O-antigen biosynthesis gene clusters of : their diversity and similarity to gene clusters and the development of an O-genotyping method.

is a recently recognized human enteropathogen that is closely related to . In many Gram-negative bacteria, including , O-antigen variation has long been used for the serotyping of strains. In , while eight O-serotypes unique to this species have been identified, some strains have been shown to exhibit genetic or serological similarity to known / O-serotypes.

Epidemiological Aspects of Outbreaks in Japan and Genetic Characteristics of the Causative Pathogen.

Zoonotic pathogen has been identified as the cause of several human disease outbreaks; however, factors such as the general symptoms and incubation period of infection have yet to be defined. Therefore, we aimed to determine the unique aspects of outbreaks in Japan and to examine the genetic characteristics of the causative pathogen. We studied all known outbreaks that occurred in Japan up until 2015, which consisted of five confirmed outbreaks and one putative outbreak (Outbreaks 1-6).

Non-biogroup 1 or 2 Strains of the Emerging Zoonotic Pathogen , Their Proposed Assignment to Biogroup 3, and Their Commonly Detected Characteristics.

, a zoonotic enteropathogen, is responsible for outbreaks of disease in humans. Identifying strains of by phenotypic characterization tests is difficult because of its poorly defined properties. Screening its phenotypic characteristics is, nevertheless, a necessary prerequisite for further genetic analysis of its properties, and species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis can be used to type the pathogen.

Phylogenetic Clades 6 and 8 of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 With Particular stx Subtypes are More Frequently Found in Isolates From Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Patients Than From Asymptomatic Carriers.

Background: Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7 infection causes severe diseases such as bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). Although EHEC O157:H7 strains have exhibited high genetic variability, their abilities to cause human diseases have not been fully examined.

Methods: Clade typing and stx subtyping of EHEC O157:H7 strains, which were isolated in Japan during 1999-2011 from 269 HUS patients and 387 asymptomatic carriers (ACs) and showed distinct pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns, were performed to determine relationships between specific lineages and clinical presentation.

The genome sequence and structure of rice chromosome 1.

The rice species Oryza sativa is considered to be a model plant because of its small genome size, extensive genetic map, relative ease of transformation and synteny with other cereal crops. Here we report the essentially complete sequence of chromosome 1, the longest chromosome in the rice genome. We summarize characteristics of the chromosome structure and the biological insight gained from the sequence.