Phytoplasmas are a group of bacteria that associated with hundreds plant diseases. Due to their economical importance and the difficulties involved in experimental study these obligate pathogens, genome sequencing comparative analysis have been utilized as powerful tools understand phytoplasma biology. To date four complete sequences published. However, strains represent limited phylogenetic diversity. In this study, we report shotgun evolutionary peanut witches'-broom (PnWB) genome. The...

Abstract Background The genus Spiroplasma contains a group of helical, motile, and wall-less bacteria in the class Mollicutes. Similar to other members this class, such as animal-pathogenic Mycoplasma plant-pathogenic ‘ Candidatus Phytoplasma’, all characterized species were found be associated with eukaryotic hosts. While most appeared harmless commensals insects, small number have evolved pathogenicity toward various arthropods plants. In study, we isolated novel strain honeybee-associated...

Domestic chickens are excellent models for investigating the genetic basis of phenotypic diversity, as numerous changes in physiology, morphology, and behavior have been artificially selected. Genomic study is required to genome-wide patterns DNA variation dissecting traits. We sequenced genomes Silkie Taiwanese native chicken L2 at ∼23- 25-fold average coverage depth, respectively, using Illumina sequencing. The reads were mapped onto reference genome (including 5.1% Ns) 92.32% two breeds....

Abstract Although the microbiota is known to affect host development, metabolism, and immunity, its impact on behavior only beginning be understood. In order better characterize modulation by host-associated microorganisms, we investigated how bacteria modulate complex behaviors in nematode model organism Pristionchus pacificus. This a predator that feeds larvae of other nematodes, including Caenorhabditis elegans. By growing P. pacificus different testing their ability kill C. elegans,...

Spiroplasma is a genus of wall-less, low-GC, Gram-positive bacteria with helical morphology.As commensals or pathogens plants, insects, ticks, crustaceans, they are closely related mycoplasmas and form monophyletic group (Spiroplasma-Entomoplasmataceae-Mycoides) Mycoplasma mycoides its relatives.In this study, we report the complete genome sequences chrysopicola S. syrphidicola from Chrysopicola clade.These species sister to Citri clade, which includes several well-known pathogenic...

A lack of appropriate molecular tools is one obstacle that prevents in-depth mechanistic studies in many organisms. Transgenesis, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated engineering, and related are fundamental the modern life sciences, but their applications still limited to a few model In phylum Nematoda, transgenesis can only be performed handful species other than

Abstract Unravelling the multifaceted and bidirectional interactions between microbiota host physiology represents a major scientific challenge. Here, we utilise nematode model, Pristionchus pacificus , coupled to laboratory-simulated decay process of its insect host, mimic natural succession investigate associated tripartite interactions. Metagenomics reveal that during initial stages, population vitamin B-producing bacteria diminishes, potentially due preferential selection by nematodes....

Abstract Background Little is known about the Phasmatodea gut microbial community, including whether phasmids have symbiotic bacteria aiding in their digestion. While symbionts are near ubiquitous herbivorous insects, Phasmatodea’s distinctively thin body shape precludes enlargements needed for fermentation. High-throughput sequencing was used to characterize entire microbiota of fat bodies, salivary glands, and anterior posterior midguts two species walking stick. Results Most bacterial...

The ratio of microbial population size relative to the amount host tissue, or 'microbial load', is a fundamental metric colonization and infection, but it cannot be directly deduced from amplicon data such as 16S rRNA gene counts. Because existing methods determine load, serial dilution plating, quantitative PCR, whole metagenome sequencing add substantial cost and/or experimental burden, they are only rarely paired with sequencing. We introduce host-associated microbe PCR (hamPCR), robust...

Cross-kingdom interactions involve dynamic processes that shape terrestrial ecosystems and represent striking examples of co-evolution. The multifaceted relationships entomopathogenic nematodes with their insect hosts symbiotic bacteria are well-studied cases co-evolution pathogenicity. In contrast, microbial in soil after the natural death insects other invertebrates minimally understood. particular, turnover succession during decay have not been well documented - although it represents a...

Sensory systems are the primary interface between an organism and its environment with changes in selectivity or sensitivity representing key events behavioural evolution. Here, we explored molecular modifications influencing sensory perception across nematode phyla. Pristionchus pacificus is a predatory species has evolved contact-dependent sensing teeth-like structures to attack prey. Using mutants defective for mechanosensory neuron function, found expanded role this modality efficient...

Comparative genomics provides a powerful tool to characterize the genetic differences among species that may be linked their phenotypic variations. In case of mosquito-associated Spiroplasma species, such approach is useful for investigation differentiations in substrate utilization strategies and putative virulence factors. Among four have been assessed pathogenicity by artificial infection experiments, culicicola S. taiwanense were found pathogenic, whereas diminutum sabaudiense not....

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is an important mechanism that contributed to biological diversity, particularly in bacteria. Through acquisition of novel genes, the recipient cell may change its ecological preference and process could promote speciation. In this study, we determined complete genome sequence two Spiroplasma species for comparative analyses inferred putative gains losses. Although most are symbionts terrestrial insects, eriocheiris has evolved be a lethal pathogen freshwater...

Mosquitoes are hosts of several Spiroplasma species that belong to different serogroups. To investigate the genetic mechanisms may be involved in utilization similar these phylogenetically distinct bacteria, we determined complete genome sequences diminutum and S. taiwanense for comparative analysis. The alignment indicates their chromosomal organization is highly conserved, which sharp contrast elevated instabilities observed other lineages. Examination substrate strategies revealed can use...

The mreB gene family encodes actin-like proteins that determine cell shape by directing wall synthesis and often exists in one to three copies the genomes of non-spherical bacteria. Intriguingly, while most wall-less bacteria do not have this gene, five seven homologs are found Spiroplasma Haloplasma, which both characterized contractility. To investigate molecular evolution bacteria, we sampled available genome sequences from these two genera other related lineages for comparative analysis....

Convergent evolution, a process by which organisms evolved independently to have similar traits, provides opportunities understand adaptation.The bacterial genus Mycoplasma contains multiple species that become ruminant pathogens, represents an interesting study system for investigating the process.In this work, we determined genome sequences of 11 Entomoplasma/Mesoplasma species.This new data set, together with other available Mollicutes genomes, provided comprehensive taxon sampling...

Serratia marcescens WW4 is a biofilm-forming bacterium isolated from paper machine aggregates. Under conditions of phosphate limitation, this exhibits intergeneric inhibition Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Here, the complete genome sequence S. WW4, which consists one circular chromosome (5,241,455 bp) and plasmid (pSmWW4; 3,248 bp), was determined.

Phytoplasmas are uncultivated phytopathogenic bacteria that cause diseases in a wide range of economically important plants. Through secretion effector proteins, they able to manipulate their plant hosts facilitate multiplication and dispersal by insect vectors. The genome sequences several phytoplasmas have been characterized date group putative composite transposons called potential mobile units (PMUs) found these highly reduced genomes. Recently, our team reported the sequence comparative...

Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a phytopathogenic bacterium that causes crown gall disease. The strain Ach5 was isolated from yarrow (Achillea ptarmica L.) and the wild-type progenitor of other derived strains widely used for plant transformation. Here, we report complete genome sequence this bacterium.

Spiroplasma apis B31(T) (ATCC 33834) is a wall-less bacterium in the class Mollicutes that has been linked to May disease of honeybees (Apis mellifera). Here, we report complete genome sequence this facilitate investigation its virulence factors.

The phylum Nematoda represents one of the most cosmopolitan and abundant metazoan groups on Earth. In this study, we reconstructed phylogenomic tree for Nematoda. A total 60 genomes, belonging to eight nematode orders, were newly sequenced, providing first low-coverage genomes orders Dorylaimida, Mononchida, Monhysterida, Chromadorida, Triplonchida, Enoplida. resulting phylogeny is well-resolved across clades, with topologies remaining consistent various reconstruction parameters. subclass...

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) enables the acquisition of novel traits via non-Mendelian inheritance genetic material. HGT plays a prominent role in evolution prokaryotes, whereas animals, is rare and its functional significance often uncertain. Here, we investigate horizontally acquired cellulase genes free-living nematode model organism Pristionchus pacificus. We show that these 1) are likely eukaryotic origin, 2) expressed, 3) have protein products secreted functional, 4) result...

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling is essential for numerous biologic functions. It a highly conserved pathway found in all metazoans including the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, which has also been pivotal identifying many components. Utilizing comparative evolutionary approach, we explored TGF-β nine species and revealed striking variability gene frequency across lineage. Of analyzed, duplications DAF-7 appear common with greatest disparity observed Pristionchus pacificus....