Moving Leptospira to the focus of One Health epidemiology: Lessons from large scale genome analysis of pathogenic species
Year: 2016
Type: article
Abstract: Background: With their dynamic and agile genomes, pathogenic Leptospira have shown tremendous acumen to adapt to changing host niches and the environment. Next generation sequencing (NGS) of their genomes has provided a lot of insight in to the ability of Leptospira to evolve fitness advantage and survival mechanisms which have direct bearing on the development of diagnostic and control strategies such as discovery of global vaccine candidates. NGS data analysis of highly diverse Leptospirae has been a formidable challenge although the automation of data handling and analysis could impart sophistication in commandeering the translational exploitation of genomic co-ordinates. Methods & Materials: Using Leptospiral NGS data with in-house pipelines, we assembled 172 full genomes of pathogenic species and strains obtained from a wide range of human and animal hosts representing all continents. Pan and core genomes were computed and analyzed for all pathogenic species and functional classification and conserved domain search of proteins were performed for all core genomes to understand predicted fitness advantages of different species with respect to different hosts or geographical regions. Pathogen restricted proteins were analyzed and compared to individual species/genomes to get insights into the pathogenicity of the organism. Results: A total of 427 pathogen specific proteins were identified and their characteristics were deduced. Out of these, 83 unique proteins with signal peptides were identified with predicted roles in host pathogen interactions. A total of 16 genomic islands with proteins arranged in operons were identified indicating possible evolution and acquisition of virulence and survival functions through lateral gene transfer mechanisms. Some of the virulence factors and downstream mechanisms gleaned by us appear to be entailing crucial roles for Leptospira relevant to long-term colonization in the host and transmission propensity with wide host tropism. Conclusion: The potential virulence factors, diagnostic markers and vaccine candidates as identified in our study could lead to devising much sought after strategies relevant to control of Leptospirosis. Due to the identification of a genomic basis for extended survival acumen (and vast host tropism), Leptospira would certainly occupy significant focus of attention under the One Health regimen.
Institution: University of Hyderabad
Language: English
Subfield: Parasitology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,900
OpenAlex ID: W2332381346