Published in

Oxford University Press, Genome Biology and Evolution, 6(7), p. 1676-1685, 2015

DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evv101

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Complete Genome Sequence and Transcriptomic Analysis of the Novel PathogenElizabethkingia anophelisin Response to Oxidative Stress

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Published version: archiving allowed
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Elizabethkingia anophelis is an emerging pathogen that can cause life-threatening infections in neonates, severely immunocompromised and postoperative patients. The lack of genomic information on E. anophelis hinders our understanding of its mechanisms of pathogenesis. Here, we report the first complete genome sequence of E. anophelis NUHP1 and assess its response to oxidative stress. Elizabethkingia anophelis NUHP1 has a circular genome of 4,369,828 base pairs and 4,141 predicted coding sequences. Sequence analysis indicates that E. anophelis has well-developed systems for scavenging iron and stress response. Many putative virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes were identified, underscoring potential host–pathogen interactions and antibiotic resistance. RNA-sequencing-based transcriptome profiling indicates that expressions of genes involved in synthesis of an yersiniabactin-like iron siderophore and heme utilization are highly induced as a protective mechanism toward oxidative stress caused by hydrogen peroxide treatment. Chrome azurol sulfonate assay verified that siderophore production of E. anophelis is increased in the presence of oxidative stress. We further showed that hemoglobin facilitates the growth, hydrogen peroxide tolerance, cell attachment, and biofilm formation of E. anophelis NUHP1. Our study suggests that siderophore production and heme uptake pathways might play essential roles in stress response and virulence of the emerging pathogen E. anophelis.