AI Article Synopsis
- Treponema bacteria cause various diseases, including syphilis, with different subspecies responsible for distinct forms: T. pallidum subsp. pallidum causes venereal syphilis, while endemic syphilis (bejel), yaws, and pinta are caused by other subspecies and transmitted through close contact.
- Recent genomic analysis of 53 T. pallidum strains revealed their close genetic relationship and indicated differences in pathogenicity and genomic content among the subspecies.
- The study identified specific pathogenicity islands and genomic islands in the subspecies, highlighting unique genes involved in lipid and amino acid biosynthesis, which may contribute to their pathogenicity.
Article Abstract
Background: Spirochetal organisms of the Treponema genus are responsible for causing Treponematoses. Pathogenic treponemes is a Gram-negative, motile, spirochete pathogen that causes syphilis in human. Treponema pallidum subsp. endemicum (TEN) causes endemic syphilis (bejel); T. pallidum subsp. pallidum (TPA) causes venereal syphilis; T. pallidum subsp. pertenue (TPE) causes yaws; and T. pallidum subsp. Ccarateum causes pinta. Out of these four high morbidity diseases, venereal syphilis is mediated by sexual contact; the other three diseases are transmitted by close personal contact. The global distribution of syphilis is alarming and there is an increasing need of proper treatment and preventive measures. Unfortunately, effective measures are limited.
Results: Here, the genome sequences of 53 T. pallidum strains isolated from different parts of the world and a diverse range of hosts were comparatively analysed using pan-genomic strategy. Phylogenomic, pan-genomic, core genomic and singleton analysis disclosed the close connection among all strains of the pathogen T. pallidum, its clonal behaviour and showed increases in the sizes of the pan-genome. Based on the genome plasticity analysis of the subsets containing the subspecies T pallidum subsp. pallidum, T. pallidum subsp. endemicum and T. pallidum subsp. pertenue, we found differences in the presence/absence of pathogenicity islands (PAIs) and genomic islands (GIs) on subsp.-based study.
Conclusions: In summary, we identified four pathogenicity islands (PAIs), eight genomic islands (GIs) in subsp. pallidum, whereas subsp. endemicum has three PAIs and seven GIs and subsp. pertenue harbours three PAIs and eight GIs. Concerning the presence of genes in PAIs and GIs, we found some genes related to lipid and amino acid biosynthesis that were only present in the subsp. of T. pallidum, compared to T. pallidum subsp. endemicum and T. pallidum subsp. pertenue.
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| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6953169 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12864-019-6430-6 | DOI Listing |
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