Search

The complete mitochondrial genomes of two jungle crows (Corvus macrorhynchos) were sequenced. DNA was extracted from tissue samples obtained from shed feathers collected in the field in Sri Lanka and sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq Personal Sequencer. Jungle crow mitogenomes have a structural organization typical of the genus Corvus and are 16,927 bp and 17,066 bp in length, both comprising 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, and a non-coding control region. In addition, we complement already available house crow (Corvus spelendens) mitogenome resources by sequencing an individual from Singapore. A phylogenetic tree constructed from Corvidae family mitogenome sequences available on GenBank is presented. We confirm the monophyly of the genus Corvus and propose to use complete mitogenome resources for further intra- and interspecies genetic studies.

Climatic differences across a taxon's range may be associated with specific bioenergetic demands and may result in genetics-based metabolic adaptation, particularly in aquatic ectothermic organisms that rely on heat exchange with the environment to regulate key physiological processes. Extending down the east coast of Australia, the Great Dividing Range (GDR) has a strong influence on climate and the evolutionary history of freshwater fish species. Despite the GDR acting as a strong contemporary barrier to fish movement, many species, and species with shared ancestries, are found on both sides of the GDR, indicative of historical dispersal events. We sequenced complete mitogenomes from the four extant species of the freshwater cod genus Maccullochella, two of which occur on the semi-arid, inland side of the GDR, and two on the mesic coastal side. We constructed a dated phylogeny and explored the relative influences of purifying and positive selection in the evolution of mitogenome divergence among species. Results supported mid- to late-Pleistocene divergence of Maccullochella across the GDR (220-710 thousand years ago), bringing forward previously reported dates. Against a background of pervasive purifying selection, we detected potentially functionally relevant fixed amino acid differences across the GDR. Although many amino acid differences between inland and coastal species may have become fixed under relaxed purifying selection in coastal environments rather than positive selection, there was evidence of episodic positive selection acting on specific codons in the Mary River coastal lineage, which has consistently experienced the warmest and least extreme climate in the genus.

The mitochondrial genome sequence of the Australian tadpole shrimp, Triops australiensis is presented (GenBank Accession Number: NC_024439) and compared with other Triops species. Triops australiensis has a mitochondrial genome of 15,125 base pairs consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a non-coding AT-rich region. The T. australiensis mitogenome is composed of 36.4% A, 16.1% C, 12.3% G and 35.1% T. The mitogenome gene order conforms to the primitive arrangement for Branchiopod crustaceans, which is also conserved within the Pancrustacean.

The mitogenome of the Australian freshwater blackfish, Gadopsis marmoratus was recovered coverage by genome skimming using the MiSeq sequencer (GenBank Accession Number: NC_024436). The blackfish mitogenome has 16,407 base pairs made up of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a 819 bp non-coding AT-rich region. This is the 5th mitogenome sequence to be reported for the family Percichthyidae.

The Mictyris longicarpus (soldier crab) complete mitochondrial genome sequence is reported making it the first for the family Mictyridae and the second for the superfamily Ocypodoidea. The mitogenome is 15,548 base pairs made up of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs and a non-coding AT-rich region. The soldier crab mitogenome gene order is characteristic of brachyuran crabs with a base composition of 36.58% for T, 19.15% for C, 32.43% for A and 11.83% for G, with an AT bias of 69.01%.

The mitochondrial genome sequence of the ghost crab, Ocypode ceratophthalmus, is documented (GenBank accession number: LN611669) in this article. This is the first mitogenome for the family Ocypodidae and the second for the order Ocypodoidea. Ocypode ceratophthalmus has a mitogenome of 15,564 base pairs consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs and a non-coding AT-rich region. The base composition of the O. ceratophthalmus mitogenome is 35.78% for T, 19.36% for C, 33.73% for A and 11.13% for G, with an AT bias of 69.51% and the gene order is the typical arrangement for brachyuran crabs.

The marine clam Lutraria rhynchaena is gaining popularity as an aquaculture species in Asia. Lutraria populations are present in the wild throughout Vietnam and several stocks have been established and translocated for breeding and aquaculture grow-out purposes. In this study, we demonstrate the feasibility of utilising Illumina next-generation sequencing technology to streamline the identification and genotyping of microsatellite loci from this clam species. Based on an initial partial genome scan, 48 microsatellite markers with similar melting temperatures were identified and characterised. The 12 most suitable polymorphic loci were then genotyped using 51 individuals from a population in Quang Ninh Province, North Vietnam. Genetic variation was low (mean number of alleles per locus = 2.6; mean expected heterozygosity = 0.41). Two loci showed significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) and the presence of null alleles, but there was no evidence of linkage disequilibrium among loci. Three additional populations were screened (n = 7-36) to test the geographic utility of the 12 loci, which revealed 100 % successful genotyping in two populations from central Vietnam (Nha Trang). However, a second population from north Vietnam (Co To) could not be successfully genotyped and morphological evidence and mitochondrial variation suggests that this population represents a cryptic species of Lutraria. Comparisons of the Qang Ninh and Nha Trang populations, excluding the 2 loci out of HWE, revealed statistically significant allelic variation at 4 loci. We reported the first microsatellite loci set for the marine clam Lutraria rhynchaena and demonstrated its potential in differentiating clam populations. Additionally, a cryptic species population of Lutraria rhynchaena was identified during initial loci development, underscoring the overlooked diversity of marine clam species in Vietnam and the need to genetically characterise population representatives prior to microsatellite development. The rapid identification and validation of microsatellite loci using next-generation sequencing technology warrant its integration into future microsatellite loci development for key aquaculture species in Vietnam and more generally, aquaculture countries in the South East Asia region.

The enzymes involved in synthesizing the bacterial cell wall are attractive targets for the design of antibacterial compounds, since this pathway is essential for bacteria and is absent in animals, particularly humans. A survey of the genome of a bacterium that belongs to the phylum Verrucomicrobia, the closest free-living relative to bacteria from the Chlamydiales phylum, shows genetic evidence that Verrucomicrobium spinosum possesses a novel fusion open reading frame (ORF) annotated by the locus tag (VspiD_010100018130). The ORF, which is predicted to encode the enzymes UDP-N-acetylenolpyruvoylglucosamine reductase (MurB) and UDP-N-acetylmuramate:l-alanine ligase (MurC) that are involved in the cytoplasmic steps of peptidoglycan biosynthesis, was cloned. In vivo analyses using functional complementation showed that the fusion gene was able to complement Escherichia coli murB and murC temperature sensitive mutants. The purified recombinant fusion enzyme (MurB/C Vs ) was shown to be endowed with UDP-N-acetylmuramate:l-alanine ligase activity. In vitro analyses demonstrated that the latter enzyme had a pH optimum of 9.0, a magnesium optimum of 10 mM and a temperature optimum of 44-46°C. Its apparent K m values for ATP, UDP-MurNAc, and l-alanine were 470, 90, and 25 μM, respectively. However, all attempts to demonstrate an in vitro UDP-N-acetylenolpyruvoylglucosamine reductase (MurB) activity were unsuccessful. Lastly, Hidden Markov Model-based similarity search and phylogenetic analysis revealed that this fusion enzyme could only be identified in specific lineages within the Verrucomicrobia phylum.

Background: Accumulating evidence shows that Helicobacter pylori protects against some metabolic and immunological diseases in which the development of these diseases coincide with temporal or permanent dysbiosis. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of H. pylori eradication on the human gut microbiome., Methods: As part of the currently on-going ESSAY (Eradication Study in Stable Adults/Youths) study, we collected stool samples from 17 H. pylori-positive young adult (18-30 years-old) volunteers. The same cohort was followed up 6, 12 and 18 months-post H. pylori eradication. The impact of H. pylori on the human gut microbiome pre- and post-eradication was investigated using high throughput 16S rRNA gene (V3-V4 region) sequencing using the Illumina Miseq followed by data analysis using Qiime pipeline., Results: We compared the composition and diversity of bacterial communities in the fecal microbiome of the H. pylori-positive volunteers, before and after H. pylori eradication therapy. The 16S rRNA gene was sequenced at an average of 150,000-170,000 reads/sample. The microbial diversity were similar pre- and post-H. pylori eradication with no significant differences in richness and evenness of bacterial species. Despite that the general profile of the gut microbiome was similar pre- and post-eradication, some changes in the bacterial communities at the phylum and genus levels were notable, particularly the decrease in relative abundance of Bacterioidetes and corresponding increase in Firmicutes after H. pylori eradication. The significant increase of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA)-producing bacteria genera could also be associated with increased risk of metabolic disorders., Conclusions: Our preliminary stool metagenomics study shows that eradication of H. pylori caused perturbation of the gut microbiome and may indirectly affect the health of human. Clinicians should be aware of the effect of broad spectrum antibiotics used in H. pylori eradication regimen and be cautious in the clinical management of H. pylori infection, particularly in immunocompromised patients.

We report here the first high-quality draft genome sequence of Pasteurella multocida sequence type 128, which was isolated from the infected finger bone of an adult female who was bitten by a domestic dog. The draft genome will be a valuable addition to the scarce genomic resources available for P. multocida., (Copyright © 2016 Kavousi et al.)

Typhoid fever, caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, remains an important public health burden in Southeast Asia and other endemic countries. Various genotyping methods have been applied to study the genetic variations of this human-restricted pathogen. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) is one of the widely accepted methods, and recently, there is a growing interest in the re-application of MLST in the post-genomic era. In this study, we provide the global MLST distribution of S. Typhi utilizing both publicly available 1,826 S. Typhi genome sequences in addition to performing conventional MLST on S. Typhi strains isolated from various endemic regions spanning over a century. Our global MLST analysis confirms the predominance of two sequence types (ST1 and ST2) co-existing in the endemic regions. Interestingly, S. Typhi strains with ST8 are currently confined within the African continent. Comparative genomic analyses of ST8 and other rare STs with genomes of ST1/ST2 revealed unique mutations in important virulence genes such as flhB, sipC, and tviD that may explain the variations that differentiate between seemingly successful (widespread) and unsuccessful (poor dissemination) S. Typhi populations. Large scale whole-genome phylogeny demonstrated evidence of phylogeographical structuring and showed that ST8 may have diverged from the earlier ancestral population of ST1 and ST2, which later lost some of its fitness advantages, leading to poor worldwide dissemination. In response to the unprecedented increase in genomic data, this study demonstrates and highlights the utility of large-scale genome-based MLST as a quick and effective approach to narrow the scope of in-depth comparative genomic analysis and consequently provide new insights into the fine scale of pathogen evolution and population structure.

The whole-genome sequence of a new genospecies of Methylobacterium sp., named GXS13 and isolated from grapevine xylem sap, is reported and demonstrates potential for methylotrophy, cytokinin synthesis, and cell wall modification. In addition, biosynthetic gene clusters were identified for cupriachelin, carotenoid, and acyl-homoserine lactone using the antiSMASH server., (Copyright © 2016 Lai et al.)

The complete mitochondrial genome of the parasitic copepod Pandarus rhincodonicus was obtained from a partial genome scan using the HiSeq sequencing system. The Pandarus rhincodonicus mitogenome has 14,480 base pairs (62% A+T content) made up of 12 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a putative 384 bp non-coding AT-rich region. This Pandarus mitogenome sequence is the first for the family Pandaridae, the second for the order Siphonostomatoida and the sixth for the Copepoda.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the iconic Australian freshwater fish, the Murray Cod, Maccullochella peelii, was recovered from partial genome sequencing data using the HiSeq platform (Illumina, San Diego, CA). The mitogenome consists of 16,442 bp (58% A + T content) containing 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a 768 bp non-coding AT-rich region. This is the first mitogenome sequence for the genus Maccullochella, and the fourth for the family Percichthyidae.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Cherax glaber was sequenced using the HiSeq platform. The mitogenome consists of 15,806 base pairs containing 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs and a non-coding AT-rich region. The Cherax glaber has a base composition of 32.39% for T, 22.42% for C, 33.73% for A and 11.46% for G, with an AT bias of 66.12%.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the commercially important snout otter clam Lutraria rhynchaena was obtained from low-coverage shotgun sequencing data on the MiSeq platform. The L. rhynchaena mitogenome has 16,927 base pairs (69% A + T content) and made up of 12 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a 953 bp non-coding AT-rich region. This is the first mitogenome to be sequenced from the genus Lutraria, and the seventh to be reported for the family Mactridae.

The mitochondrial genome sequence of the Morton Bay bug, Thenus orientalis, is documented, which makes it the second mitogenome for species of the family Scyllaridae and the ninth for members of the superfamily Palinuroidae. Thenus orientalis has a mitogenome of 16,826 base pairs consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 23 transfer RNAs, and a non-coding AT-rich region. The base composition of the T. orientalis mitogenome is 31.31% for T, 23.77% for C, 31.05% for A, and 13.87% for G, with an AT bias of 62.36%. In addition to a duplicated trnS1 and several other tRNA gene rearrangements, the mitogenome gene order has novel protein coding gene order with the nad6 and cob genes translocated as a block to a location downstream of the nad3 gene.

The complete mitochondrial genome of a highland freshwater crayfish, Cherax monticola, was recovered by shotgun sequencing. The mitogenome consists of 15,917 base pairs containing 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs and a non-coding AT-rich region. The base composition of C. monticola is 33.46% for T, 21.48% for C, 33.71% for A and 11.35% for G, with an AT bias of 67.17%.

The commercial freshwater crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus complete mitochondrial genome was recovered from partial genome sequencing using the MiSeq Personal Sequencer. The mitogenome has 15,869 base pairs consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a non-coding AT-rich region. The base composition of C. quadricarinatus is 32.16% for T, 23.39% for C, 33.26% for A, and 11.19% for G, with an AT bias of 65.42%.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Cherax cainii was recovered from partial genome sequencing data using the HiSeq platform. The mitogenome consists of 15,801 base pairs (69% A + T content) containing 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs and a 783 bp non-coding AT-rich region. This is the second completely sequenced mitogenome from the genus Cherax after the first reported Cherax destructor mitogenome nearly a decade ago.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the swimming crab Thalamita crenata was obtained from a partial genome scan using the MiSeq sequencing system. The Thalamita crenata mitogenome has 15,787 base pairs (70% A+T content) made up of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a putative 897 bp non-coding AT-rich region. This Thalamita mitogenome sequence is the first for the genus and the eighth for the family Portunidae.

The mitochondrial genome sequence of the stone crab, Myomenippe fornasinii, second of the superfamily Eriphioidea is documented. Myomenippe fornasinii has a mitogenome of 15,658 base pairs consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs and a non-coding AT-rich region. The base composition of the M. fornasinii mitogenome is 36.10% for T, 18.52% for C, 35.48% for A, and 9.90% for G, with an AT bias of 71.58%. The mitogenome gene order conforms to what is the standard arrangement for brachyuran crabs.

The complete mitogenome of the ray Pastinachus atrus was recovered from a partial genome scan using the HiSeq sequencing system. The P. atrus mitogenome has 18,162 base pairs (61% A + T content) made up of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a 2516 bp non-coding AT-rich region. This mitogenome sequence is the first for a ray from Australian waters, the first for the Genus Pastinachus, and the 6th for the family Dasyatidae.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the invasive house crow (Corvus splendens) was sequenced (GenBank accession number: KJ766304) using the MiSeq Personal Sequencer (Illumina, San Diego, CA). The mitochondrial genome is 16,962 bp in length, comprising 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes and a non-coding control region. The mitogenome structural organization is identical to that of the other Corvus species and related genera. The overall base composition of C. splendens is 30.65% for A, 29.71% for C, 14.84% for G and 24.80% for T, with an AT content of 55.45%. We propose to use full mitochondrial genome to address taxonomic issues and to study the population genetics of crows.

The mitochondrial genome sequence of the Australian crayfish, Euastacus yarraensis, is documented and compared with other Australian crayfish genera. Euastacus yarraensis has a mitogenome of 15,548 base pairs consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a non-coding AT-rich region. The base composition of E. yarraensis mitogenome is 32.39% for T, 22.45% for C, 34.43% for A, and 10.73% for G, with an AT bias of 66.82%. The mitogenome gene order conforms to what is considered the primitive arrangement for parastacid crayfish.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the conservationally significant Macquarie perch (Macquaria australasica) was obtained from low-coverage shotgun sequencing using the MiSeq sequencer. The M. australasica mitogenome has 16,496 base pairs (55% A + T content) made up of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a 819 bp non-coding AT-rich region. This is the first mitogenome sequence for the genus Macquaria, and the third to be reported for the family Percichthyidae.

The mitogenome of the black yabby, Geocharax gracilis, was sequenced using the MiSeq Personal Sequencer. It has 15,924 base pairs consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 23 transfer RNAs, and a non-coding AT-rich region. The base composition of G. gracilis mitogenome is 32.18% for T, 22.32% for C, 34.83% for A, and 10.68% for G, with an AT bias of 67.01%. The mitogenome gene order is typical for that of parastacid crayfish with the exception of some minor rearrangements involving tRNA genes.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the moon crab Ashtoret lunaris was obtained from a partial genome scan using the MiSeq sequencing system. The Ashtoret lunaris mitogenome is 15,807 base pairs in length (70% A + T content) and made up of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and a putative 956 bp non-coding AT-rich region. This A. lunaris mitogenome sequence is the first for the genus, as well as the family Matutidae and superfamily Calappoidea.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the enigmatic freshwater crayfish Engaeus lyelli was sequenced using the MiSeq Personal Sequencer (Illumina, San Diego, CA). The mitogenome has 16,027 bp consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal subunit genes, 23 transfer RNAs, and a non-coding AT-rich region. The base composition of E. lyelli is 29.01% for T, 27.13% for C, 31.43% for A, and 12.44% for G, with an AT bias of 60.44%. The species has the distinctive gene order characteristic of parastacid crayfish with the exception of some minor rearrangements involving the tRNA genes.

Metabarcoding, the coupling of DNA-based species identification and high-throughput sequencing, offers enormous promise for arthropod biodiversity studies but factors such as cost, speed and ease-of-use of bioinformatic pipelines, crucial for making the leapt from demonstration studies to a real-world application, have not yet been adequately addressed. Here, four published and one newly designed primer sets were tested across a diverse set of 80 arthropod species, representing 11 orders, to establish optimal protocols for Illumina-based metabarcoding of tropical Malaise trap samples. Two primer sets which showed the highest amplification success with individual specimen polymerase chain reaction (PCR, 98%) were used for bulk PCR and Illumina MiSeq sequencing. The sequencing outputs were subjected to both manual and simple metagenomics quality control and filtering pipelines. We obtained acceptable detection rates after bulk PCR and high-throughput sequencing (80-90% of input species) but analyses were complicated by putative heteroplasmic sequences and contamination. The manual pipeline produced similar or better outputs to the simple metagenomics pipeline (1.4 compared with 0.5 expected:unexpected Operational Taxonomic Units). Our study suggests that metabarcoding is slowly becoming as cheap, fast and easy as conventional DNA barcoding, and that Malaise trap metabarcoding may soon fulfill its potential, providing a thermometer for biodiversity.

Here, we report the whole-genome sequences and annotation of 11 endophytic bacteria from poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) vine tissue. Five bacteria belong to the genus Pseudomonas, and six single members from other genera were found present in interior vine tissue of poison ivy., (Copyright © 2015 Tran et al.)

The purpose of our study was to observe the effects of luteolin on the expression of the genes ICAM-1, LFA-3, and PCNA in H22 hepatoma tissue. Sixty ICR (Institute of Cancer Research) mice with H22 hepatoma were randomly divided into five groups: a normal saline control group, low-, medium-, and high-dose luteolin groups, and a cyclophosphamide group. The mice were euthanized the day after administration withdrawal and subcutaneous tumor tissue was extracted. Quantitative fluorescence RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of ICAM-1, LFA-3, and PCNA in H22 hepatoma tissue in the mice. Luteolin was found to up-regulate the expression of ICAM-1 in H22 hepatoma tissue, of which the middle-dose group had the most obvious effect, showing a significant difference (P < 0.01) as compared to the normal saline group. Each dose group of luteolin significantly down-regulated the expression of LFA-3 in H22 hepatoma tissue, showing significant differences as compared to the saline control group (P < 0.01). The medium- and high-dose luteolin groups significantly reduced the expression of PCNA in H22 hepatoma tissue of ICR mice, where the effect of the high-dose group was the most obvious, and the difference between the two luteolin groups and the normal saline group was statistically significant (P < 0.01). Luteolin may inhibit tumor angiogenesis and tumor cell proliferation by down-regulation of LFA- 3 and PCNA and up-regulation of ICAM-1 in tumor tissue of tumor-bearing mice, thereby achieving its anti-tumor effect.

We present data from sediment cores collected from IODP Site C0012 in the Shikoku Basin. Our site lies at the Nankai Trough, just prior to subduction of the 19 Ma Philippine Sea plate. Our data indicate that the sedimentary package is undergoing multiple routes of electron transport and that these differing pathways for oxidant supply generate a complex array of metabolic routes and microbial communities involved in carbon cycling. Numerical simulations matched to pore water data document that Ca(2+) and Cl(1-) are largely supplied via diffusion from a high-salinity (44.5 psu) basement fluid, which supports the presence of halophile Archean communities within the deep sedimentary package that are not observed in shallow sediments. Sulfate supply from basement supports anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) at a rate of ~0.2 pmol cm(-3) day(-1) at ~400 mbsf. We also note the disappearance of δ-Proteobacteria at 434 mbsf, coincident with the maximum in methane concentration, and their reappearance at 463 mbsf, coinciding with the observed deeper increase in sulfate concentration toward the basement. We did not, however, find ANME representatives in any of the samples analyzed (from 340 to 463 mbsf). The lack of ANME may be due to an overshadowing effect from the more dominant archaeal phylotypes or may indicate involvement of unknown groups of archaea in AOM (i.e., unclassified Euryarchaeota). In addition to the supply of sulfate from a basement aquifer, the deep biosphere at this site is also influenced by an elevated supply of reactive iron (up to 143 μmol g(-1)) and manganese (up to 20 μmol g(-1)). The effect of these metal oxides on the sulfur cycle is inferred from an accompanying sulfur isotope fractionation much smaller than expected from traditional sulfate-reducing pathways. The detection of the manganese- and iron-reducer γ-Proteobacteria Alteromonas at 367 mbsf is consistent with these geochemical inferences., (© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Jeotgalibacillus alimentarius JY-13(T) (=KCCM 80002(T) = JCM 10872(T)) is a moderate halophile. In 2001, this was the first strain of the newly proposed Jeotgalibacillus genus. The draft genome of J. alimentarius was found to consist of 32 contigs (N50, 315,125 bp) with a total size of 3,364,745 bp. This genome information will be helpful for studies on pigmentation as well as applications for this bacterium., (Copyright © 2015 Yaakop et al.)

The Asian arowana (Scleropages formosus) is of commercial importance, conservation concern, and is a representative of one of the oldest lineages of ray-finned fish, the Osteoglossomorpha. To add to genomic knowledge of this species and the evolution of teleosts, the genome of a Malaysian specimen of arowana was sequenced. A draft genome is presented consisting of 42,110 scaffolds with a total size of 708 Mb (2.85% gaps) representing 93.95% of core eukaryotic genes. Using a k-mer-based method, a genome size of 900 Mb was also estimated. We present an update on the phylogenomics of fishes based on a total of 27 species (23 fish species and 4 tetrapods) using 177 orthologous proteins (71,360 amino acid sites), which supports established relationships except that arowana is placed as the sister lineage to all teleost clades (Bayesian posterior probability 1.00, bootstrap replicate 93%), that evolved after the teleost genome duplication event rather than the eels (Elopomorpha). Evolutionary rates are highly heterogeneous across the tree with fishes represented by both slowly and rapidly evolving lineages. A total of 94 putative pigment genes were identified, providing the impetus for development of molecular markers associated with the spectacular colored phenotypes found within this species., (© The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.)

Jeotgalibacillus campisalis SF-57(T) (=KCCM 41644(T), JCM 11810(T)) is a moderate halophilic bacterium isolated from a Korean marine saltern. In this study, we describe the high-quality draft genome of strain SF-57(T), which was assembled into 24 contigs containing 3,650,490bp with a G+C content of 41.06%. Availability of the genome sequence of J. campisalis SF-57(T) will contribute to a better understanding of the genus Jeotgalibacillus., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Here, we report the isolation, identification, whole-genome sequencing, and annotation of four Bacillus species from internal stem tissue of the insulin plant Costus igneus, grown in Puerto Rico. The plant is of medicinal importance, as extracts from its leaves have been shown to lower blood sugar levels of hyperglycemic rats., (Copyright © 2015 Polter et al.)

Jeotgalibacillus soli, a bacterium capable of degrading N-acyl homoserine lactone, was isolated from a soil sample in Portugal. J. soli constitutes the only Jeotgalibacillus species isolated from a non-marine source. Here, the draft genome, several interesting glycosyl hydrolases, and its putative N-acyl homoserine lactonases are presented., (Copyright © 2015 Goh et al.)

Here, we report the whole-genome sequence and annotation of Pseudomonas kilonensis 1855-344 (previously known as P. fluorescens 1855-344). The genome contains an octopine oxidase gene cluster consistent with the ability to utilize octopine. A biosynthetic gene cluster was identified for mangotoxin and aryl-polyene using the antiSMASH server., (Copyright © 2015 Eng et al.)

In the title polymeric complex, {[Zn(C24H22N6O2)(H2O)4](NO3)2·2H2O} n , the Zn(II) cation, located about a twofold rotation axis, is coordinated by two imidazole groups and four water mol-ecules in a distorted N2O4 octa-hedral geometry; among the four coordinate water mol-ecules, two are located on the same twofold rotation axis. The 1,4-bis-[4-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)benzo-yl]piperazine] ligand is centro-symmetric, with the centroid of the piperazine ring located on an inversion center, and bridges the Zn(II) cations, forming polymeric chains propagating along [201]. In the crystal, O-H⋯O and weak C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the polymeric chains, nitrate anions and solvent water mol-ecules into a three-dimensional supra-molecular architecture. A short O⋯O contact of 2.823 (13) Å is observed between neighboring nitrate anions.

Here, we report the genome sequences of Bacillus safensis RIT372 and Pseudomonas oryzihabitans RIT370 from Capsicum spp. Annotation revealed gene clusters for the synthesis of bacilysin, lichensin, and bacillibactin and sporulation killing factor (skfA) in Bacillus safensis RIT372 and turnerbactin and carotenoid in Pseudomonas oryzihabitans RIT370., (Copyright © 2015 Gan et al.)

The increased rate at which complete mitogenomes are being sequenced and their increasing use for phylogenetic studies have resulted in a bioinformatic bottleneck in preparing and utilising such data for phylogenetic analysis. Hence, we present MitoPhAST, an automated tool that (1) identifies annotated protein-coding gene features and generates a standardised, concatenated and partitioned amino acid alignment directly from complete/partial GenBank/EMBL-format mitogenome flat files, (2) generates a maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree using optimised protein models and (3) reports various mitochondrial genes and sequence information in a table format. To demonstrate the capacity of MitoPhAST in handling a large dataset, we used 81 publicly available decapod mitogenomes, together with eight new complete mitogenomes of Australian freshwater crayfishes, including the first for the genus Gramastacus, to undertake an updated test of the monophyly of the major groups of the order Decapoda and their phylogenetic relationships. The recovered phylogenetic trees using both Bayesian and ML methods support the results of studies using fragments of mtDNA and nuclear markers and other smaller-scale studies using whole mitogenomes. In comparison to the fragment-based phylogenies, nodal support values are generally higher despite reduced taxon sampling suggesting there is value in utilising more fully mitogenomic data. Additionally, the simple table output from MitoPhAST provides an efficient summary and statistical overview of the mitogenomes under study at the gene level, allowing the identification of missing or duplicated genes and gene rearrangements. The finding of new mtDNA gene rearrangements in several genera of Australian freshwater crayfishes indicates that this group has undergone an unusually high rate of evolutionary change for this organelle compared to other major families of decapod crustaceans. As a result, freshwater crayfishes are likely to be a useful model for studies designed to understand the evolution of mtDNA rearrangements. We anticipate that our bioinformatics pipeline will substantially help mitogenome-based studies increase the speed, accuracy and efficiency of phylogenetic studies utilising mitogenome information. MitoPhAST is available for download at https://github.com/mht85/MitoPhAST., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Chicken gut microbiota has paramount roles in host performance, health and immunity. Understanding the topological difference in gut microbial community composition is crucial to provide knowledge on the functions of each members of microbiota to the physiological maintenance of the host. The gut microbiota profiling of the chicken was commonly performed previously using culture-dependent and early culture-independent methods which had limited coverage and accuracy. Advances in technology based on next-generation sequencing (NGS), offers unparalleled coverage and depth in determining microbial gut dynamics. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the ileal and caecal microbiota development as chicken aged, which is important for future effective gut modulation., Material and Methods: Ileal and caecal contents of broiler chicken were extracted from 7, 14, 21 and 42-day old chicken. Genomic DNA was then extracted and amplified based on V3 hyper-variable region of 16S rRNA. Bioinformatics, ecological and statistical analyses such as Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) was performed in mothur software and plotted using PRIMER 6. Additional analyses for predicted metagenomes were performed through PICRUSt and STAMP software package based on Greengenes databases., Results: A distinctive difference in bacterial communities was observed between ilea and caeca as the chicken aged (P < 0.001). The microbial communities in the caeca were more diverse in comparison to the ilea communities. The potentially pathogenic bacteria such as Clostridium were elevated as the chicken aged and the population of beneficial microbe such as Lactobacillus was low at all intervals. On the other hand, based on predicted metagenomes analysed, clear distinction in functions and roles of gut microbiota such as gene pathways related to nutrient absorption (e.g. sugar and amino acid metabolism), and bacterial proliferation and colonization (e.g. bacterial motility proteins, two-component system and bacterial secretion system) were observed between ilea and caeca, respectively (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: The caeca microbial communities were more diverse in comparison to ilea. The main functional differences between the two sites were found to be related to nutrient absorption and bacterial colonization. Based on the composition of the microbial community, future gut modulation with beneficial bacteria such as probiotics may benefit the host.

Here we report the draft genomes and annotation of four N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL)-producing members from the family Sphingomonadaceae. Comparative genomic analyses of 62 Sphingomonadaceae genomes were performed to gain insights into the distribution of the canonical luxI/R-type quorum sensing (QS) network within this family. Forty genomes contained at least one luxR homolog while the genome of Sphingobium yanoikuyae B1 contained seven Open Reading Frames (ORFs) that have significant homology to that of luxR. Thirty-three genomes contained at least one luxI homolog while the genomes of Sphingobium sp. SYK6, Sphingobium japonicum, and Sphingobium lactosutens contained four luxI. Using phylogenetic analysis, the sphingomonad LuxR homologs formed five distinct clades with two minor clades located near the plant associated bacteria (PAB) LuxR solo clade. This work for the first time shows that 13 Sphingobium and one Sphingomonas genome(s) contain three convergently oriented genes composed of two tandem luxR genes proximal to one luxI (luxR-luxR-luxI). Interestingly, luxI solos were identified in two Sphingobium species and may represent species that contribute to AHL-based QS system by contributing AHL molecules but are unable to perceive AHLs as signals. This work provides the most comprehensive description of the luxI/R circuitry and genome-based taxonomical description of the available sphingomonad genomes to date indicating that the presence of luxR solos and luxI solos are not an uncommon feature in members of the Sphingomonadaceae family.

Background: Typhoid fever is an infectious disease of global importance that is caused by Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi). This disease causes an estimated 200,000 deaths per year and remains a serious global health threat. S. Typhi is strictly a human pathogen, and some recovered individuals become long-term carriers who continue to shed the bacteria in their faeces, thus becoming main reservoirs of infection., Results: A comparative genomics analysis combined with a phylogenomic analysis revealed that the strains from the outbreak and carrier were closely related with microvariations and possibly derived from a common ancestor. Additionally, the comparative genomics analysis with all of the other completely sequenced S. Typhi genomes revealed that strains BL196 and CR0044 exhibit unusual genomic variations despite S. Typhi being generally regarded as highly clonal. The two genomes shared distinct chromosomal architectures and uncommon genome features; notably, the presence of a ~10 kb novel genomic island containing uncharacterised virulence-related genes, and zot in particular. Variations were also detected in the T6SS system and genes that were related to SPI-10, insertion sequences, CRISPRs and nsSNPs among the studied genomes. Interestingly, the carrier strain CR0044 harboured far more genetic polymorphisms (83% mutant nsSNPs) compared with the closely related BL196 outbreak strain. Notably, the two highly related virulence-determinant genes, rpoS and tviE, were mutated in strains BL196 and CR0044, respectively, which revealed that the mutation in rpoS is stabilising, while that in tviE is destabilising. These microvariations provide novel insight into the optimisation of genes by the pathogens. However, the sporadic strain was found to be far more conserved compared with the others., Conclusions: The uncommon genomic variations in the two closely related BL196 and CR0044 strains suggests that S. Typhi is more diverse than previously thought. Our study has demonstrated that the pathogen is continually acquiring new genes through horizontal gene transfer in the process of host adaptation, providing novel insight into its unusual genomic dynamics. The understanding of these strains and virulence factors, and particularly the strain that is associated with the large outbreak and the less studied asymptomatic Typhi carrier in the population, will have important impact on disease control.

Here, we report the whole-genome sequences and annotation of five oligotrophic bacteria from two sites within the Lechuguilla Cave in the Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM. Three of the five genomes contain an acyl-homoserine lactone signal synthase ortholog (luxI) that is involved in cell-to-cell communication via quorum sensing., (Copyright © 2014 Gan et al.)

The quality of traditional Chinese soy sauce is determined by microbial communities and their inter-related metabolic roles in the fermentation tank. In this study, traditional Chinese soy sauce brine samples were obtained periodically to monitor the transitions of the microbial population and functional properties during the 6 months of fermentation process. Whole genome shotgun method revealed that the fermentation brine was dominated by the bacterial genus Weissella and later dominated by the fungal genus Candida. Metabolic reconstruction of the metagenome sequences demonstrated a characteristic profile of heterotrophic fermentation of proteins and carbohydrates. This was supported by the detection of ethanol with stable decrease of pH values. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that explores the temporal changes in microbial successions over a period of 6 months, through metagenome shotgun sequencing in traditional Chinese soy sauce fermentation and the biological processes therein.

Nitratireductor basaltis strain UMTGB225 is a Gram-negative bacterium isolated from a marine tunicate found in Bidong Island, Terengganu, Malaysia. In this study, the genome of Nitratireductor basaltis UMTGB225 was sequenced to gain insight into the role of this bacterium and its association with tunicate hosts in a coral reef habitat., (Copyright © 2014 Danish-Daniel et al.)

We report the draft genome sequence of Paenibacillus sp. strain MSt1, which has broad-range antimicrobial activity, isolated from tropical peat swamp soil. Genes involved in antimicrobial biosynthesis are found to be present in this genome., (Copyright © 2014 Aw et al.)

We report the draft genome sequences of two antimicrobial-producing isolates, Burkholderia sp. strains MSh1 and MSh2, which were isolated from tropical peat swamp forest soil. Putative genes related to different antimicrobial production have been annotated in both genome sequences., (Copyright © 2014 Ong et al.)