Chlamydia psittaci comparative genomics reveals intraspecies variations in the putative outer membrane and type III secretion system genes

Microbiology (Reading). 2015 Jul;161(7):1378-91. doi: 10.1099/mic.0.000097. Epub 2015 Apr 17.

Abstract

Chlamydia psittaci is an obligate intracellular bacterium that can cause significant disease among a broad range of hosts. In humans, this organism may cause psittacosis, a respiratory disease that can spread to involve multiple organs, and in rare untreated cases may be fatal. There are ten known genotypes based on sequencing the major outer-membrane protein gene, ompA, of C. psittaci. Each genotype has overlapping host preferences and virulence characteristics. Recent studies have compared C. psittaci among other members of the Chlamydiaceae family and showed that this species frequently switches hosts and has undergone multiple genomic rearrangements. In this study, we sequenced five genomes of C. psittaci strains representing four genotypes, A, B, D and E. Due to the known association of the type III secretion system (T3SS) and polymorphic outer-membrane proteins (Pmps) with host tropism and virulence potential, we performed a comparative analysis of these elements among these five strains along with a representative genome from each of the remaining six genotypes previously sequenced. We found significant genetic variation in the Pmps and tbl3SS genes that may partially explain differences noted in C. psittaci host infection and disease.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / genetics*
  • Chlamydophila psittaci / genetics*
  • Computational Biology
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Genome, Bacterial*
  • Genotype
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Type III Secretion Systems / genetics*

Substances

  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Type III Secretion Systems