlova, Irina S; Krasnov, Boris R

    2017-06-01

    Beta-diversity of biological communities can be decomposed into (a) dissimilarity of communities among units of finer scale within units of broader scale and (b) dissimilarity of communities among units of broader scale. We investigated compositional, phylogenetic/taxonomic and functional beta-diversity of compound communities of fleas and gamasid mites parasitic on small Palearctic mammals in a nested hierarchy at two spatial scales: (a) continental scale (across the Palearctic) and (b) regional scale (across sites within Slovakia). At each scale, we analyzed beta-diversity among smaller units within larger units and among larger units with partitioning based on either geography or ecology. We asked (a) whether compositional, phylogenetic/taxonomic and functional dissimilarities of flea and mite assemblages are scale dependent; (b) how geographical (partitioning of sites according to geographic position) or ecological (partitioning of sites according to habitat type) characteristics affect phylogenetic/taxonomic and functional components of dissimilarity of ectoparasite assemblages and (c) whether assemblages of fleas and gamasid mites differ in their degree of dissimilarity, all else being equal. We found that compositional, phylogenetic/taxonomic, or functional beta-diversity was greater on a continental rather than a regional scale. Compositional and phylogenetic/taxonomic components of beta-diversity were greater among larger units than among smaller units within larger units, whereas functional beta-diversity did not exhibit any consistent trend regarding site partitioning. Geographic partitioning resulted in higher values of beta-diversity of ectoparasites than ecological partitioning. Compositional and phylogenetic components of beta-diversity were higher in fleas than mites but the opposite was true for functional beta-diversity in some, but not all, traits.

  3. Candida funiuensi sp. nov., a cellobiose-fermenting yeast species isolated from rotten wood.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yun; Ren, Yong-Cheng; Zhang, Zheng-Tian; Wu, Fu-Hua; Ke, Tao; Hui, Feng-Li

    2015-06-01

    Two strains of an asexual cellobiose-fermenting yeast species were isolated from rotten wood samples collected in Funiu Mountain Nature Reserve in Henan Province, central China. Molecular phylogenetic analysis that included the nearly complete small subunit (SSU), the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the D1/D2 domains of the large subunit (LSU) rDNA showed that these strains belonged to the Candida kruisii clade, with Candida kruisii and Candida cretensis as their closest phylogenetic neighbours. The nucleotide differences between the novel strains and the type strains of C. kruisii and C. cretensis were 30 and 36 substitutions, respectively, in the D1/D2 LSU rDNA, 40 and 44 substitutions, respectively, in the ITS region and 19 and 23 substitutions, respectively, in the SSU rDNA. The novel strains can also be distinguished from their closest described species, C. kruisii and C. cretensis, by a number of physiological characteristics, and represent a novel species of the genus Candida, for which the name Candida funiuensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NYNU 14625T ( = CICC 33050T = CBS 13911T). The Mycobank number is MB 811503.

  4. Thalassospira permensis sp. nov., a new terrestrial halotolerant bacterium isolated from a naphthalene-utilizing microbial consortium.

    PubMed

    Plotnikova, E G; Anan'ina, L N; Krausova, V I; Ariskina, E V; Prisyazhnaya, N V; Lebedev, A T; Demakov, V A; Evtushenko, L I

    2011-01-01

    A halotolerant bacterium, strain SMB34T, was isolated from a naphthalene-utilizing bacterial consortium obtained from primitive technogeneous soil (Vrkhnekamsk salt deposit, Perm region, Russia) by enrichment procedure. The strain itself was unable to degrade naphthalene and grew at NaCl concentrations up to 11% (w/v). The 16S rRNA-based phylogenetic analysis showed that the strain belongs to the genus Thalassospira. The DNA-DNA hybridization values between SMB34T and the type strains of phylogenetically closest species (T. xiamenensis, T. profundimaris and T. tepidiphila) did not exceed 50%. The novel strain could be distinguished from the above species by the cell motility, MALDI/TOF mass spectra of whole cells and a range of physiological and biochemical characteristics. SMB34T also considerably differs from the recently described species T. xianhensis, with the most striking differences in the DNA G + C content (53.7 +/- 1.0 vs. 61.2 +/- 1.0 mol.%) and predominant ubiquinones (Q-10 vs. Q-9). The data obtained suggest strain SMB34T (=VKM B-2527T = NBRC 106175T), designated as the type strain, represents a novel species, named Thalassospira permensis sp. nov.

  5. Streptococcus caprae sp. nov., isolated from Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica hispanica).

    PubMed

    Vela, A I; Mentaberre, G; Lavín, S; Domínguez, L; Fernández-Garayzábal, J F

    2016-01-01

    Biochemical and molecular genetic studies were performed on a novel Gram-stain-positive, catalase-negative, coccus-shaped organism isolated from tonsil samples of two Iberian ibexes. The micro-organism was identified as a streptococcal species based on its cellular, morphological and biochemical characteristics. 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison studies confirmed its identification as a member of the genus Streptococcus, but the organism did not correspond to any species of this genus. The nearest phylogenetic relative of the unknown coccus from ibex was Streptococcus porci 2923-03T (96.6 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). Analysis based on rpoB and sodA gene sequences revealed sequence similarity values lower than 86.0 and 83.8 %, respectively, from the type strains of recognized Streptococcus species. The novel bacterial isolate was distinguished from Streptococcus porci and other Streptococcus species using biochemical tests. Based on both phenotypic and phylogenetic findings, it is proposed that the unknown bacterium be classified as representing a novel species of the genus Streptococcus, for which the name Streptococcus caprae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is DICM07-02790-1CT ( = CECT 8872T = CCUG 67170T).

  6. Daddy, where did (PS)I come from?

    PubMed

    Baymann, F; Brugna, M; Mühlenhoff, U; Nitschke, W

    2001-10-30

    The reacton centre I (RCI)-type photosystems from plants, cyano-, helio- and green sulphur bacteria are compared and the essential properties of an archetypal RCI are deduced. Species containing RCI-type photosystems most probably cluster together on a common branch of the phylogenetic tree. The predicted branching order is green sulphur, helio- and cyanobacteria. Striking similarities between RCI- and RCII-type photosystems recently became apparent in the three-dimensional structures of photosystem I (PSI), PSII and RCII. The phylogenetic relationship between all presently known photosystems is analysed suggesting (a) RCI as the ancestral photosystem and (b) the descendence of PSII from RCI via gene duplication and gene splitting. An evolutionary model trying to rationalise available data is presented.

  7. Mineral Ecology: Surface Specific Colonization and Geochemical Drivers of Biofilm Accumulation, Composition, and Phylogeny

    PubMed Central

    Jones, Aaron A.; Bennett, Philip C.

    2017-01-01

    This study tests the hypothesis that surface composition influences microbial community structure and growth of biofilms. We used laboratory biofilm reactors (inoculated with a diverse subsurface community) to explore the phylogenetic and taxonomic variability in microbial communities as a function of surface type (carbonate, silicate, aluminosilicate), media pH, and carbon and phosphate availability. Using high-throughput pyrosequencing, we found that surface type significantly controlled ~70–90% of the variance in phylogenetic diversity regardless of environmental pressures. Consistent patterns also emerged in the taxonomy of specific guilds (sulfur-oxidizers/reducers, Gram-positives, acidophiles) due to variations in media chemistry. Media phosphate availability was a key property associated with variation in phylogeny and taxonomy of whole reactors and was negatively correlated with biofilm accumulation and α-diversity (species richness and evenness). However, mineral-bound phosphate limitations were correlated with less biofilm. Carbon added to the media was correlated with a significant increase in biofilm accumulation and overall α-diversity. Additionally, planktonic communities were phylogenetically distant from those in biofilms. All treatments harbored structurally (taxonomically and phylogenetically) distinct microbial communities. Selective advantages within each treatment encouraged growth and revealed the presence of hundreds of additional operational taxonomix units (OTU), representing distinct consortiums of microorganisms. Ultimately, these results provide evidence that mineral/rock composition significantly influences microbial community structure, diversity, membership, phylogenetic variability, and biofilm growth in subsurface communities. PMID:28400754

  8. HIV forensics: pitfalls and acceptable standards in the use of phylogenetic analysis as evidence in criminal investigations of HIV transmission.

    PubMed

    Bernard, E J; Azad, Y; Vandamme, A M; Weait, M; Geretti, A M

    2007-09-01

    Phylogenetic analysis - the study of the genetic relatedness between HIV strains - has recently been used in criminal prosecutions as evidence of responsibility for HIV transmission. In these trials, the expert opinion of virologists has been of critical importance. Phylogenetic analysis of HIV gene sequences is complex and its findings do not achieve the levels of certainty obtained with the forensic analysis of human DNA. Although two individuals may carry HIV strains that are closely related, these will not necessarily be unique to the two parties and could extend to other persons within the same transmission network. For forensic purposes, phylogenetic analysis should be conducted under strictly controlled conditions by laboratories with relevant expertise applying rigorous methods. It is vitally important to include the right controls, which should be epidemiologically and temporally relevant to the parties under investigation. Use of inappropriate controls can exaggerate any relatedness between the virus strains of the complainant and defendant as being strikingly unique. It will be often difficult to obtain the relevant controls. If convenient but less appropriate controls are used, interpretation of the findings should be tempered accordingly. Phylogenetic analysis cannot prove that HIV transmission occurred directly between two individuals. However, it can exonerate individuals by demonstrating that the defendant carries a virus strain unrelated to that of the complainant. Expert witnesses should acknowledge the limitations of the inferences that might be made and choose the correct language in both written and verbal testimony.

  9. Phylogenetic Status of an Unrecorded Species of Curvularia, C. spicifera, Based on Current Classification System of Curvularia and Bipolaris Group Using Multi Loci.

    PubMed

    Jeon, Sun Jeong; Nguyen, Thi Thuong Thuong; Lee, Hyang Burm

    2015-09-01

    A seed-borne fungus, Curvularia sp. EML-KWD01, was isolated from an indigenous wheat seed by standard blotter method. This fungus was characterized based on the morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic analysis. Phylogenetic status of the fungus was determined using sequences of three loci: rDNA internal transcribed spacer, large ribosomal subunit, and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene. Multi loci sequencing analysis revealed that this fungus was Curvularia spicifera within Curvularia group 2 of family Pleosporaceae.

  10. Phylogenetic relationship of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale strains.

    PubMed

    DE Oca-Jimenez, Roberto Montes; Vega-Sanchez, Vicente; Morales-Erasto, Vladimir; Salgado-Miranda, Celene; Blackall, Patrick J; Soriano-Vargas, Edgardo

    2018-04-10

    The bacterium Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale is associated with respiratory disease in wild birds and poultry. In this study, the phylogenetic analysis of nine reference strains of O. rhinotracheale belonging to serovars A to I, and eight Mexican isolates belonging to serovar A, was performed. The analysis was extended to include available sequences from another 23 strains available in the public domain. The analysis showed that the 40 sequences formed six clusters, I to VI. All eight Mexican field isolates were placed in cluster I. One of the reference strains appears to present genetic diversity not previously recognized and was placed in a new genetic cluster. In conclusion, the phylogenetic analysis of O. rhinotracheale strains, based on the 16S rRNA gene, is a suitable tool for epidemiologic studies.

  11. A comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of termites (Isoptera) illuminates key aspects of their evolutionary biology.

    PubMed

    Inward, Daegan J G; Vogler, Alfried P; Eggleton, Paul

    2007-09-01

    The first comprehensive combined molecular and morphological phylogenetic analysis of the major groups of termites is presented. This was based on the analysis of three genes (cytochrome oxidase II, 12S and 28S) and worker characters for approximately 250 species of termites. Parsimony analysis of the aligned dataset showed that the monophyly of Hodotermitidae, Kalotermitidae and Termitidae were well supported, while Termopsidae and Rhinotermitidae were both paraphyletic on the estimated cladogram. Within Termitidae, the most diverse and ecologically most important family, the monophyly of Macrotermitinae, Foraminitermitinae, Apicotermitinae, Syntermitinae and Nasutitermitinae were all broadly supported, but Termitinae was paraphyletic. The pantropical genera Termes, Amitermes and Nasutitermes were all paraphyletic on the estimated cladogram, with at least 17 genera nested within Nasutitermes, given the presently accepted generic limits. Key biological features were mapped onto the cladogram. It was not possible to reconstruct the evolution of true workers unambiguously, as it was as parsimonious to assume a basal evolution of true workers and subsequent evolution of pseudergates, as to assume a basal condition of pseudergates and subsequent evolution of true workers. However, true workers were only found in species with either separate- or intermediate-type nests, so that the mapping of nest habit and worker type onto the cladogram were perfectly correlated. Feeding group evolution, however, showed a much more complex pattern, particularly within the Termitidae, where it proved impossible to estimate unambiguously the ancestral state within the family (which is associated with the loss of worker gut flagellates). However, one biologically plausible optimization implies an initial evolution from wood-feeding to fungus-growing, proposed as the ancestral condition within the Termitidae, followed by the very early evolution of soil-feeding and subsequent re-evolution of wood-feeding in numerous lineages.

  12. Novel Reassortant Influenza A(H1N2) Virus Derived from A(H1N1)pdm09 Virus Isolated from Swine, Japan, 2012

    PubMed Central

    Kobayashi, Miho; Takayama, Ikuyo; Kageyama, Tsutomu; Tsukagoshi, Hiroyuki; Saitoh, Mika; Ishioka, Taisei; Yokota, Yoko; Kimura, Hirokazu; Tashiro, Masato

    2013-01-01

    We isolated a novel influenza virus A(H1N2) strain from a pig on January 13, 2012, in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the strain was a novel type of double-reassortant virus derived from the swine influenza virus strains H1N1pdm09 and H1N2, which were prevalent in Gunma at that time. PMID:24274745

  13. A novel NhaD-type Na+/H+ antiporter from the moderate halophile and alkaliphile Halomonas alkaliphila.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yanhong; Song, Na; Yang, Lina; Abdel-Motaal, Heba; Zhang, Rui; Zhang, Zhenglai; Meng, Fankui; Jiang, Juquan

    2017-07-01

    In this study, a NhaD-type Na + /H + antiporter gene designated Ha-nhaD was obtained by selection of genomic DNA from the moderate halophile and alkaliphile Halomonas alkaliphila in Escherichia coli KNabc lacking 3 major Na + /H + antiporters. The presence of Ha-NhaD conferred tolerance of E. coli KNabc to NaCl up to 0.6 mol·L -1 and to LiCl up to 0.2 mol·L -1 and to an alkaline pH. pH-dependent Na + (Li + )/H + antiport activity was detected from everted membrane vesicles prepared from E. coli KNabc/pUC-nhaD but not those of KNabc/pUC18. Ha-NhaD exhibited Na + (Li + )/H + antiport activity over a wide pH range from 7.0 to 9.5, with the highest activity at pH 9.0. Protein sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis revealed that Ha-NhaD is significantly different from the 7 known NhaD-type Na + /H + antiporters, including Dw-NhaD, Dl-NhaD, Vp-NhaD, Vc-NhaD, Aa-NhaD, He-NhaD, and Ha-NhaD1. Although Ha-NhaD showed a closer phylogenetic relationship with Ha-NhaD2, a significant difference in pH-dependent activity profile exists between Ha-NhaD and Ha-NhaD2. Taken together, Ha-nhaD encodes a novel pH-dependent NhaD-type Na + /H + antiporter.

  14. Detection and Phylogenetic Analysis of Group 1 Coronaviruses in South American Bats

    PubMed Central

    Foster, Jerome E.; Zhu, Hua Chen; Zhang, Jin Xia; Smith, Gavin J.D.; Thompson, Nadin; Auguste, Albert J.; Ramkissoon, Vernie; Adesiyun, Abiodun A.; Guan, Yi

    2008-01-01

    Bat coronaviruses (Bt-CoVs) are thought to be the precursors of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. We detected Bt-CoVs in 2 bat species from Trinidad. Phylogenetic analysis of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene and helicase confirmed them as group 1 coronaviruses. PMID:19046513

  15. Phylogenetic analysis of of Sarcocystis nesbitti (Coccidia: Sarcocystidae) suggests a snake as its probable definitive host

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Sarcocystis nesbitti was first described by Mandour in 1969 from rhesus monkey muscle. Its definitive host remains unknown. 18SrRNA gene of Sarcocystis nesbitti was amplified, sequenced, and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Among those congeners available for comparison, it shares closest affinit...

  16. Brachybacterium hainanense sp. nov., isolated from noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) branch.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yang; Zhai, Lei; Yao, Su; Cao, Yanhua; Cao, Yu; Zhang, Xin; Su, Jiaojiao; Ge, Yuanyuan; Zhao, Ran; Cheng, Chi

    2015-11-01

    A Gram-stain-positive bacterial strain, designated as NR2T, isolated from noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) branch was investigated using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. The cells were small coccoid to ovoid, non-spore-forming and motile. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strain was a representative of a member of the genus Brachybacterium, to which the most closely related neighbours were Brachybacterium squillarum M-6-3T (97.90 % similarity), Brachybacterium faecium DSM 4810T (97.50 %), Brachybacterium sacelli LMG 20345T (97.41 %), Brachybacterium phenoliresistens phenol-AT (97.36 %), Brachybacterium nesterenkovii DSM 9573T (97.36 %) and Brachybacterium rhamnosum LMG 19848T (97.32 %). The polar lipid profile of strain NR2T consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, unknown phospholipids and unknown glycolipids. The predominant respiratory quinone was MK-8, with MK-9 and MK-7 as minor components. The major fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0 and iso-C15 : 0. Strain NR2T was clearly distinguishable from the type strains of related species on the basis of phylogenetic analysis, DNA-DNA hybridization, fatty acid composition data analysis and a range of physiological and comparison of biochemical characteristics. It is evident from the genotypic and phenotypic data that strain NR2T represents a novel species of the genus Brachybacterium, for which the name Brachybacterium hainanense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NR2T ( = DSM 29535T = CICC 10874T).

  17. Using Phylogenetic Analysis to Detect Market Substitution of Atlantic Salmon for Pacific Salmon: An Introductory Biology Laboratory Experiment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cline, Erica; Gogarten, Jennifer

    2012-01-01

    We describe a laboratory exercise developed for the cell and molecular biology quarter of a year-long majors' undergraduate introductory biology sequence. In an analysis of salmon samples collected by students in their local stores and restaurants, DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were used to detect market substitution of Atlantic salmon…

  18. Methanotroph Diversity in Landfill Soil: Isolation of Novel Type I and Type II Methanotrophs Whose Presence Was Suggested by Culture-Independent 16S Ribosomal DNA Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Wise, Mark G.; McArthur, J Vaun; Shimkets, Lawrence J.

    1999-01-01

    The diversity of the methanotrophic community in mildly acidic landfill cover soil was assessed by three methods: two culture-independent molecular approaches and a traditional culture-based approach. For the first of the molecular studies, two primer pairs specific for the 16S rRNA gene of validly published type I (including the former type X) and type II methanotrophs were identified and tested. These primers were used to amplify directly extracted soil DNA, and the products were used to construct type I and type II clone libraries. The second molecular approach, based on denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), provided profiles of the methanotrophic community members as distinguished by sequence differences in variable region 3 of the 16S ribosomal DNA. For the culturing studies, an extinction-dilution technique was employed to isolate slow-growing but numerically dominant strains. The key variables of the series of enrichment conditions were initial pH (4.8 versus 6.8), air/CH4/CO2 headspace ratio (50:45:5 versus 90:9:1), and concentration of the medium (1× nitrate minimal salts [NMS] versus 0.2× NMS). Screening of the isolates showed that the nutrient-rich 1× NMS selected for type I methanotrophs, while the nutrient-poor 0.2× NMS tended to enrich for type II methanotrophs. Partial sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene from selected clones and isolates revealed some of the same novel sequence types. Phylogenetic analysis of the type I clone library suggested the presence of a new phylotype related to the Methylobacter-Methylomicrobium group, and this was confirmed by isolating two members of this cluster. The type II clone library also suggested the existence of a novel group of related species distinct from the validly published Methylosinus and Methylocystis genera, and two members of this cluster were also successfully cultured. Partial sequencing of the pmoA gene, which codes for the 27-kDa polypeptide of the particulate methane monooxygenase, reaffirmed the phylogenetic placement of the four isolates. Finally, not all of the bands separated by DGGE could be accounted for by the clones and isolates. This polyphasic assessment of community structure demonstrates that much diversity among the obligate methane oxidizers has yet to be formally described. PMID:10543800

  19. Phylogenetic comparative methods complement discriminant function analysis in ecomorphology.

    PubMed

    Barr, W Andrew; Scott, Robert S

    2014-04-01

    In ecomorphology, Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) has been used as evidence for the presence of functional links between morphometric variables and ecological categories. Here we conduct simulations of characters containing phylogenetic signal to explore the performance of DFA under a variety of conditions. Characters were simulated using a phylogeny of extant antelope species from known habitats. Characters were modeled with no biomechanical relationship to the habitat category; the only sources of variation were body mass, phylogenetic signal, or random "noise." DFA on the discriminability of habitat categories was performed using subsets of the simulated characters, and Phylogenetic Generalized Least Squares (PGLS) was performed for each character. Analyses were repeated with randomized habitat assignments. When simulated characters lacked phylogenetic signal and/or habitat assignments were random, <5.6% of DFAs and <8.26% of PGLS analyses were significant. When characters contained phylogenetic signal and actual habitats were used, 33.27 to 45.07% of DFAs and <13.09% of PGLS analyses were significant. False Discovery Rate (FDR) corrections for multiple PGLS analyses reduced the rate of significance to <4.64%. In all cases using actual habitats and characters with phylogenetic signal, correct classification rates of DFAs exceeded random chance. In simulations involving phylogenetic signal in both predictor variables and predicted categories, PGLS with FDR was rarely significant, while DFA often was. In short, DFA offered no indication that differences between categories might be explained by phylogenetic signal, while PGLS did. As such, PGLS provides a valuable tool for testing the functional hypotheses at the heart of ecomorphology. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Patterns of forest phylogenetic community structure across the United States and their possible forest health implications

    Treesearch

    Kevin M. Potter; Frank H. Koch

    2014-01-01

    The analysis of phylogenetic relationships among co-occurring tree species offers insights into the ecological organization of forest communities from an evolutionary perspective and, when employed regionally across thousands of plots, can assist in forest health assessment. Phylogenetic clustering of species, when species are more closely related than expected by...

  1. Specimen-level phylogenetics in paleontology using the Fossilized Birth-Death model with sampled ancestors.

    PubMed

    Cau, Andrea

    2017-01-01

    Bayesian phylogenetic methods integrating simultaneously morphological and stratigraphic information have been applied increasingly among paleontologists. Most of these studies have used Bayesian methods as an alternative to the widely-used parsimony analysis, to infer macroevolutionary patterns and relationships among species-level or higher taxa. Among recently introduced Bayesian methodologies, the Fossilized Birth-Death (FBD) model allows incorporation of hypotheses on ancestor-descendant relationships in phylogenetic analyses including fossil taxa. Here, the FBD model is used to infer the relationships among an ingroup formed exclusively by fossil individuals, i.e., dipnoan tooth plates from four localities in the Ain el Guettar Formation of Tunisia. Previous analyses of this sample compared the results of phylogenetic analysis using parsimony with stratigraphic methods, inferred a high diversity (five or more genera) in the Ain el Guettar Formation, and interpreted it as an artifact inflated by depositional factors. In the analysis performed here, the uncertainty on the chronostratigraphic relationships among the specimens was included among the prior settings. The results of the analysis confirm the referral of most of the specimens to the taxa Asiatoceratodus , Equinoxiodus, Lavocatodus and Neoceratodus , but reject those to Ceratodus and Ferganoceratodus . The resulting phylogeny constrained the evolution of the Tunisian sample exclusively in the Early Cretaceous, contrasting with the previous scenario inferred by the stratigraphically-calibrated topology resulting from parsimony analysis. The phylogenetic framework also suggests that (1) the sampled localities are laterally equivalent, (2) but three localities are restricted to the youngest part of the section; both results are in agreement with previous stratigraphic analyses of these localities. The FBD model of specimen-level units provides a novel tool for phylogenetic inference among fossils but also for independent tests of stratigraphic scenarios.

  2. Comparative Genome Analysis of Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli Sequence Type 131 Strains from Nepal and Japan

    PubMed Central

    Miyoshi-Akiyama, Tohru; Sherchan, Jatan Bahadur; Doi, Yohei; Nagamatsu, Maki; Sherchand, Jeevan B.; Tandukar, Sarmila; Ohmagari, Norio; Kirikae, Teruo; Ohara, Hiroshi

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT The global spread of extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-E. coli) has largely been driven by the pandemic sequence type 131 (ST131). This study aimed to determine the molecular epidemiology of their spread in two Asian countries with contrasting prevalence. We conducted whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of ESBL-E. coli ST131 strains collected prospectively from Nepal and Japan, two countries in Asia with a high and low prevalence of ESBL-E. coli, respectively. We also systematically compared these genomes with those reported from other regions using publicly available WGS data for E. coli ST131 strains. Further, we conducted phylogenetic analysis of these isolates and all genome sequence data for ST131 strains to determine sequence diversity. One hundred five unique ESBL-E. coli isolates from Nepal (February 2013 to July 2013) and 76 isolates from Japan (October 2013 to September 2014) were included. Of these isolates, 54 (51%) isolates from Nepal and 11 (14%) isolates from Japan were identified as ST131 by WGS. Phylogenetic analysis based on WGS suggested that the majority of ESBL-E. coli ST131 isolates from Nepal clustered together, whereas those from Japan were more diverse. Half of the ESBL-E. coli ST131 isolates from Japan belonged to virotype C, whereas half of the isolates from Nepal belonged to a virotype other than virotype A, B, C, D, or E (A/B/C/D/E). The dominant sublineage of E. coli ST131 was H30Rx, which was most prominent in ESBL-E. coli ST131 isolates from Nepal. Our results revealed distinct phylogenetic characteristics of ESBL-E. coli ST131 spread in the two geographical areas of Asia, indicating the involvement of multiple factors in its local spread in each region. IMPORTANCE The global spread of ESBL-E. coli has been driven in large part by pandemic sequence type 131 (ST131). A recent study suggested that, within E. coli ST131, certain sublineages have disseminated worldwide with little association with their geographical origin, highlighting the complexity of the epidemiology of this pandemic clone. ST131 bacteria have also been classified into four virotypes based on the distribution of certain virulence genes. Information on virotype distribution in Asian ST131 strains is limited. We conducted whole-genome sequencing of ESBL-E. coli ST131 strains collected in Nepal and Japan, two Asian countries with a high and low prevalence of ESBL-E. coli, respectively. We systematically compared these ST131 genomes with those reported from other regions to gain insights into the molecular epidemiology of their spread and found the distinct phylogenetic characteristics of the spread of ESBL-E. coli ST131 in these two geographical areas of Asia. PMID:27830191

  3. Soft-tissue anatomy of the extant hominoids: a review and phylogenetic analysis

    PubMed Central

    Gibbs, S; Collard, M; Wood, B

    2002-01-01

    This paper reports the results of a literature search for information about the soft-tissue anatomy of the extant non-human hominoid genera, Pan, Gorilla, Pongo and Hylobates, together with the results of a phylogenetic analysis of these data plus comparable data for Homo. Information on the four extant non-human hominoid genera was located for 240 out of the 1783 soft-tissue structures listed in the Nomina Anatomica. Numerically these data are biased so that information about some systems (e.g. muscles) and some regions (e.g. the forelimb) are over-represented, whereas other systems and regions (e.g. the veins and the lymphatics of the vascular system, the head region) are either under-represented or not represented at all. Screening to ensure that the data were suitable for use in a phylogenetic analysis reduced the number of eligible soft-tissue structures to 171. These data, together with comparable data for modern humans, were converted into discontinuous character states suitable for phylogenetic analysis and then used to construct a taxon-by-character matrix. This matrix was used in two tests of the hypothesis that soft-tissue characters can be relied upon to reconstruct hominoid phylogenetic relationships. In the first, parsimony analysis was used to identify cladograms requiring the smallest number of character state changes. In the second, the phylogenetic bootstrap was used to determine the confidence intervals of the most parsimonious clades. The parsimony analysis yielded a single most parsimonious cladogram that matched the molecular cladogram. Similarly the bootstrap analysis yielded clades that were compatible with the molecular cladogram; a (Homo, Pan) clade was supported by 95% of the replicates, and a (Gorilla, Pan, Homo) clade by 96%. These are the first hominoid morphological data to provide statistically significant support for the clades favoured by the molecular evidence. PMID:11833653

  4. Emergence of MD type infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus in Washington State coastal steelhead trout

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Breyta, Rachel; Jones, Amelia; Stewart, Bruce; Brunson, Ray; Thomas, Joan; Kerwin, John; Bertolini, Jim; Mumford, Sonia; Patterson, Chris; Kurath, Gael

    2013-01-01

    Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) occurs in North America as 3 major phylogenetic groups designated U, M, and L. In coastal Washington State, IHNV has historically consisted of U genogroup viruses found predominantly in sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka. M genogroup IHNV, which has host-specific virulence for rainbow and steelhead trout O. mykiss, was detected only once in coastal Washington prior to 2007, in an epidemic among juvenile steelhead trout in 1997. Beginning in 2007 and continuing through 2011, there were 8 IHNV epidemics in juvenile steelhead trout, involving 7 different fish culture facilities in 4 separate watersheds. During the same time period, IHNV was also detected in asymptomatic adult steelhead trout from 6 coastal watersheds. Genetic typing of 283 recent virus isolates from coastal Washington revealed that the great majority were in the M genogroup of IHNV and that there were 2 distinct waves of viral emergence between the years 2007 and 2011. IHNV type mG110M was dominant in coastal steelhead trout during 2007 to 2009, and type mG139M was dominant between 2010 and 2011. Phylogenetic analysis of viral isolates indicated that all coastal M genogroup viruses detected in 1997 and 2007 to 2011 were part of the MD subgroup and that several novel genetic variants related to the dominant types arose in the coastal sites. Comparison of spatial and temporal incidence of coastal MD viruses with that of the rest of the Pacific Northwest indicated that the likely source of the emergent viruses was Columbia River Basin steelhead trout. 

  5. Proposal for creation of a new genus Neomicrococcus gen. nov. to accommodate Zhihengliuella aestuarii Baik et al. 2011 and Micrococcus lactis Chittpurna et al. 2011 as Neomicrococcus aestuarii comb. nov. and Neomicrococcus lactis comb. nov.

    PubMed

    Prakash, Om; Sharma, Avinash; Nimonkar, Yogesh; Shouche, Yogesh S

    2015-11-01

    Micrococcus lactis and Zhihengliuella aestuarii were described independently in 2011. Their type strains showed high levels of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (99.3%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that M. lactis MCC 2278T and Z. aestuarii JCM 16166T formed a monophyletic group and showed distant relationships to other members of closely related genera such as Micrococcus, Zhihengliuella, Arthrobacter and Citricoccus. The presence of large proportions of iso-C14:0 and iso-C16:0 with small amounts of iso-C15:0 distinguished M. lactis MCC 2278T and Z. aestuarii JCM 16166T from other members of the genera Micrococcus and Zhihengliuella. Unlike other members of the genera Zhihengliuella and Micrococcus, M. lactis MCC 2278T and Z. aestuarii JCM 16166T showed growth at low concentrations of NaCl. Thus, based on distinctive phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and physiological features of these two organisms in comparison with other members of the genera Micrococcus and Zhihengliuella, it is clear that they do not fit within the existing classification and deserve separate status. DNA-DNA hybridization between the two type strains was 63%, indicating that they represent separate species. In this study, we propose the creation of a novel genus, Neomicrococcus gen. nov., to accommodate the two species with Neomicrococcus aestuarii gen. nov., comb. nov. (type strain JCM 16166T = KCTC 19557T) as the type species. Neomicrococcus lactis comb. nov. (type strain MCC 2278T = DSM 23694T) is also proposed.

  6. Functional phylogenomics analysis of bacteria and archaea using consistent genome annotation with UniFam

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chai, Juanjuan; Kora, Guruprasad; Ahn, Tae-Hyuk

    2014-10-09

    To supply some background, phylogenetic studies have provided detailed knowledge on the evolutionary mechanisms of genes and species in Bacteria and Archaea. However, the evolution of cellular functions, represented by metabolic pathways and biological processes, has not been systematically characterized. Many clades in the prokaryotic tree of life have now been covered by sequenced genomes in GenBank. This enables a large-scale functional phylogenomics study of many computationally inferred cellular functions across all sequenced prokaryotes. Our results show a total of 14,727 GenBank prokaryotic genomes were re-annotated using a new protein family database, UniFam, to obtain consistent functional annotations for accuratemore » comparison. The functional profile of a genome was represented by the biological process Gene Ontology (GO) terms in its annotation. The GO term enrichment analysis differentiated the functional profiles between selected archaeal taxa. 706 prokaryotic metabolic pathways were inferred from these genomes using Pathway Tools and MetaCyc. The consistency between the distribution of metabolic pathways in the genomes and the phylogenetic tree of the genomes was measured using parsimony scores and retention indices. The ancestral functional profiles at the internal nodes of the phylogenetic tree were reconstructed to track the gains and losses of metabolic pathways in evolutionary history. In conclusion, our functional phylogenomics analysis shows divergent functional profiles of taxa and clades. Such function-phylogeny correlation stems from a set of clade-specific cellular functions with low parsimony scores. On the other hand, many cellular functions are sparsely dispersed across many clades with high parsimony scores. These different types of cellular functions have distinct evolutionary patterns reconstructed from the prokaryotic tree.« less

  7. An integrated phylogenetic analysis on ascaridoid nematodes (Anisakidae, Raphidascarididae), including further description and intraspecific variations of Raphidascaris (Sprentascaris) lanfrediae in freshwater fishes from Brazil.

    PubMed

    Pereira, Felipe B; Luque, José L

    2017-02-01

    Genetic and morphological variations in two component populations of Raphidascaris (Sprentascaris) lanfrediae collected in the intestine of Geophagus argyrosticus and G. proximus (Cichlidae) from States of Pará and Amapá, Brazil, respectively, were explored for the first time. A phylogenetic study including two genes (18S and 28S of the rDNA) plus morphological and life history traits of "anisakid-related" nematodes (Anisakidae, Raphidascarididae) was also performed in order to clarify taxonomic and systematic issues related to these taxa. Gene alignments were subjected to maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian Inference (BI), and combined data of the genetic and morphological datasets was subjected to maximum parsimony (MP) analysis. Despite of the subtle differences in the morphology (mainly in male caudal papillae) and morphometry between specimens of R. (S.) lanfrediae from the two different hosts and from the type material of the species, no genetic variation was found among representatives of the newly collected material. This find may represent an example of gene-environment interactions, similar to that recently observed for Raphidascaroides brasiliensis. Phylogenetic reconstructions indicated the paraphyly of Anisakidae represented by two subfamilies, i.e., Anisakinae and Contracaecinae and the monophyly of Raphidascarididae. Analysis of the combined datasets revealed that some morphological traits may represent apomorphic characters of Raphidascarididae and Anisakidae, whereas others are highly homoplastic and some may be interpreted with careful to avoid errors. The results support the premise that taxonomists should consider Anisakidae and Raphidascarididae as separate families, and only two subfamilies of Anisakidae, i.e., Anisakinae and Contracaecinae. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Phylogeny in Defining Model Plants for Lignocellulosic Ethanol Production: A Comparative Study of Brachypodium distachyon, Wheat, Maize, and Miscanthus x giganteus Leaf and Stem Biomass

    PubMed Central

    Meineke, Till; Manisseri, Chithra; Voigt, Christian A.

    2014-01-01

    The production of ethanol from pretreated plant biomass during fermentation is a strategy to mitigate climate change by substituting fossil fuels. However, biomass conversion is mainly limited by the recalcitrant nature of the plant cell wall. To overcome recalcitrance, the optimization of the plant cell wall for subsequent processing is a promising approach. Based on their phylogenetic proximity to existing and emerging energy crops, model plants have been proposed to study bioenergy-related cell wall biochemistry. One example is Brachypodium distachyon, which has been considered as a general model plant for cell wall analysis in grasses. To test whether relative phylogenetic proximity would be sufficient to qualify as a model plant not only for cell wall composition but also for the complete process leading to bioethanol production, we compared the processing of leaf and stem biomass from the C3 grasses B. distachyon and Triticum aestivum (wheat) with the C4 grasses Zea mays (maize) and Miscanthus x giganteus, a perennial energy crop. Lambda scanning with a confocal laser-scanning microscope allowed a rapid qualitative analysis of biomass saccharification. A maximum of 108–117 mg ethanol·g−1 dry biomass was yielded from thermo-chemically and enzymatically pretreated stem biomass of the tested plant species. Principal component analysis revealed that a relatively strong correlation between similarities in lignocellulosic ethanol production and phylogenetic relation was only given for stem and leaf biomass of the two tested C4 grasses. Our results suggest that suitability of B. distachyon as a model plant for biomass conversion of energy crops has to be specifically tested based on applied processing parameters and biomass tissue type. PMID:25133818

  9. A RAD-based phylogenetics for Orestias fishes from Lake Titicaca.

    PubMed

    Takahashi, Tetsumi; Moreno, Edmundo

    2015-12-01

    The fish genus Orestias is endemic to the Andes highlands, and Lake Titicaca is the centre of the species diversity of the genus. Previous phylogenetic studies based on a single locus of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA strongly support the monophyly of a group composed of many of species endemic to the Lake Titicaca basin (the Lake Titicaca radiation), but the relationships among the species in the radiation remain unclear. Recently, restriction site-associated DNA (RAD) sequencing, which can produce a vast number of short sequences from various loci of nuclear DNA, has emerged as a useful way to resolve complex phylogenetic problems. To propose a new phylogenetic hypothesis of Orestias fishes of the Lake Titicaca radiation, we conducted a cluster analysis based on morphological similarities among fish samples and a molecular phylogenetic analysis based on RAD sequencing. From a morphological cluster analysis, we recognised four species groups in the radiation, and three of the four groups were resolved as monophyletic groups in maximum-likelihood trees based on RAD sequencing data. The other morphology-based group was not resolved as a monophyletic group in molecular phylogenies, and some members of the group were diverged from its sister group close to the root of the Lake Titicaca radiation. The evolution of these fishes is discussed from the phylogenetic relationships. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Comparing Mycobacterium tuberculosis genomes using genome topology networks.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Jianping; Gu, Jianlei; Zhang, Liang; Zhang, Chenyi; Deng, Xiao; Dou, Tonghai; Zhao, Guoping; Zhou, Yan

    2015-02-14

    Over the last decade, emerging research methods, such as comparative genomic analysis and phylogenetic study, have yielded new insights into genotypes and phenotypes of closely related bacterial strains. Several findings have revealed that genomic structural variations (SVs), including gene gain/loss, gene duplication and genome rearrangement, can lead to different phenotypes among strains, and an investigation of genes affected by SVs may extend our knowledge of the relationships between SVs and phenotypes in microbes, especially in pathogenic bacteria. In this work, we introduce a 'Genome Topology Network' (GTN) method based on gene homology and gene locations to analyze genomic SVs and perform phylogenetic analysis. Furthermore, the concept of 'unfixed ortholog' has been proposed, whose members are affected by SVs in genome topology among close species. To improve the precision of 'unfixed ortholog' recognition, a strategy to detect annotation differences and complete gene annotation was applied. To assess the GTN method, a set of thirteen complete M. tuberculosis genomes was analyzed as a case study. GTNs with two different gene homology-assigning methods were built, the Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG) method and the orthoMCL clustering method, and two phylogenetic trees were constructed accordingly, which may provide additional insights into whole genome-based phylogenetic analysis. We obtained 24 unfixable COG groups, of which most members were related to immunogenicity and drug resistance, such as PPE-repeat proteins (COG5651) and transcriptional regulator TetR gene family members (COG1309). The GTN method has been implemented in PERL and released on our website. The tool can be downloaded from http://homepage.fudan.edu.cn/zhouyan/gtn/ , and allows re-annotating the 'lost' genes among closely related genomes, analyzing genes affected by SVs, and performing phylogenetic analysis. With this tool, many immunogenic-related and drug resistance-related genes were found to be affected by SVs in M. tuberculosis genomes. We believe that the GTN method will be suitable for the exploration of genomic SVs in connection with biological features of bacterial strains, and that GTN-based phylogenetic analysis will provide additional insights into whole genome-based phylogenetic analysis.

  11. Estimating phylogenetic trees from genome-scale data.

    PubMed

    Liu, Liang; Xi, Zhenxiang; Wu, Shaoyuan; Davis, Charles C; Edwards, Scott V

    2015-12-01

    The heterogeneity of signals in the genomes of diverse organisms poses challenges for traditional phylogenetic analysis. Phylogenetic methods known as "species tree" methods have been proposed to directly address one important source of gene tree heterogeneity, namely the incomplete lineage sorting that occurs when evolving lineages radiate rapidly, resulting in a diversity of gene trees from a single underlying species tree. Here we review theory and empirical examples that help clarify conflicts between species tree and concatenation methods, and misconceptions in the literature about the performance of species tree methods. Considering concatenation as a special case of the multispecies coalescent model helps explain differences in the behavior of the two methods on phylogenomic data sets. Recent work suggests that species tree methods are more robust than concatenation approaches to some of the classic challenges of phylogenetic analysis, including rapidly evolving sites in DNA sequences and long-branch attraction. We show that approaches, such as binning, designed to augment the signal in species tree analyses can distort the distribution of gene trees and are inconsistent. Computationally efficient species tree methods incorporating biological realism are a key to phylogenetic analysis of whole-genome data. © 2015 New York Academy of Sciences.

  12. Hypomyelination associated with bovine viral diarrhea virus type 2 infection in a longhorn calf.

    PubMed

    Porter, B F; Ridpath, J F; Calise, D V; Payne, H R; Janke, J J; Baxter, D G; Edwards, J F

    2010-07-01

    A newborn Longhorn heifer calf presented with generalized tremors, muscle fasciculations, ataxia, and nystagmus. At necropsy, no gross central nervous system lesions were observed. Histologically, the brain and spinal cord had mild to moderate diffuse microgliosis and astrocytosis, minimal nonsuppurative encephalitis, and decreased myelin staining. Ultrastructural examination revealed thinning and absence of myelin sheaths. Various cell types were immunohistochemically positive for bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). Noncytopathogenic BVDV was isolated from the brain and identified as BVDV type 2 by phylogenetic analysis. BVDV-induced hypomyelination is rare and analogous to lesions in neonates infected with border disease and classical swine fever viruses. This is the first documented case of hypomyelination in a calf specifically attributed to BVDV type 2 and the first description of the ultrastructural appearance of BVDV-induced hypomyelination.

  13. CDAO-Store: Ontology-driven Data Integration for Phylogenetic Analysis

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background The Comparative Data Analysis Ontology (CDAO) is an ontology developed, as part of the EvoInfo and EvoIO groups supported by the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, to provide semantic descriptions of data and transformations commonly found in the domain of phylogenetic analysis. The core concepts of the ontology enable the description of phylogenetic trees and associated character data matrices. Results Using CDAO as the semantic back-end, we developed a triple-store, named CDAO-Store. CDAO-Store is a RDF-based store of phylogenetic data, including a complete import of TreeBASE. CDAO-Store provides a programmatic interface, in the form of web services, and a web-based front-end, to perform both user-defined as well as domain-specific queries; domain-specific queries include search for nearest common ancestors, minimum spanning clades, filter multiple trees in the store by size, author, taxa, tree identifier, algorithm or method. In addition, CDAO-Store provides a visualization front-end, called CDAO-Explorer, which can be used to view both character data matrices and trees extracted from the CDAO-Store. CDAO-Store provides import capabilities, enabling the addition of new data to the triple-store; files in PHYLIP, MEGA, nexml, and NEXUS formats can be imported and their CDAO representations added to the triple-store. Conclusions CDAO-Store is made up of a versatile and integrated set of tools to support phylogenetic analysis. To the best of our knowledge, CDAO-Store is the first semantically-aware repository of phylogenetic data with domain-specific querying capabilities. The portal to CDAO-Store is available at http://www.cs.nmsu.edu/~cdaostore. PMID:21496247

  14. CDAO-store: ontology-driven data integration for phylogenetic analysis.

    PubMed

    Chisham, Brandon; Wright, Ben; Le, Trung; Son, Tran Cao; Pontelli, Enrico

    2011-04-15

    The Comparative Data Analysis Ontology (CDAO) is an ontology developed, as part of the EvoInfo and EvoIO groups supported by the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, to provide semantic descriptions of data and transformations commonly found in the domain of phylogenetic analysis. The core concepts of the ontology enable the description of phylogenetic trees and associated character data matrices. Using CDAO as the semantic back-end, we developed a triple-store, named CDAO-Store. CDAO-Store is a RDF-based store of phylogenetic data, including a complete import of TreeBASE. CDAO-Store provides a programmatic interface, in the form of web services, and a web-based front-end, to perform both user-defined as well as domain-specific queries; domain-specific queries include search for nearest common ancestors, minimum spanning clades, filter multiple trees in the store by size, author, taxa, tree identifier, algorithm or method. In addition, CDAO-Store provides a visualization front-end, called CDAO-Explorer, which can be used to view both character data matrices and trees extracted from the CDAO-Store. CDAO-Store provides import capabilities, enabling the addition of new data to the triple-store; files in PHYLIP, MEGA, nexml, and NEXUS formats can be imported and their CDAO representations added to the triple-store. CDAO-Store is made up of a versatile and integrated set of tools to support phylogenetic analysis. To the best of our knowledge, CDAO-Store is the first semantically-aware repository of phylogenetic data with domain-specific querying capabilities. The portal to CDAO-Store is available at http://www.cs.nmsu.edu/~cdaostore.

  15. Molecular characterization and morphology of Cochlodinium strangulatum, the type species of Cochlodinium, and Margalefidinium gen. nov. for C. polykrikoides and allied species (Gymnodiniales, Dinophyceae).

    PubMed

    Gómez, Fernando; Richlen, Mindy L; Anderson, Donald M

    2017-03-01

    Photosynthetic species of the dinoflagellate genus Cochlodinium such as C. polykrikoides, one of the most harmful bloom-forming dinoflagellates, have been extensively investigated. Little is known about the heterotrophic forms of Cochlodinium, such as its type species, Cochlodinium strangulatum. This is an uncommon, large (∼200μm long), solitary, and phagotrophic species, with numerous refractile bodies, a central nucleus enclosed in a distinct perinuclear capsule, and a cell surface with fine longitudinal striae and a circular apical groove. The morphology of C. polykrikoides and allied species is different from the generic type. It is a bloom-forming species with single, two or four-celled chains, small cell size (25-40μm long) with elongated chloroplasts arranged longitudinally and in parallel, anterior nucleus, eye-spot in the anterior dorsal side, and a cell surface smooth with U-shaped apical groove. Phylogenetic analysis based on LSU rDNA sequences revealed that C. strangulatum and C. polykrikoides/C. fulvescens formed two distally related, independent lineages. Based on morphological and phylogenetic analyses, the diagnosis of Cochlodinium is emended and C. miniatum is proposed as synonym of C. strangulatum. The new genus Margalefidinium gen. nov., and new combinations for C. catenatum, C. citron, C. flavum, C. fulvescens and C. polykrikoides are proposed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Proposal of Mucilaginibacter galii sp. nov. isolated from leaves of Galium album.

    PubMed

    Aydogan, Ebru L; Busse, Hans-Jürgen; Moser, Gerald; Müller, Christoph; Kämpfer, Peter; Glaeser, Stefanie P

    2017-05-01

    A pale-pink-pigmented, Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacterial strain, PP-F2F-G47T, was isolated from the phyllosphere of the herbaceous plant Galium album. Phylogenetic analysis based on the nearly full-length 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed highest sequence similarity to the type strains of Mucilaginibacter daejeonensis (96.2 %), Mucilaginibacter dorajii (95.7 %) and Mucilaginibacter phyllosphaerae (95.5 %). 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities to all other type strains were below 95.5 %. The predominant cellular fatty acids of the strain were C16 : 1ω7c/iso-C15 : 0 2-OH (measured as summed feature 3) and iso-C15 : 0. The major compound in the polyamine pattern was sym-homospermidine and major quinone was menaquinone MK-7. The polar lipid profile was composed of phosphatidylethanolamine and several unidentified aminolipipids, phospholipids, aminophospholipids and lipids without a functional group. A sphingophospholipid could not be detected but a ninhydrin-positive alkaline-stable lipid was visible. The diagnostic diamino acid of the peptidoglycan was meso-diaminopimelic acid. Based on phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic analyses a novel species is proposed, Mucilaginibacter galii sp. nov., with PP-F2F-G47T (=CCM 8711T=CIP 111182T=LMG 29767T) as the type strain.

  17. Characterization of a novel orthoreovirus isolated from fruit bat, China.

    PubMed

    Hu, Tingsong; Qiu, Wei; He, Biao; Zhang, Yan; Yu, Jing; Liang, Xiu; Zhang, Wendong; Chen, Gang; Zhang, Yingguo; Wang, Yiyin; Zheng, Ying; Feng, Ziliang; Hu, Yonghe; Zhou, Weiguo; Tu, Changchun; Fan, Quanshui; Zhang, Fuqiang

    2014-11-30

    In recent years novel human respiratory disease agents have been described for Southeast Asia and Australia. The causative pathogens were classified as pteropine orthoreoviruses with a strong phylogenetic relationship to orthoreoviruses of bat origin. In this report, we isolated a novel Melaka-like reovirus (named "Cangyuan virus") from intestinal content samples of one fruit bat residing in China's Yunnan province. Phylogenetic analysis of the whole Cangyuan virus genome sequences of segments L, M and S demonstrated the genetic diversity of the Cangyuan virus. In contrast to the L and M segments, the phylogenetic trees for the S segments of Cangyuan virus demonstrated a greater degree of heterogeneity. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the Cangyuan virus was a novel orthoreovirus and substantially different from currently known members of Pteropine orthoreovirus (PRV) species group.

  18. Comparative mitochondrial genome analysis reveals the evolutionary rearrangement mechanism in Brassica.

    PubMed

    Yang, J; Liu, G; Zhao, N; Chen, S; Liu, D; Ma, W; Hu, Z; Zhang, M

    2016-05-01

    The genus Brassica has many species that are important for oil, vegetable and other food products. Three mitochondrial genome types (mitotype) originated from its common ancestor. In this paper, a B. nigra mitochondrial main circle genome with 232,407 bp was generated through de novo assembly. Synteny analysis showed that the mitochondrial genomes of B. rapa and B. oleracea had a better syntenic relationship than B. nigra. Principal components analysis and development of a phylogenetic tree indicated maternal ancestors of three allotetraploid species in Us triangle of Brassica. Diversified mitotypes were found in allotetraploid B. napus, in which napus-type B. napus was derived from B. oleracea, while polima-type B. napus was inherited from B. rapa. In addition, the mitochondrial genome of napus-type B. napus was closer to botrytis-type than capitata-type B. oleracea. The sub-stoichiometric shifting of several mitochondrial genes suggested that mitochondrial genome rearrangement underwent evolutionary selection during domestication and/or plant breeding. Our findings clarify the role of diploid species in the maternal origin of allotetraploid species in Brassica and suggest the possibility of breeding selection of the mitochondrial genome. © 2015 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  19. Comparative analysis of the bacterial diversity in a lab-scale moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) applied to treat urban wastewater under different operational conditions.

    PubMed

    Calderón, Kadiya; Martín-Pascual, Jaime; Poyatos, José Manuel; Rodelas, Belén; González-Martínez, Alejandro; González-López, Jesús

    2012-10-01

    Different types of carriers were tested as support material in a lab-scale moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) used to treat urban wastewater under three different conditions of hydraulic retention time (HRT) and carrier filling ratios (FR). The bacterial diversity developed on the biofilms responsible of the treatment was studied using a cultivation-independent approach based on the polymerase chain reaction-temperature gradient gel electrophoresis technique (PCR-TGGE). Cluster analysis of TGGE fingerprints showed significant differences of community structure dependent upon the different operational conditions applied. Redundancy analysis (RDA) was used to determine the relationship between the operational conditions (type of carrier, HRT, FR) and bacterial biofilm diversity, demonstrating a significant effect of FR=50%. Phylogenetic analysis of PCR-reamplified and sequenced TGGE bands revealed that the prevalent Bacteria populations in the biofilm were related to Betaproteobacteria (46%), Firmicutes (34%),Alphaproteobacteria (14%) and Gammaproteobacteria (9%). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Molecular Epidemiology and Phylogeny Reveal Complex Spatial Dynamics in Areas Where Canine Parvovirus Is Endemic ▿†

    PubMed Central

    Clegg, S. R.; Coyne, K. P.; Parker, J.; Dawson, S.; Godsall, S. A.; Pinchbeck, G.; Cripps, P. J.; Gaskell, R. M.; Radford, A. D.

    2011-01-01

    Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) is a severe enteric pathogen of dogs, causing high mortality in unvaccinated dogs. After emerging, CPV-2 spread rapidly worldwide. However, there is now some evidence to suggest that international transmission appears to be more restricted. In order to investigate the transmission and evolution of CPV-2 both nationally and in relation to the global situation, we have used a long-range PCR to amplify and sequence the full VP2 gene of 150 canine parvoviruses obtained from a large cross-sectional sample of dogs presenting with severe diarrhea to veterinarians in the United Kingdom, over a 2-year period. Among these 150 strains, 50 different DNA sequence types (S) were identified, and apart from one case, all appeared unique to the United Kingdom. Phylogenetic analysis provided clear evidence for spatial clustering at the international level and for the first time also at the national level, with the geographical range of some sequence types appearing to be highly restricted within the United Kingdom. Evolution of the VP2 gene in this data set was associated with a lack of positive selection. In addition, the majority of predicted amino acid sequences were identical to those found elsewhere in the world, suggesting that CPV VP2 has evolved a highly fit conformation. Based on typing systems using key amino acid mutations, 43% of viruses were CPV-2a, and 57% CPV-2b, with no type 2 or 2c found. However, phylogenetic analysis suggested complex antigenic evolution of this virus, with both type 2a and 2b viruses appearing polyphyletic. As such, typing based on specific amino acid mutations may not reflect the true epidemiology of this virus. The geographical restriction that we observed both within the United Kingdom and between the United Kingdom and other countries, together with the lack of CPV-2c in this population, strongly suggests the spread of CPV within its population may be heterogeneously subject to limiting factors. This cross-sectional study of national and global CPV phylogeographic segregation reveals a substantially more complex epidemic structure than previously described. PMID:21593180

  1. Functional environmental proteomics: elucidating the role of a c-type cytochrome abundant during uranium bioremediation

    PubMed Central

    Yun, Jiae; Malvankar, Nikhil S; Ueki, Toshiyuki; Lovley, Derek R

    2016-01-01

    Studies with pure cultures of dissimilatory metal-reducing microorganisms have demonstrated that outer-surface c-type cytochromes are important electron transfer agents for the reduction of metals, but previous environmental proteomic studies have typically not recovered cytochrome sequences from subsurface environments in which metal reduction is important. Gel-separation, heme-staining and mass spectrometry of proteins in groundwater from in situ uranium bioremediation experiments identified a putative c-type cytochrome, designated Geobacter subsurface c-type cytochrome A (GscA), encoded within the genome of strain M18, a Geobacter isolate previously recovered from the site. Homologs of GscA were identified in the genomes of other Geobacter isolates in the phylogenetic cluster known as subsurface clade 1, which predominates in a diversity of Fe(III)-reducing subsurface environments. Most of the gscA sequences recovered from groundwater genomic DNA clustered in a tight phylogenetic group closely related to strain M18. GscA was most abundant in groundwater samples in which Geobacter sp. predominated. Expression of gscA in a strain of Geobacter sulfurreducens that lacked the gene for the c-type cytochrome OmcS, thought to facilitate electron transfer from conductive pili to Fe(III) oxide, restored the capacity for Fe(III) oxide reduction. Atomic force microscopy provided evidence that GscA was associated with the pili. These results demonstrate that a c-type cytochrome with an apparent function similar to that of OmcS is abundant when Geobacter sp. are abundant in the subsurface, providing insight into the mechanisms for the growth of subsurface Geobacter sp. on Fe(III) oxide and suggesting an approach for functional analysis of other Geobacter proteins found in the subsurface. PMID:26140532

  2. Functional environmental proteomics: elucidating the role of a c-type cytochrome abundant during uranium bioremediation.

    PubMed

    Yun, Jiae; Malvankar, Nikhil S; Ueki, Toshiyuki; Lovley, Derek R

    2016-02-01

    Studies with pure cultures of dissimilatory metal-reducing microorganisms have demonstrated that outer-surface c-type cytochromes are important electron transfer agents for the reduction of metals, but previous environmental proteomic studies have typically not recovered cytochrome sequences from subsurface environments in which metal reduction is important. Gel-separation, heme-staining and mass spectrometry of proteins in groundwater from in situ uranium bioremediation experiments identified a putative c-type cytochrome, designated Geobacter subsurface c-type cytochrome A (GscA), encoded within the genome of strain M18, a Geobacter isolate previously recovered from the site. Homologs of GscA were identified in the genomes of other Geobacter isolates in the phylogenetic cluster known as subsurface clade 1, which predominates in a diversity of Fe(III)-reducing subsurface environments. Most of the gscA sequences recovered from groundwater genomic DNA clustered in a tight phylogenetic group closely related to strain M18. GscA was most abundant in groundwater samples in which Geobacter sp. predominated. Expression of gscA in a strain of Geobacter sulfurreducens that lacked the gene for the c-type cytochrome OmcS, thought to facilitate electron transfer from conductive pili to Fe(III) oxide, restored the capacity for Fe(III) oxide reduction. Atomic force microscopy provided evidence that GscA was associated with the pili. These results demonstrate that a c-type cytochrome with an apparent function similar to that of OmcS is abundant when Geobacter sp. are abundant in the subsurface, providing insight into the mechanisms for the growth of subsurface Geobacter sp. on Fe(III) oxide and suggesting an approach for functional analysis of other Geobacter proteins found in the subsurface.

  3. Molecular detection and genetic identification of Babesia bigemina, Theileria annulata, Theileria orientalis and Anaplasma marginale in Turkey.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Mo; Cao, Shinuo; Sevinc, Ferda; Sevinc, Mutlu; Ceylan, Onur; Moumouni, Paul Franck Adjou; Jirapattharasate, Charoonluk; Liu, Mingming; Wang, Guanbo; Iguchi, Aiko; Vudriko, Patrick; Suzuki, Hiroshi; Xuan, Xuenan

    2016-02-01

    Babesia spp., Theileria spp. and Anaplasma spp. are significant tick-borne pathogens of livestock globally. In this study, we investigated the presence and distribution of Babesia bigemina, Theileria annulata, Theileria orientalis and Anaplasma marginale in cattle from 6 provinces of Turkey using species-specific PCR assays. The PCR were conducted using the primers based on the B. bigemina rhoptry-associated protein 1a (BbiRAP-1a), T. annulata merozoite surface antigen-1 (Tams-1), T. orientalis major piroplasm surface protein (ToMPSP) and A. marginale major surface protein 4 (AmMSP4) genes, respectively. Fragments of B. bigemina internal transcribed spacer (BbiITS), T. annulata internal transcribed spacer (TaITS), ToMPSP and AmMSP4 genes were sequenced for phylogenetic analysis. PCR results revealed that the overall infections of A. marginale, T. annulata, B. bigemina and T. orientalis were 29.1%, 18.9%, 11.2% and 5.6%, respectively. The co-infection of two or three pathogens was detected in 29/196 (15.1%) of the cattle samples. The results of sequence analysis indicated that BbiRAP-1a, BbiITS, Tams-1, ToMPSP and AmMSP4 were conserved among the Turkish samples, with 99.76%, 99-99.8%, 99.34-99.78%, 96.9-99.61% and 99.42-99.71% sequence identity values, respectively. In contrast, the Turkish TaITS gene sequences were relatively diverse with 92.3-96.63% identity values. B. bigemina isolates from Turkey were found in the same clade as the isolates from other countries in phylogenetic analysis. On the other hand, phylogenetic analysis based on T. annulata ITS sequences revealed significant differences in the genotypes of T. annulata isolates from Turkey. Additionally, the T. orientalis isolates from Turkish samples were classified as MPSP type 3 genotype. This is the first report of type 3 MPSP in Turkey. Moreover, AmMSP4 isolates from Turkey were found in the same clade as the isolates from other countries. This study provides important data for understanding the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases and it is expected to improve approach for diagnosis and control of tick-borne diseases in Turkey. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  4. A Format for Phylogenetic Placements

    PubMed Central

    Matsen, Frederick A.; Hoffman, Noah G.; Gallagher, Aaron; Stamatakis, Alexandros

    2012-01-01

    We have developed a unified format for phylogenetic placements, that is, mappings of environmental sequence data (e.g., short reads) into a phylogenetic tree. We are motivated to do so by the growing number of tools for computing and post-processing phylogenetic placements, and the lack of an established standard for storing them. The format is lightweight, versatile, extensible, and is based on the JSON format, which can be parsed by most modern programming languages. Our format is already implemented in several tools for computing and post-processing parsimony- and likelihood-based phylogenetic placements and has worked well in practice. We believe that establishing a standard format for analyzing read placements at this early stage will lead to a more efficient development of powerful and portable post-analysis tools for the growing applications of phylogenetic placement. PMID:22383988

  5. A format for phylogenetic placements.

    PubMed

    Matsen, Frederick A; Hoffman, Noah G; Gallagher, Aaron; Stamatakis, Alexandros

    2012-01-01

    We have developed a unified format for phylogenetic placements, that is, mappings of environmental sequence data (e.g., short reads) into a phylogenetic tree. We are motivated to do so by the growing number of tools for computing and post-processing phylogenetic placements, and the lack of an established standard for storing them. The format is lightweight, versatile, extensible, and is based on the JSON format, which can be parsed by most modern programming languages. Our format is already implemented in several tools for computing and post-processing parsimony- and likelihood-based phylogenetic placements and has worked well in practice. We believe that establishing a standard format for analyzing read placements at this early stage will lead to a more efficient development of powerful and portable post-analysis tools for the growing applications of phylogenetic placement.

  6. A Novel Lineage of Proteobacteria Involved in Formation of Marine Fe-Oxidizing Microbial Mat Communities

    PubMed Central

    Emerson, David; Rentz, Jeremy A.; Lilburn, Timothy G.; Davis, Richard E.; Chan, Clara; Moyer, Craig L.

    2007-01-01

    Background For decades it has been recognized that neutrophilic Fe-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) are associated with hydrothermal venting of Fe(II)-rich fluids associated with seamounts in the world's oceans. The evidence was based almost entirely on the mineralogical remains of the microbes, which themselves had neither been brought into culture or been assigned to a specific phylogenetic clade. We have used both cultivation and cultivation-independent techniques to study Fe-rich microbial mats associated with hydrothermal venting at Loihi Seamount, a submarine volcano. Methodology/Principle Findings Using gradient enrichment techniques, two iron-oxidizing bacteria, strains PV-1 and JV-1, were isolated. Chemolithotrophic growth was observed under microaerobic conditions; Fe(II) and Fe0 were the only energy sources that supported growth. Both strains produced filamentous stalk-like structures composed of multiple nanometer sized fibrils of Fe-oxyhydroxide. These were consistent with mineralogical structures found in the iron mats. Phylogenetic analysis of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene demonstrated that strains PV-1 and JV-1 were identical and formed a monophyletic group deeply rooted within the Proteobacteria. The most similar sequence (85.3% similarity) from a cultivated isolate came from Methylophaga marina. Phylogenetic analysis of the RecA and GyrB protein sequences confirmed that these strains are distantly related to other members of the Proteobacteria. A cultivation-independent analysis of the SSU rRNA gene by terminal-restriction fragment (T-RF) profiling showed that this phylotype was most common in a variety of microbial mats collected at different times and locations at Loihi. Conclusions On the basis of phylogenetic and physiological data, it is proposed that isolate PV-1T ( = ATCC BAA-1019: JCM 14766) represents the type strain of a novel species in a new genus, Mariprofundus ferrooxydans gen. nov., sp. nov. Furthermore, the strain is the first cultured representative of a new candidatus class of the Proteobacteria that is widely distributed in deep-sea environments, Candidatus ζ (zeta)-Proteobacteria cl. nov. PMID:17668050

  7. A method of alignment masking for refining the phylogenetic signal of multiple sequence alignments.

    PubMed

    Rajan, Vaibhav

    2013-03-01

    Inaccurate inference of positional homologies in multiple sequence alignments and systematic errors introduced by alignment heuristics obfuscate phylogenetic inference. Alignment masking, the elimination of phylogenetically uninformative or misleading sites from an alignment before phylogenetic analysis, is a common practice in phylogenetic analysis. Although masking is often done manually, automated methods are necessary to handle the much larger data sets being prepared today. In this study, we introduce the concept of subsplits and demonstrate their use in extracting phylogenetic signal from alignments. We design a clustering approach for alignment masking where each cluster contains similar columns-similarity being defined on the basis of compatible subsplits; our approach then identifies noisy clusters and eliminates them. Trees inferred from the columns in the retained clusters are found to be topologically closer to the reference trees. We test our method on numerous standard benchmarks (both synthetic and biological data sets) and compare its performance with other methods of alignment masking. We find that our method can eliminate sites more accurately than other methods, particularly on divergent data, and can improve the topologies of the inferred trees in likelihood-based analyses. Software available upon request from the author.

  8. Improving phylogenetic analyses by incorporating additional information from genetic sequence databases.

    PubMed

    Liang, Li-Jung; Weiss, Robert E; Redelings, Benjamin; Suchard, Marc A

    2009-10-01

    Statistical analyses of phylogenetic data culminate in uncertain estimates of underlying model parameters. Lack of additional data hinders the ability to reduce this uncertainty, as the original phylogenetic dataset is often complete, containing the entire gene or genome information available for the given set of taxa. Informative priors in a Bayesian analysis can reduce posterior uncertainty; however, publicly available phylogenetic software specifies vague priors for model parameters by default. We build objective and informative priors using hierarchical random effect models that combine additional datasets whose parameters are not of direct interest but are similar to the analysis of interest. We propose principled statistical methods that permit more precise parameter estimates in phylogenetic analyses by creating informative priors for parameters of interest. Using additional sequence datasets from our lab or public databases, we construct a fully Bayesian semiparametric hierarchical model to combine datasets. A dynamic iteratively reweighted Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm conveniently recycles posterior samples from the individual analyses. We demonstrate the value of our approach by examining the insertion-deletion (indel) process in the enolase gene across the Tree of Life using the phylogenetic software BALI-PHY; we incorporate prior information about indels from 82 curated alignments downloaded from the BAliBASE database.

  9. Relationships among North American and Japanese Laetiporus isolates inferred from molecular phylogenetics and single-spore incompatibility reactions

    Treesearch

    Mark T. Banik; Daniel L. Lindner; Yuko Ota; Tsutomu Hattori

    2010-01-01

    Relationships were investigated among North American and Japanese isolates of Laetiporus using phylogenetic analysis of ITS sequences and single-spore isolate incompatibility. Single-spore isolate pairings revealed no significant compatibility between North American and Japanese isolates. ITS analysis revealed 12 clades within the core ...

  10. Spatial and phylogenetic analysis of the vesicular stomatitis virus epidemic in the southwestern United States in 2004-2006

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The southwestern United States has been incidentally affected by vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) epidemics during the last 100 years. By the time this manuscript was written, the last episodes were reported in 2004-2006. Results of space clustering and phylogenetic analysis techniques used here sug...

  11. Phylogenetic analysis of West Nile virus, Nuevo Leon State, Mexico.

    PubMed

    Blitvich, Bradley J; Fernández-Salas, Ildefonso; Contreras-Cordero, Juan F; Loroño-Pino, María A; Marlenee, Nicole L; Díaz, Francisco J; González-Rojas, José I; Obregón-Martínez, Nelson; Chiu-García, Jorge A; Black, William C; Beaty, Barry J

    2004-07-01

    West Nile virus RNA was detected in brain tissue from a horse that died in June 2003 in Nuevo Leon State, Mexico. Nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the premembrane and envelope genes showed that the virus was most closely related to West Nile virus isolates collected in Texas in 2002.

  12. Phylogenetic Analysis of West Nile Virus, Nuevo Leon State, Mexico

    PubMed Central

    Blitvich, Bradley J.; Fernández-Salas, Ildefonso; Contreras-Cordero, Juan F.; Loroño-Pino, María A.; Marlenee, Nicole L.; Díaz, Francisco J.; González-Rojas, José I.; Obregón-Martínez, Nelson; Chiu-García, Jorge A.; Black, William C.

    2004-01-01

    West Nile virus RNA was detected in brain tissue from a horse that died in June 2003 in Nuevo Leon State, Mexico. Nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the premembrane and envelope genes showed that the virus was most closely related to West Nile virus isolates collected in Texas in 2002. PMID:15324558

  13. PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF 16S RRNA GENE SEQUENCES REVEALS THE PREVALENCE OF MYCOBACTERIA SP., ALPHA-PROTEOBACTERIA, AND UNCULTURED BACTERIA IN DRINKING WATER MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES

    EPA Science Inventory

    Previous studies have shown that culture-based methods tend to underestimate the densities and diversity of bacterial populations inhabiting water distribution systems (WDS). In this study, the phylogenetic diversity of drinking water bacteria was assessed using sequence analysis...

  14. A revision and phylogenetic analysis of the spider genus Oxysoma Nicolet (Araneae: Anyphaenidae, Amaurobioidinae).

    PubMed

    Aisen, Santiago; Ramírez, Martín J

    2015-08-06

    We review the spider genus Oxysoma Nicolet, with most of its species endemic from the southern temperate forests in Chile and Argentina, and present a phylogenetic analysis including seven species, of which three are newly described in this study (O. macrocuspis new species, O. kuni new species, and O. losruiles new species, all from Chile), together with other 107 representatives of Anyphaenidae. New geographical records and distribution maps are provided for all species, with illustrations and reviewed diagnoses for the genus and the four previously known species (O. punctatum Nicolet, O. saccatum (Tullgren), O. longiventre (Nicolet) and O. itambezinho Ramírez). The phylogenetic analysis using cladistic methods is based on 264 previously defined characters plus one character that arises from this study. The three new species are closely related with Oxysoma longiventre, and this four species compose what we define as the Oxysoma longiventre species group. The phylogenetic analysis did not retrieve the monophyly of Oxysoma, which should be reevaluated in the future, together with the genus Tasata.

  15. Utility of COX1 phylogenetics to differentiate between locally acquired and imported Plasmodium knowlesi infections in Singapore

    PubMed Central

    Loh, Jin Phang; Gao, Qiu Han Christine; Lee, Vernon J; Tetteh, Kevin; Drakeley, Chris

    2016-01-01

    INTRODUCTION Although there have been several phylogenetic studies on Plasmodium knowlesi (P. knowlesi), only cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) gene analysis has shown some geographical differentiation between the isolates of different countries. METHODS Phylogenetic analysis of locally acquired P. knowlesi infections, based on circumsporozoite, small subunit ribosomal ribonucleic acid (SSU rRNA), merozoite surface protein 1 and COX1 gene targets, was performed. The results were compared with the published sequences of regional isolates from Malaysia and Thailand. RESULTS Phylogenetic analysis of the circumsporozoite, SSU rRNA and merozoite surface protein 1 gene sequences for regional P. knowlesi isolates showed no obvious differentiation that could be attributed to their geographical origin. However, COX1 gene analysis showed that it was possible to differentiate between Singapore-acquired P. knowlesi infections and P. knowlesi infections from Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia. CONCLUSION The ability to differentiate between locally acquired P. knowlesi infections and imported P. knowlesi infections has important utility for the monitoring of P. knowlesi malaria control programmes in Singapore. PMID:26805667

  16. Bridging meta-analysis and the comparative method: a test of seed size effect on germination after frugivores' gut passage.

    PubMed

    Verdú, Miguel; Traveset, Anna

    2004-02-01

    Most studies using meta-analysis try to establish relationships between traits across taxa from interspecific databases and, thus, the phylogenetic relatedness among these taxa should be taken into account to avoid pseudoreplication derived from common ancestry. This paper illustrates, with a representative example of the relationship between seed size and the effect of frugivore's gut on seed germination, that meta-analytic procedures can also be phylogenetically corrected by means of the comparative method. The conclusions obtained in the meta-analytical and phylogenetical approaches are very different. The meta-analysis revealed that the positive effects that gut passage had on seed germination increased with seed size in the case of gut passage through birds whereas decreased in the case of gut passage through non-flying mammals. However, once the phylogenetic relatedness among plant species was taken into account, the effects of gut passage on seed germination did not depend on seed size and were similar between birds and non-flying mammals. Some methodological considerations are given to improve the bridge between the meta-analysis and the comparative method.

  17. Utility of COX1 phylogenetics to differentiate between locally acquired and imported Plasmodium knowlesi infections in Singapore.

    PubMed

    Loh, Jin Phang; Gao, Qiu Han Christine; Lee, Vernon J; Tetteh, Kevin; Drakeley, Chris

    2016-12-01

    Although there have been several phylogenetic studies on Plasmodium knowlesi (P. knowlesi), only cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) gene analysis has shown some geographical differentiation between the isolates of different countries. Phylogenetic analysis of locally acquired P. knowlesi infections, based on circumsporozoite, small subunit ribosomal ribonucleic acid (SSU rRNA), merozoite surface protein 1 and COX1 gene targets, was performed. The results were compared with the published sequences of regional isolates from Malaysia and Thailand. Phylogenetic analysis of the circumsporozoite, SSU rRNA and merozoite surface protein 1 gene sequences for regional P. knowlesi isolates showed no obvious differentiation that could be attributed to their geographical origin. However, COX1 gene analysis showed that it was possible to differentiate between Singapore-acquired P. knowlesi infections and P. knowlesi infections from Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia. The ability to differentiate between locally acquired P. knowlesi infections and imported P. knowlesi infections has important utility for the monitoring of P. knowlesi malaria control programmes in Singapore. Copyright: © Singapore Medical Association

  18. Phylogenetic Analysis of Aedes aegypti Based on Mitochondrial ND4 Gene Sequences in Almadinah, Saudi Arabia.

    PubMed

    Ali, Khalil H Al; El-Badry, Ayman A; Ali, Mouhanad Al; El-Sayed, Wael S M; El-Beshbishy, Hesham A

    2016-06-01

    Aedes aegypti is the main vector of the yellow fever and dengue virus. This mosquito has become the major indirect cause of morbidity and mortality of the human worldwide. Dengue virus activity has been reported recently in the western areas of Saudi Arabia. There is no vaccine for dengue virus until now, and the control of the disease depends on the control of the vector. The present study has aimed to perform phylogenetic analysis of Aedes aegypti based on mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4 ( ND4 ) gene at Almadinah, Saudi Arabia in order to get further insight into the epidemiology and transmission of this vector. Mitochondrial ND4 gene was sequenced in the eight isolated Aedes aegypti mosquitoes from Almadinah, Saudi Arabia, sequences were aligned, and phylogenetic analysis were performed and compared with 54 sequences of Aedes reported in the previous studies from Mexico, Thailand, Brazil, and Africa. Our results suggest that increased gene flow among Aedes aegypti populations occurs between Africa and Saudi Arabia. Phylogenetic relationship analysis showed two genetically distinct Aedes aegypti in Saudi Arabia derived from dual African ancestor.

  19. Streptococcus halotolerans sp. nov. isolated from the respiratory tract of Marmota himalayana in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau of China.

    PubMed

    Niu, Lina; Lu, Shan; Hu, Shoukui; Jin, Dong; Lai, Xinhe; Yang, Jing; Chen, Cuixia; Wang, Yiting; Bai, Xiangning; Lan, Ruiting; Lv, Gang; Xie, Yingping; Ye, Changyun; Xu, Jianguo

    2016-10-01

    Two Gramstaining-positive, catalase-negative, α-hemolytic, coccus-shaped organisms were isolated separately from the respiratory tracts of two Marmota himalayana animals from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, PR China. Morphological, biological, biochemical, and molecular genetic studies were performed on these two isolates (HTS9T and HTS12). Their biochemical characteristics, such as acid production from different sugars and enzymatic activities, indicated that they represented a member of the genus Streptococcus. They are most closely related to Streptococcus thoraltensis CIP 105518T based on sequence analysis of their 16S rRNA, groEL, sodA and rpoB genes, with similarities of 97.6, 89.9, 92.6 and 91.1 % the four genes respectively. The whole genome phylogenetic tree reconstructed using 372 core genes from 65 genomes of members of the genus Streptococcus validates that HTS9T forms a distinct subline and exhibits specific phylogenetic affinity with S. thoraltensis. In silico DNA-DNA hybridization of HTS9T showed a DNA reassociation value of 32.1 %, closest to that of S. thoraltensis CIP 105518T. Based on their phenotypic characteristics and in particular the phylogenetic findings (DNA-DNA hybridization, three phylogenetic trees built from the partial 16S rRNA/housekeeping genes, and from 372 core genes of 65 genomes of members of the genus Streptococcus), we propose with confidence that strains HTS9T and HTS12 should be classified as representing a novel species of the genus Streptococcus, Streptococcus halotolerans sp. nov. The type strain is HTS9T (=DSM 101996T=CGMCC1.15532T). Genome analysis of Streptococcus halotolerans sp. nov. shows that its genome is 1 823 556 bp long with a DNA G+C content of 39.9 mol% and contains 2068 genes.

  20. A phylogenetic study of ubiquinone-7 species of the genus Candida based on 18S ribosomal DNA sequence divergence.

    PubMed

    Suzuki, Motofumi; Nakase, Takashi

    2002-02-01

    To clarify phylogenetic relationships among ubiquinone 7 (Q7)-forming species of the genus Candida, we analyzed the nearly complete sequences of 18S ribosomal RNA genes (18S rDNAs) from fifty strains (including 46 type strains) of Candida species, and from 8 type strains of species/varieties of the genera Issatchenkia, Pichia and Saturnispora. Q7-forming Candida species were divided into three major groups (Group I, II, and III) and were phylogenetically distant from a group that includes the type species of the genus Candida. Group I included four clusters with basal branches that were weakly supported. The first cluster comprised C. vartiovaarae, C. maritima, C. utilis, C. freyschussii, C. odintsovae, C. melinii, C. quercuum, Williopsis saturnus var. saturnus, and W. mucosa. The second cluster comprised C. norvegica, C. montana, C. stellimalicola, C. solani, C. berthetii, and C. dendrica. Williopsis pratensis, W. californica, Pichia opuntiae and 2 related species, P. amethionina (two varieties), and P. caribaea were also included in this cluster. The third cluster comprised C. pelliculosa (anamorph of P. anomala), C. nitrativorans, and C. silvicultrix. The fourth cluster comprised C. wickerhamii and C. peltata, which were placed in the P. holstii - C. ernobii clade with Q8-containing species. Group II comprised C. pignaliae, C. nemodendra, C. methanolovescens, C. maris, C. sonorensis, C. pini, C. llanquihuensis, C. cariosilignicola, C. ovalis, C. succiphila (including its two synonyms), C. methanosorbosa, C. nitratophila, C. nanaspora, C. boidinii (including its two synonyms), W. salicorniae, and P. methanolica. Group III was composed of four clusters with strong bootstrap support. The first cluster comprised C. valida (anamorph of P. membranifaciens), C. ethanolica, C. pseudolambica, C. citrea, C. inconspicua, C. norvegensis, C. rugopelliculosa, and C. lambica. Three species and two varieties of the genus Issatchenkia were also included in this cluster. The second cluster comprised C. diversa, C. silvae, 4 Saturnispora species, and P. besseyi. The third comprised C. sorboxylosa, and the fourth comprised C. vini. Based on this 18S rDNA sequence analysis, it is evident that Q7-forming Candida species and the genera Pichia and Williopsis are polyphyletic. The genus Issatchenkia is suggested to be congeneric with the genus Pichia. The genus Saturnispora is phylogenetically definable.

  1. Candida dajiaensis sp. nov., Candida yuanshanicus sp. nov., Candida jianshihensis sp. nov., and Candida sanyiensis sp. nov., four anamorphic, ascomycetous yeast species isolated from soil in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Liu, Chun-Hao; Young, Shuh-Sen; Chang, Tsung-Chain; Lee, Ching-Fu

    2008-08-01

    Nine anamorphic, ascomycetous yeast strains belonging to the Pichia anomala clade were recovered from forest soil in 2006 in Taiwan. The nine yeast strains represent four novel yeast species based on the sequences of their D1/D2 domain of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene and their physiological characteristics. The scientific names of Candida dajiaensis sp. nov., Candida yuanshanicus sp. nov., Candida jianshihensis sp. nov., and Candida sanyiensis sp. nov. are proposed for these novel yeast species. The type strains are C. dajiaensis SM11S03(T) (=CBS 10590(T)=BCRC 23099(T)), C. yuanshanicus SY3S02(T) (=CBS 10589(T)=BCRC 23100(T)), C. jianshihensis SM8S04(T) (=CBS 10591(T)=BCRC 23096(T)), and C. sanyiensis SA1S06(T) (=CBS 10592(T)=BCRC 23094(T)). Sequence analysis of the D1/D2 of the LSU rRNA gene revealed that the three species, C. dajiaensis, C. yuanshanicus and Pichia onychis, shared a separate branch in the phylogenetic tree, C. jianshihensis is phylogenetically related to Candida ulmi and Pichia alni, and the phylogenetically closest relative of C. sanyiensis is Pichia populi.

  2. Kocuria koreensis sp. nov., isolated from fermented seafood.

    PubMed

    Park, Eun-Jin; Roh, Seong Woon; Kim, Min-Soo; Jung, Mi-Ja; Shin, Kee-Sun; Bae, Jin-Woo

    2010-01-01

    A Gram-positive, aerobic, non-motile and coccoid actinobacterium, designated P31(T), was isolated from a traditional, fermented seafood. The strain was catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. Cells grew in the presence of 0-15.0 % (w/v) NaCl, and at pH 5-10 and 15-37 degrees C. Major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C(15 : 0), anteiso-C(17 : 0) and iso-C(16 : 0). Strain P31(T) contained MK-7 as the predominant menaquinone. The DNA G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain P31(T) was 65.2 mol%. A phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that strain P31(T) was most closely related to Kocuria kristinae DSM 20032(T), with 96.9 % similarity, and these two strains clustered together in constructed phylogenetic trees. The DNA-DNA hybridization value between strain P31(T) and K. kristinae DSM 20032(T) was 21.1 %. On the basis of the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic data, it is suggested that strain P31(T) represents a novel species of the genus Kocuria, for which the name Kocuria koreensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is P31(T) (=KCTC 19595(T)=JCM 15915(T)).

  3. Phylogenetic assessment of heterotrophic bacteria from a water distribution system using 16S rDNA sequencing.

    PubMed

    Tokajian, Sima T; Hashwa, Fuad A; Hancock, Ian C; Zalloua, Pierre A

    2005-04-01

    Determination of a heterotrophic plate count (HPC) for drinking-water samples alone is not enough to assess possible health hazards associated with sudden changes in the bacterial count. Speciation is very crucial to determine whether the population includes pathogens and (or) opportunistic pathogens. Most of the isolates recovered from drinking water samples could not be allocated to a specific phylogenetic branch based on the use of conventional diagnostic methods. The present study had to use phylogenetic analysis, which was simplified by determining and using the first 500-bp sequence of the 16S rDNA, to successfully identify the type and species of bacteria found in the samples. Gram-positive bacteria alpha-, beta-, and gamma-Proteobacteria were found to be the major groups representing the heterotrophic bacteria in drinking water. The study also revealed that the presence of sphingomonads in drinking water supplies may be much more common than has been reported so far and thus further studies are merited. The intermittent mode of supply, mainly characterized by water stagnation and flow interruption associated possibly with biofilm detachment, raised the possibility that the studied bacterial populations in such systems represented organisms coming from 2 different niches, the biofilm and the water column.

  4. Spatial diversity of bacterioplankton communities in surface water of northern South China Sea.

    PubMed

    Li, Jialin; Li, Nan; Li, Fuchao; Zou, Tao; Yu, Shuxian; Wang, Yinchu; Qin, Song; Wang, Guangyi

    2014-01-01

    The South China Sea is one of the largest marginal seas, with relatively frequent passage of eddies and featuring distinct spatial variation in the western tropical Pacific Ocean. Here, we report a phylogenetic study of bacterial community structures in surface seawater of the northern South China Sea (nSCS). Samples collected from 31 sites across large environmental gradients were used to construct clone libraries and yielded 2,443 sequences grouped into 170 OTUs. Phylogenetic analysis revealed 23 bacterial classes with major components α-, β- and γ-Proteobacteria, as well as Cyanobacteria. At class and genus taxon levels, community structure of coastal waters was distinctively different from that of deep-sea waters and displayed a higher diversity index. Redundancy analyses revealed that bacterial community structures displayed a significant correlation with the water depth of individual sampling sites. Members of α-Proteobacteria were the principal component contributing to the differences of the clone libraries. Furthermore, the bacterial communities exhibited heterogeneity within zones of upwelling and anticyclonic eddies. Our results suggested that surface bacterial communities in nSCS had two-level patterns of spatial distribution structured by ecological types (coastal VS. oceanic zones) and mesoscale physical processes, and also provided evidence for bacterial phylogenetic phyla shaped by ecological preferences.

  5. Epidemiological and Phylogenetic Characteristics of Influenza B Infection in Severe Acute Respiratory Infection Cases in Beijing, 2014 to 2015.

    PubMed

    Pan, Yang; Zhang, Yi; Yang, Peng; Qian, Haiqun; Shi, Weixian; Wu, Shuangsheng; Cui, Shujuan; Zhang, Daitao; Wang, Quanyi

    2015-12-01

    Influenza B viral infection is of great importance, but the epidemiological and phylogenetic characteristics of influenza B infection in severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases are still unclear.The clinical information of 2816 SARI cases and 467,737 influenza-like illness (ILI) cases in Beijing area from September 2014 to April 2015 were collected and analyzed. Among them, 91 influenza B viruses isolated from SARI cases were sequenced.The overall yield rate of influenza A/B infection was 14.21% and 27.77% in sampled SARI and ILI cases, respectively. Compared with influenza A infection, the frequency of influenza B infection in SARI cases was higher in younger patients. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that most tested hemagglutination genes belonged to Yamagata lineage Clade 3, which were similar with current circulating viruses but different with 2014 to 2015 influenza season vaccine strain (Clade 2). Importantly, HA-Y3/NA-V4 intralineage reassorting was identified in Beijing area for the first time, which can act as a possible risk factor of SARIs.The influenza activity and virus types/subtypes/lineages among SARI patients were well correlated with that of ILI cases. Furthermore, the potential risk of reassorted influenza B virus infection should not be overlooked.

  6. Molecular epidemiology and phylogeny of Nipah virus infection: A mini review.

    PubMed

    Angeletti, Silvia; Lo Presti, Alessandra; Cella, Eleonora; Ciccozzi, Massimo

    2016-07-01

    Nipah virus (NiV) is a member of the genus Henipavirus of the family Paramyxoviridae, characterized by high pathogenicity and endemic in South Asia. It is classified as a Biosafety Level-4 (BSL-4) agent. The case-fatality varies from 40% to 70% depending on the severity of the disease and on the availability of adequate healthcare facilities. At present no antiviral drugs are available for NiV disease and the treatment is just supportive. Phylogenetic and evolutionary analyses can be used to help in understanding the epidemiology and the temporal origin of this virus. This review provides an overview of evolutionary studies performed on Nipah viruses circulating in different countries. Thirty phylogenetic studies have been published from 2000 to 2015 years, searching on pub-med using the key words 'Nipah virus AND phylogeny' and twenty-eight molecular epidemiological studies from 2006 to 2015 have been performed, typing the key words 'Nipah virus AND molecular epidemiology'. Overall data from the published study demonstrated as phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis represent promising tools to evidence NiV epidemics, to study their origin and evolution and finally to act with effective preventive measure. Copyright © 2016 Hainan Medical College. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Methylobacterium tarhaniae sp. nov., isolated from arid soil.

    PubMed

    Veyisoglu, Aysel; Camas, Mustafa; Tatar, Demet; Guven, Kiymet; Sazak, Anil; Sahin, Nevzat

    2013-08-01

    A reddish-orange-pigmented, Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, facultatively methylotrophic strain, N4211(T), isolated from arid soil, collected from Abuja, Nigeria, was analysed by using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis, based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, showed that strain N4211(T) belonged to the genus Methylobacterium. Strain N4211(T) was most closely related to Methylobacterium aquaticum GR16(T) (98.56 %), Methylobacterium platani PMB02(T) (97.95 %) and Methylobacterium variabile GR3(T) (97.2 %), and the phylogenetic similarities to all other species of the genus Methylobacterium with validly published names were less than 97.0 %. The major ubiquinones detected were Q-10. The major fatty acids were summed feature 7 (C18 : 1 cis11/t9/t6). The DNA G+C content was 67.3 mol%. DNA-DNA relatedness of strain N4211(T) and the most closely related strains M. aquaticum DSM 16371(T) and M. platani KCTC 12901(T) were 60.0 and 48.2 %, respectively. On the basis of phenotypic, phylogenetic and DNA-DNA hybridization data, strain N4211(T) is assigned to a novel species of the genus Methylobacterium for which the name Methylobacterium tarhaniae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is N4211(T)( = KCTC 23615(T) = DSM 25844(T)).

  8. Phylogenetic analysis of proteins associated in the four major energy metabolism systems: photosynthesis, aerobic respiration, denitrification, and sulfur respiration.

    PubMed

    Tomiki, Takeshi; Saitou, Naruya

    2004-08-01

    The four electron transfer energy metabolism systems, photosynthesis, aerobic respiration, denitrification, and sulfur respiration, are thought to be evolutionarily related because of the similarity of electron transfer patterns and the existence of some homologous proteins. How these systems have evolved is elusive. We therefore conducted a comprehensive homology search using PSI-BLAST, and phylogenetic analyses were conducted for the three homologous groups (groups 1-3) based on multiple alignments of domains defined in the Pfam database. There are five electron transfer types important for catalytic reaction in group 1, and many proteins bind molybdenum. Deletions of two domains led to loss of the function of binding molybdenum and ferredoxin, and these deletions seem to be critical for the electron transfer pattern changes in group 1. Two types of electron transfer were found in group 2, and all its member proteins bind siroheme and ferredoxin. Insertion of the pyridine nucleotide disulfide oxidoreductase domain seemed to be the critical point for the electron transfer pattern change in this group. The proteins belonging to group 3 are all flavin enzymes, and they bind flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) or flavin mononucleotide (FMN). Types of electron transfer in this group are divergent, but there are two common characteristics. NAD(P)H works as an electron donor or acceptor, and FAD or FMN transfers electrons from/to NAD(P)H. Electron transfer functions might be added to these common characteristics by the addition of functional domains through the evolution of group 3 proteins. Based on the phylogenetic analyses in this study and previous studies, we inferred the phylogeny of the energy metabolism systems as follows: photosynthesis (and possibly aerobic respiration) and the sulfur/nitrogen assimilation system first diverged, then the sulfur/nitrogen dissimilation system was produced from the latter system.

  9. Genetic Relatedness and Novel Sequence Types of Non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Strains Isolated in Argentina.

    PubMed

    Cadona, Jimena S; Bustamante, Ana V; González, Juliana; Sanso, A Mariel

    2016-01-01

    Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a foodborne pathogen responsible for severe disease in humans such as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and cattle, the principal reservoir. Identification of the clones/lineages is important as several characteristics, among them propensity to cause disease varies with STEC phylogenetic origin. At present, we do not know what STEC clones, especially of non-O157:H7, are circulating in Argentina. To fill this knowledge gap we assessed the genetic diversity of STEC strains isolated in Argentina from various sources, mostly cattle and food, using multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Our objectives were to determine the phylogenetic relationships among strains and to compare them with strains from different geographic origins, especially with those from clinical human cases, in order to evaluate their potential health risk. A total of 59 STEC isolates from 41 serotypes were characterized by MLST. Analysis using EcMLST database identified 38 sequence types (ST), 17 (45%) of which were new STs detected in 18 serotypes. Fifteen out of 38 STs identified were grouped into 11 clonal groups (CGs) and, 23 not grouped in any of the defined CGs. Different STs were found in the same serotype. Results highlighted a high degree of phylogenetic heterogeneity among Argentinean strains and they showed that several cattle and food isolates belonged to the same STs that are commonly associated with clinical human cases in several geographical areas. STEC is a significant public health concern. Argentina has the highest incidence of HUS in the world and this study provides the first data about which STEC clones are circulating. Data showed that most of them might pose a serious zoonotic risk and this information is important for developing public health initiatives. However, the actual potential risk will be defined by the virulence profiles, which may differ among isolates belonging to the same ST.

  10. Babes in the wood – a unique window into sea scorpion ontogeny

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Few studies on eurypterids have taken into account morphological changes that occur throughout postembryonic development. Here two species of eurypterid are described from the Pragian Beartooth Butte Formation of Cottonwood Canyon in Wyoming and included in a phylogenetic analysis. Both species comprise individuals from a number of instars, and this allows for changes that occur throughout their ontogeny to be documented, and how ontogenetically variable characters can influence phylogenetic analysis to be tested. Results The two species of eurypterid are described as Jaekelopterus howelli (Kjellesvig-Waering and Størmer, 1952) and Strobilopterus proteus sp. nov. Phylogenetic analysis places them within the Pterygotidae and Strobilopteridae respectively, both families within the Eurypterina. Jaekelopterus howelli shows positive allometry of the cheliceral denticles throughout ontogeny, while a number of characteristics including prosomal appendage length, carapace shape, lateral eye position, and relative breadth all vary during the growth of Strobilopterus proteus. Conclusions The ontogeny of Strobilopterus proteus shares much in common with that of modern xiphosurans, however certain characteristics including apparent true direct development suggest a closer affinity to arachnids. The ontogenetic development of the genital appendage also supports the hypothesis that the structure is homologous to the endopods of the trunk limbs of other arthropods. Including earlier instars in the phylogenetic analysis is shown to destabilise the retrieved topology. Therefore, coding juveniles as individual taxa in an analysis is shown to be actively detrimental and alternative ways of coding ontogenetic data into phylogenetic analyses should be explored. PMID:23663507

  11. Description of Teunomyces gen. nov. for the Candida kruisii clade, Suhomyces gen. nov. for the Candida tanzawaensis clade and Suhomyces kilbournensis sp. nov.

    PubMed

    Kurtzman, Cletus P; Robnett, Christie J; Blackwell, Meredith

    2016-08-01

    DNA sequence analysis has shown that species of the Candida kruisii clade and species of the C. tanzawaensis clade represent phylogenetically circumscribed genera, which are described as Teunomyces gen. nov., type species T kruisii, and Suhomyces gen. nov., type species S tanzawaensis Many of the species are distributed worldwide and they are often isolated from fungus-feeding insects and their habitats. Included is the description of S. kilbournensis (type strain NRRL Y-17864, CBS 14276), a species found almost exclusively on maize kernels (Zea mays) in IL, USA. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of FEMS 2016. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

  12. Distribution and diversity of bacterial secretion systems across metagenomic datasets.

    PubMed

    Barret, Matthieu; Egan, Frank; O'Gara, Fergal

    2013-02-01

    Bacteria can manipulate their surrounding environment through the secretion of proteins into other living organisms and into the extracellular milieu. In Gram stain negative bacteria this process is mediated by different types of secretion systems from type I through type VI secretion system (T1SS-T6SS). In this study the prevalence of these secretion systems in 312 publicly available microbiomes derived from a wide range of ecosystems was investigated by a gene-centric approach. Our analysis demonstrates that some secretion systems are over-represented in some specific samples. In addition, some T3SS and T6SS phylogenetic clusters were specifically enriched in particular ecological niches, which could indicate specific bacterial adaptation to these environments. © 2012 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  13. Multilocus Sequence Typing Has Better Discriminatory Ability for Typing Vibrio cholerae than Does Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis and Provides a Measure of Phylogenetic Relatedness

    PubMed Central

    Kotetishvili, Mamuka; Stine, O. Colin; Chen, Yuansha; Kreger, Arnold; Sulakvelidze, Alexander; Sozhamannan, Shanmuga; Morris, Jr., J. Glenn

    2003-01-01

    Twenty-two Vibrio cholerae isolates, including some from “epidemic” (O1 and O139) and “nonepidemic” serogroups, were characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) by using three housekeeping genes, gyrB, pgm, and recA; sequence data were also obtained for the virulence-associated genes tcpA, ctxA, and ctxB. Even with the small number of loci used, MLST had better discriminatory ability than did PFGE. On MLST analysis, there was clear clustering of epidemic serogroups; much greater diversity was seen among tcpA- and ctxAB-positive V. cholerae strains from other, nonepidemic serogroups, with a number of tcpA and ctxAB alleles identified. PMID:12734277

  14. Genomic insights into the taxonomic status of the Bacillus cereus group

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Yang; Lai, Qiliang; Göker, Markus; Meier-Kolthoff, Jan P.; Wang, Meng; Sun, Yamin; Wang, Lei; Shao, Zongze

    2015-01-01

    The identification and phylogenetic relationships of bacteria within the Bacillus cereus group are controversial. This study aimed at determining the taxonomic affiliations of these strains using the whole-genome sequence-based Genome BLAST Distance Phylogeny (GBDP) approach. The GBDP analysis clearly separated 224 strains into 30 clusters, representing eleven known, partially merged species and accordingly 19–20 putative novel species. Additionally, 16S rRNA gene analysis, a novel variant of multi-locus sequence analysis (nMLSA) and screening of virulence genes were performed. The 16S rRNA gene sequence was not sufficient to differentiate the bacteria within this group due to its high conservation. The nMLSA results were consistent with GBDP. Moreover, a fast typing method was proposed using the pycA gene, and where necessary, the ccpA gene. The pXO plasmids and cry genes were widely distributed, suggesting little correlation with the phylogenetic positions of the host bacteria. This might explain why classifications based on virulence characteristics proved unsatisfactory in the past. In summary, this is the first large-scale and systematic study of the taxonomic status of the bacteria within the B. cereus group using whole-genome sequences, and is likely to contribute to further insights into their pathogenicity, phylogeny and adaptation to diverse environments. PMID:26373441

  15. The long and winding road of molecular data in phylogenetic analysis.

    PubMed

    Suárez-Díaz, Edna

    2014-01-01

    The use of molecules and reactions as evidence, markers and/or traits for evolutionary processes has a history more than a century long. Molecules have been used in studies of intra-specific variation and studies of similarity among species that do not necessarily result in the analysis of phylogenetic relations. Promoters of the use of molecular data have sustained the need for quantification as the main argument to make use of them. Moreover, quantification has allowed intensive statistical analysis, as a condition and a product of increasing automation. All of these analyses are subject to the methodological anxiety characteristic of a community in search of objectivity (Suárez-Díaz and Anaya-Munoz, Stud Hist Philos Biol Biomed Sci 39:451–458, 2008). It is in this context that scientists compared and evaluated protein and nucleic acid sequence data with other types of molecular data – including immunological, electrophoretic and hybridization data. This paper argues that by looking at longterm historical processes, such as the use of molecular evidence in evolutionary biology, we gain valuable insights into the history of science. In that sense, it accompanies a growing concern among historians for big-pictures of science that incorporate the fruitful historical research on local cases of the last decades.

  16. The long and winding road of molecular data in phylogenetic analysis.

    PubMed

    Suárez-Díaz, Edna

    2014-01-01

    The use of molecules and reactions as evidence, markers and/or traits for evolutionary processes has a history more than a century long. Molecules have been used in studies of intra-specific variation and studies of similarity among species that do not necessarily result in the analysis of phylogenetic relations. Promoters of the use of molecular data have sustained the need for quantification as the main argument to make use of them. Moreover, quantification has allowed intensive statistical analysis, as a condition and a product of increasing automation. All of these analyses are subject to the methodological anxiety characteristic of a community in search of objectivity (Suárez-Díaz and Anaya-Muñoz, Stud Hist Philos Biol Biomed Sci 39:451-458, 2008). It is in this context that scientists compared and evaluated protein and nucleic acid sequence data with other types of molecular data - including immunological, electrophoretic and hybridization data. This paper argues that by looking at long-term historical processes, such as the use of molecular evidence in evolutionary biology, we gain valuable insights into the history of science. In that sense, it accompanies a growing concern among historians for big-pictures of science that incorporate the fruitful historical research on local cases of the last decades.

  17. Identification of DEP domain-containing proteins by a machine learning method and experimental analysis of their expression in human HCC tissues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liao, Zhijun; Wang, Xinrui; Zeng, Yeting; Zou, Quan

    2016-12-01

    The Dishevelled/EGL-10/Pleckstrin (DEP) domain-containing (DEPDC) proteins have seven members. However, whether this superfamily can be distinguished from other proteins based only on the amino acid sequences, remains unknown. Here, we describe a computational method to segregate DEPDCs and non-DEPDCs. First, we examined the Pfam numbers of the known DEPDCs and used the longest sequences for each Pfam to construct a phylogenetic tree. Subsequently, we extracted 188-dimensional (188D) and 20D features of DEPDCs and non-DEPDCs and classified them with random forest classifier. We also mined the motifs of human DEPDCs to find the related domains. Finally, we designed experimental verification methods of human DEPDC expression at the mRNA level in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and adjacent normal tissues. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the DEPDCs superfamily can be divided into three clusters. Moreover, the 188D and 20D features can both be used to effectively distinguish the two protein types. Motif analysis revealed that the DEP and RhoGAP domain was common in human DEPDCs, human HCC and the adjacent tissues that widely expressed DEPDCs. However, their regulation was not identical. In conclusion, we successfully constructed a binary classifier for DEPDCs and experimentally verified their expression in human HCC tissues.

  18. Antimicrobial properties of cultivable bacteria associated with seaweeds in the Gulf of Mannar on the southeast coast of India.

    PubMed

    Thilakan, B; Chakraborty, K; Chakraborty, R D

    2016-08-01

    In this study, 234 bacterial strains were isolated from 7 seaweed species in the Gulf of Mannar on the southeast coast of India. The strains having consistent antimicrobial activity were chosen for further studies, and this constituted about 9.8% of the active strains isolated. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rDNA sequencing with the help of classical biochemical identification indicated the existence of 2 major phyla, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. Antimicrobial activity analysis combined with the results of amplifying genes encoding for polyketide synthetase and nonribosomal peptide synthetase showed that seaweed-associated bacteria had broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. These epibionts might be beneficial to seaweeds by limiting or preventing the development of competing or fouling bacteria. Phylogenetic analysis of ketosynthase (KS) regions with respect to the diverse range of KS domains showed that the KS domains from the candidate isolates were of Type I. The bacterial cultures retained their antimicrobial activities after plasmid curing, which further suggested that the antimicrobial activity of these isolates was not encoded by plasmid, and the genes encoding the antimicrobial product might be present within the genome. Seaweed-associated bacteria with potential antimicrobial activity suggested that the seaweed species are an ideal ecological niche harboring specific bacterial diversity representing a largely underexplored source of antimicrobial secondary metabolites.

  19. Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of the hybrid Epinephelus moara♀ × Epinephelus lanceolatus♂, and phylogenetic analysis in subfamily epinephelinae

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Fengtao; Wei, Min; Zhu, Ying; Guo, Hua; Chen, Songlin; Yang, Guanpin

    2017-06-01

    This study presents the complete mitochondrial genome of the hybrid Epinephelus moara♀× Epinephelus lanceolatus♂. The genome is 16886 bp in length, and contains 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, a light-strand replication origin and a control region. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis based on the nucleotide sequences of 13 conserved protein-coding genes using the maximum likelihood method indicated that the mitochondrial genome is maternally inherited. This study presents genomic data for studying phylogenetic relationships and breeding of hybrid Epinephelinae.

  20. Bradyrhizobium pachyrhizi sp. nov. and Bradyrhizobium jicamae sp. nov., isolated from effective nodules of Pachyrhizus erosus.

    PubMed

    Ramírez-Bahena, Martha Helena; Peix, Alvaro; Rivas, Raúl; Camacho, María; Rodríguez-Navarro, Dulce N; Mateos, Pedro F; Martínez-Molina, Eustoquio; Willems, Anne; Velázquez, Encarna

    2009-08-01

    Several strains isolated from the legume Pachyrhizus erosus were characterized on the basis of diverse genetic, phenotypic and symbiotic approaches. These novel strains formed two groups closely related to Bradyrhizobium elkanii according to their 16S rRNA gene sequences. Strains PAC48T and PAC68T, designated as the type strains of these two groups, presented 99.8 and 99.1% similarity, respectively, in their 16S rRNA gene sequences with respect to B. elkanii USDA 76T. In spite of these high similarity values, the analysis of additional phylogenetic markers such as atpD and glnII genes and the 16S-23S intergenic spacer (ITS) showed that strains PAC48T and PAC68T represented two separate novel species of the genus Bradyrhizobium with B. elkanii as their closest relative. Phenotypic differences among the novel strains isolated from Pachyrhizus and B. elkanii were found regarding the assimilation of carbon sources and antibiotic resistance. All these differences were congruent with DNA-DNA hybridization analysis which revealed 21% genetic relatedness between strains PAC48T and PAC68T and 46% and 25%, respectively, between these strains and B. elkanii LMG 6134T. The nodD and nifH genes of strains PAC48T and PAC68T were phylogenetically divergent from those of bradyrhizobia species that nodulate soybean. Soybean was not nodulated by the novel Pachyrhizus isolates. Based on the genotypic and phenotypic data obtained in this study, the new strains represent two novel species for which the names Bradyrhizobium pachyrhizi sp. nov. (type strain PAC48T=LMG 24246T=CECT 7396T) and Bradyrhizobium jicamae sp. nov. (type strain PAC68T=LMG 24556T=CECT 7395T) are proposed.

Top