The genome of Mycobacterium africanum West African 2 reveals a lineage-specific locus and genome erosion common to the M. tuberculosis complex.

<h4>Background</h4>M. africanum West African 2 constitutes an ancient lineage of the M. tuberculosis complex that commonly causes human tuberculosis in West Africa and has an attenuated phenotype relative to M. tuberculosis.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>In search of...

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Main Authors: Stephen D Bentley, Iñaki Comas, Josephine M Bryant, Danielle Walker, Noel H Smith, Simon R Harris, Scott Thurston, Sebastien Gagneux, Jonathan Wood, Martin Antonio, Michael A Quail, Florian Gehre, Richard A Adegbola, Julian Parkhill, Bouke C de Jong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2012-01-01
Series:PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0001552&type=printable
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author Stephen D Bentley
Iñaki Comas
Josephine M Bryant
Danielle Walker
Noel H Smith
Simon R Harris
Scott Thurston
Sebastien Gagneux
Jonathan Wood
Martin Antonio
Michael A Quail
Florian Gehre
Richard A Adegbola
Julian Parkhill
Bouke C de Jong
author_facet Stephen D Bentley
Iñaki Comas
Josephine M Bryant
Danielle Walker
Noel H Smith
Simon R Harris
Scott Thurston
Sebastien Gagneux
Jonathan Wood
Martin Antonio
Michael A Quail
Florian Gehre
Richard A Adegbola
Julian Parkhill
Bouke C de Jong
author_sort Stephen D Bentley
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>M. africanum West African 2 constitutes an ancient lineage of the M. tuberculosis complex that commonly causes human tuberculosis in West Africa and has an attenuated phenotype relative to M. tuberculosis.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>In search of candidate genes underlying these differences, the genome of M. africanum West African 2 was sequenced using classical capillary sequencing techniques. Our findings reveal a unique sequence, RD900, that was independently lost during the evolution of two important lineages within the complex: the "modern" M. tuberculosis group and the lineage leading to M. bovis. Closely related to M. bovis and other animal strains within the M. tuberculosis complex, M. africanum West African 2 shares an abundance of pseudogenes with M. bovis but also with M. africanum West African clade 1. Comparison with other strains of the M. tuberculosis complex revealed pseudogenes events in all the known lineages pointing toward ongoing genome erosion likely due to increased genetic drift and relaxed selection linked to serial transmission-bottlenecks and an intracellular lifestyle.<h4>Conclusions/significance</h4>The genomic differences identified between M. africanum West African 2 and the other strains of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex may explain its attenuated phenotype, and pave the way for targeted experiments to elucidate the phenotypic characteristic of M. africanum. Moreover, availability of the whole genome data allows for verification of conservation of targets used for the next generation of diagnostics and vaccines, in order to ensure similar efficacy in West Africa.
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spelling doaj-art-abf159ae3dd944bc8659b7ee46c004862025-08-20T02:33:12ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352012-01-0162e155210.1371/journal.pntd.0001552The genome of Mycobacterium africanum West African 2 reveals a lineage-specific locus and genome erosion common to the M. tuberculosis complex.Stephen D BentleyIñaki ComasJosephine M BryantDanielle WalkerNoel H SmithSimon R HarrisScott ThurstonSebastien GagneuxJonathan WoodMartin AntonioMichael A QuailFlorian GehreRichard A AdegbolaJulian ParkhillBouke C de Jong<h4>Background</h4>M. africanum West African 2 constitutes an ancient lineage of the M. tuberculosis complex that commonly causes human tuberculosis in West Africa and has an attenuated phenotype relative to M. tuberculosis.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>In search of candidate genes underlying these differences, the genome of M. africanum West African 2 was sequenced using classical capillary sequencing techniques. Our findings reveal a unique sequence, RD900, that was independently lost during the evolution of two important lineages within the complex: the "modern" M. tuberculosis group and the lineage leading to M. bovis. Closely related to M. bovis and other animal strains within the M. tuberculosis complex, M. africanum West African 2 shares an abundance of pseudogenes with M. bovis but also with M. africanum West African clade 1. Comparison with other strains of the M. tuberculosis complex revealed pseudogenes events in all the known lineages pointing toward ongoing genome erosion likely due to increased genetic drift and relaxed selection linked to serial transmission-bottlenecks and an intracellular lifestyle.<h4>Conclusions/significance</h4>The genomic differences identified between M. africanum West African 2 and the other strains of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex may explain its attenuated phenotype, and pave the way for targeted experiments to elucidate the phenotypic characteristic of M. africanum. Moreover, availability of the whole genome data allows for verification of conservation of targets used for the next generation of diagnostics and vaccines, in order to ensure similar efficacy in West Africa.https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0001552&type=printable
spellingShingle Stephen D Bentley
Iñaki Comas
Josephine M Bryant
Danielle Walker
Noel H Smith
Simon R Harris
Scott Thurston
Sebastien Gagneux
Jonathan Wood
Martin Antonio
Michael A Quail
Florian Gehre
Richard A Adegbola
Julian Parkhill
Bouke C de Jong
The genome of Mycobacterium africanum West African 2 reveals a lineage-specific locus and genome erosion common to the M. tuberculosis complex.
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
title The genome of Mycobacterium africanum West African 2 reveals a lineage-specific locus and genome erosion common to the M. tuberculosis complex.
title_full The genome of Mycobacterium africanum West African 2 reveals a lineage-specific locus and genome erosion common to the M. tuberculosis complex.
title_fullStr The genome of Mycobacterium africanum West African 2 reveals a lineage-specific locus and genome erosion common to the M. tuberculosis complex.
title_full_unstemmed The genome of Mycobacterium africanum West African 2 reveals a lineage-specific locus and genome erosion common to the M. tuberculosis complex.
title_short The genome of Mycobacterium africanum West African 2 reveals a lineage-specific locus and genome erosion common to the M. tuberculosis complex.
title_sort genome of mycobacterium africanum west african 2 reveals a lineage specific locus and genome erosion common to the m tuberculosis complex
url https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0001552&type=printable
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