Genome sequence and identification of candidate vaccine antigens from the animal pathogen Dichelobacter nodosus

• DOI: 10.1038/nbt1302
• Publication Date: 2007-04-29T17:32:33Z
• Authors: Garry S A Myers; Dane Parker; Keith Al-Hasani; Ruth M Kennan; Torsten Seemann; Qinghu Ren; Jonathan H Badger; Jeremy D Selengut; Robert T DeBoy; Hervé Tettelin; John D Boyce; Victoria P McCarl; Xiaoyan Han; William C Nelson; Ramana Madupu; Yasmin Mohamoud; Tara Holley; Nadia Fedorova; Hoda Khouri; Steven P Bottomley; Richard J Whittin...; Ben Adler; J Glenn Songer; Julian I Rood; Ian T Paulsen
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Dichelobacter nodosus; 03 medical and health sciences; Animals; Chromosome Mapping; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Antigens; Foot Rot; Genome, Bacterial; 3. Good health

Dichelobacter nodosus causes ovine footrot, a disease that leads to severe economic losses in the wool and meat industries. We sequenced its 1.4-Mb genome, the smallest known genome of an anaerobe. It differs markedly from small genomes of intracellular bacteria, retaining greater biosynthetic capabilities and lacking any evidence of extensive ongoing genome reduction. Comparative genomic microarray studies and bioinformatic analysis suggested that, despite its small size, almost 20% of the genome is derived from lateral gene transfer. Most of these regions seem to be associated with virulence. Metabolic reconstruction indicated unsuspected capabilities, including carbohydrate utilization, electron transfer and several aerobic pathways. Global transcriptional profiling and bioinformatic analysis enabled the prediction of virulence factors and cell surface proteins. Screening of these proteins against ovine antisera identified eight immunogenic proteins that are candidate antigens for a cross-protective vaccine.