Journal article
Population Genetics of Streptococcus dysgalactiae Subspecies equisimilis Reveals Widely Dispersed Clones and Extensive Recombination
PLoS One, Vol.5(7), e11741
2010
Abstract
Background: Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis (SDSE) is an emerging global pathogen that can colonize and infect humans. Although most SDSE isolates possess the Lancefield group G carbohydrate, a significant minority have the group C carbohydrate. Isolates are further sub-typed on the basis of differences within the emm gene. To gain a better understanding of their molecular epidemiology and evolutionary relationships, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis was performed on SDSE isolates collected from Australia, Europe and North America. Methodology/Principal Findings: The 178 SDSE isolates, representing 37 emm types, segregate into 80 distinct sequence types (STs) that form 17 clonal complexes (CCs). Eight STs recovered from all three continents account for >50% of the isolates. Thus, a small number of STs are highly prevalent and have a wide geographic distribution. Both ST and CC strongly correlate with group carbohydrate. In contrast, eleven STs were associated with >1 emm type, suggestive of recombinational replacements involving the emm gene; furthermore, 35% of the emm types are associated with genetically distant STs. Data also reveal a history of extensive inter- and intra-species recombination involving the housekeeping genes used for MLST. Sequence analysis of single locus variants identified through goeBURST indicates that genetic change mediated by recombination occurred ~4.4 times more frequently than by point mutation. Conclusions/Significance: A few genetic lineages with an intercontinental distribution dominate among SDSE causing infections in humans. The distinction between group C and G isolates reflects recent evolution, and no long-term genetic isolation between them was found. Lateral gene transfer and recombination involving housekeeping genes and the emm gene are important mechanisms driving genetic variability in the SDSE population.
Details
- Title
- Population Genetics of Streptococcus dysgalactiae Subspecies equisimilis Reveals Widely Dispersed Clones and Extensive Recombination
- Authors
- David J McMillan (Author) - Queensland Institute of Medical ResearchD E Bessen (Author) - New York Medical College, United StatesM Pinho (Author) - Universidade de Lisboa, PortugalC Ford (Author) - New York Medical College, United StatesG S Hall (Author) - New York Medical College, United StatesJ Melo-Cristino (Author) - Universidade de Lisboa, PortugalMarcela Ramirez (Author) - Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
- Publication details
- PLoS One, Vol.5(7), e11741; 11
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science
- Date published
- 2010
- DOI
- 10.1371/journal.pone.0011741
- ISSN
- 1932-6203
- Copyright note
- Copyright © 2010 McMillan et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
- Organisation Unit
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Health and Sport Sciences - Legacy; School of Science, Technology and Engineering; Centre for Bioinnovation
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99450387602621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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