Host-specificity of Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum: insights from comparative genomics

Infect Genet Evol. 2009 Jul;9(4):468-73. doi: 10.1016/j.meegid.2009.01.004. Epub 2009 Jan 19.

Abstract

In this study, we have identified the possible genetic factors responsible for fowl-adaptation of Salmonella entericaserovar Gallinarum (S. Gallinarum). By comparing the genes related to Salmonella pathogenicity islands (SPI) of S. Gallinarum with those of Salmonella entericaserovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) we have identified twenty-four positively selected genes. Our results suggest that the genes encoding the structural components of SPI-2 encoded type three secretion apparatus (TTSS) and the effector proteins that are secreted via SPI-1 encoded TTSS have evolved under positive selection pressure in these serovars. We propose that these positively selected genes play important roles in conferring different host-specificities to S. Gallinarum and S. Enteritidis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Bird Diseases / microbiology
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Genome, Bacterial
  • Genomic Islands / genetics*
  • Genomics
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions / genetics*
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Models, Genetic
  • Salmonella Infections, Animal / microbiology
  • Salmonella enterica / classification
  • Salmonella enterica / genetics*
  • Salmonella enterica / pathogenicity*
  • Salmonella enteritidis / genetics
  • Salmonella enteritidis / pathogenicity
  • Selection, Genetic
  • Species Specificity

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • SPI-2 protein, Salmonella
  • Spi1 protein, Salmonella