Genomic and phenotypic characterization of campylobacter fetus subsp. Venerealis strains

Marta F. Silva; Ana L. Pereira; Maria J. Fraqueza; Gonçalo Pereira; Luísa Mateus; Luís Lopes-Da-costa; Elisabete Silva

doi:10.3390/microorganisms9020340

Genomic and phenotypic characterization of campylobacter fetus subsp. Venerealis strains

Marta F. Silva, Ana L. Pereira, Maria J. Fraqueza, Gonçalo Pereira, Luísa Mateus, Luís Lopes-Da-costa, Elisabete Silva

University of Lisbon

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

13 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The pathogenesis mechanisms of Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis (Cfv), the etiologic agent of Bovine Genital Campylobacteriosis remain elusive. This study evaluated the virulence potential and biovar characteristics of Cfv isolates (n = 13) by PCR screening of putative virulence-factor (VF) genes, Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) analysis, antimicrobial susceptibility to tetracycline, penicillin, enrofloxacin and streptomycin testing and whole-genome sequencing (WGS; n = 5), also comparing the latter with 26 other whole-genome sequences of Cfv strains. The putative VF genes encoding type IV secretion system of Cfv (virB2-virB11/virD4) were absent in 92% of isolates, including isolates from aborted foetuses, evidencing that these VF genes are not essential for Cfv pathogenicity. The parA gene, used as a Cfv diagnostic molecular target, was detected in only 3 of 13 isolates, invalidating its use for diagnosis purposes. Three novel sequence types were identified by MLST. Although no in vitro antimicrobial resistance was detected, WGS identified antimicrobial resistance-related genes, including those encoding the multidrug efflux pumps CmeABC and YkkCD, indicating that their presence is not enough to provide antimicrobial resistance. The SNP and accessory protein families analysis segregated the Cfv and Cfv biovar intermedius (Cfvi) strains into different clusters. In conclusion, this study evidenced virulence potential and biovar characteristics of Cfv and Cfvi, which are of relevance for the control of Bovine Genital Campylobacteriosis.

Original language	English
Article number	340
Pages (from-to)	1-14
Number of pages	14
Journal	Microorganisms
Volume	9
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9020340
Publication status	Published - Feb 2021
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Funding

This study was supported by Funda\u00E7\u00E3o para a Ci\u00EAncia e a Tecnologia (FCT) and Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER), under the project PTDC/CVT-CVT/30145/2017. This study was also supported by Centro de Investiga\u00E7\u00E3o Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal\u2014 CIISA (Project UIDP/CVT/00276/2020, funded by FCT). Marta Silva and Gon\u00E7alo Pereira are PhD students supported by grants from FCT, SFRH/BD/125657/2016 and SFRH/BD/130923/2017, respectively. Elisabete Silva is funded by FCT (DL 57/2016/CP1438/CT0001). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Funders	Funder number
European Regional Development Fund	PTDC/CVT-CVT/30145/2017, UIDP/CVT/00276/2020
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia	PTDC/CVT-CVT/30145/2017, SFRH/BD/125657/2016

Keywords

Antimicrobial susceptibility
Biovar intermedius
Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis
Genomic characterization
Multilocus sequencing typing
Virulence potential

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10.3390/microorganisms9020340

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title = "Genomic and phenotypic characterization of campylobacter fetus subsp. Venerealis strains",

abstract = "The pathogenesis mechanisms of Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis (Cfv), the etiologic agent of Bovine Genital Campylobacteriosis remain elusive. This study evaluated the virulence potential and biovar characteristics of Cfv isolates (n = 13) by PCR screening of putative virulence-factor (VF) genes, Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) analysis, antimicrobial susceptibility to tetracycline, penicillin, enrofloxacin and streptomycin testing and whole-genome sequencing (WGS; n = 5), also comparing the latter with 26 other whole-genome sequences of Cfv strains. The putative VF genes encoding type IV secretion system of Cfv (virB2-virB11/virD4) were absent in 92% of isolates, including isolates from aborted foetuses, evidencing that these VF genes are not essential for Cfv pathogenicity. The parA gene, used as a Cfv diagnostic molecular target, was detected in only 3 of 13 isolates, invalidating its use for diagnosis purposes. Three novel sequence types were identified by MLST. Although no in vitro antimicrobial resistance was detected, WGS identified antimicrobial resistance-related genes, including those encoding the multidrug efflux pumps CmeABC and YkkCD, indicating that their presence is not enough to provide antimicrobial resistance. The SNP and accessory protein families analysis segregated the Cfv and Cfv biovar intermedius (Cfvi) strains into different clusters. In conclusion, this study evidenced virulence potential and biovar characteristics of Cfv and Cfvi, which are of relevance for the control of Bovine Genital Campylobacteriosis.",

keywords = "Antimicrobial susceptibility, Biovar intermedius, Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis, Genomic characterization, Multilocus sequencing typing, Virulence potential",

author = "Silva, {Marta F.} and Pereira, {Ana L.} and Fraqueza, {Maria J.} and Gon{\c c}alo Pereira and Lu{\'i}sa Mateus and Lu{\'i}s Lopes-Da-costa and Elisabete Silva",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.",

year = "2021",

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doi = "10.3390/microorganisms9020340",

language = "English",

volume = "9",

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journal = "Microorganisms",

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T1 - Genomic and phenotypic characterization of campylobacter fetus subsp. Venerealis strains

AU - Silva, Marta F.

AU - Pereira, Ana L.

AU - Fraqueza, Maria J.

AU - Pereira, Gonçalo

AU - Mateus, Luísa

AU - Lopes-Da-costa, Luís

AU - Silva, Elisabete

PY - 2021/2

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N2 - The pathogenesis mechanisms of Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis (Cfv), the etiologic agent of Bovine Genital Campylobacteriosis remain elusive. This study evaluated the virulence potential and biovar characteristics of Cfv isolates (n = 13) by PCR screening of putative virulence-factor (VF) genes, Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) analysis, antimicrobial susceptibility to tetracycline, penicillin, enrofloxacin and streptomycin testing and whole-genome sequencing (WGS; n = 5), also comparing the latter with 26 other whole-genome sequences of Cfv strains. The putative VF genes encoding type IV secretion system of Cfv (virB2-virB11/virD4) were absent in 92% of isolates, including isolates from aborted foetuses, evidencing that these VF genes are not essential for Cfv pathogenicity. The parA gene, used as a Cfv diagnostic molecular target, was detected in only 3 of 13 isolates, invalidating its use for diagnosis purposes. Three novel sequence types were identified by MLST. Although no in vitro antimicrobial resistance was detected, WGS identified antimicrobial resistance-related genes, including those encoding the multidrug efflux pumps CmeABC and YkkCD, indicating that their presence is not enough to provide antimicrobial resistance. The SNP and accessory protein families analysis segregated the Cfv and Cfv biovar intermedius (Cfvi) strains into different clusters. In conclusion, this study evidenced virulence potential and biovar characteristics of Cfv and Cfvi, which are of relevance for the control of Bovine Genital Campylobacteriosis.

AB - The pathogenesis mechanisms of Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis (Cfv), the etiologic agent of Bovine Genital Campylobacteriosis remain elusive. This study evaluated the virulence potential and biovar characteristics of Cfv isolates (n = 13) by PCR screening of putative virulence-factor (VF) genes, Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) analysis, antimicrobial susceptibility to tetracycline, penicillin, enrofloxacin and streptomycin testing and whole-genome sequencing (WGS; n = 5), also comparing the latter with 26 other whole-genome sequences of Cfv strains. The putative VF genes encoding type IV secretion system of Cfv (virB2-virB11/virD4) were absent in 92% of isolates, including isolates from aborted foetuses, evidencing that these VF genes are not essential for Cfv pathogenicity. The parA gene, used as a Cfv diagnostic molecular target, was detected in only 3 of 13 isolates, invalidating its use for diagnosis purposes. Three novel sequence types were identified by MLST. Although no in vitro antimicrobial resistance was detected, WGS identified antimicrobial resistance-related genes, including those encoding the multidrug efflux pumps CmeABC and YkkCD, indicating that their presence is not enough to provide antimicrobial resistance. The SNP and accessory protein families analysis segregated the Cfv and Cfv biovar intermedius (Cfvi) strains into different clusters. In conclusion, this study evidenced virulence potential and biovar characteristics of Cfv and Cfvi, which are of relevance for the control of Bovine Genital Campylobacteriosis.

KW - Antimicrobial susceptibility

KW - Biovar intermedius

KW - Campylobacter fetus subsp. venerealis

KW - Genomic characterization

KW - Multilocus sequencing typing

KW - Virulence potential

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U2 - 10.3390/microorganisms9020340

DO - 10.3390/microorganisms9020340

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85100597909

SN - 2076-2607

VL - 9

SP - 1

EP - 14

JO - Microorganisms

JF - Microorganisms

IS - 2

M1 - 340

ER -

Genomic and phenotypic characterization of campylobacter fetus subsp. Venerealis strains

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

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