Journal of Bacteriology & Parasitology

Genome analysis of a salmon pathogen Piscirickettsia salmonis reveals insight into metabolism and pathogenesis

2^nd International Congress on Bacteriology & Infectious Diseases

November 17-19, 2014 DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Chicago-North Shore, USA

Alejandro Ya?ez

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Bacteriol Parasitol

Abstract:

Piscirickettsia salmonis is a Gram-negative intracellular bacterial pathogen isolated from infected farmed salmonids which cause the salmonid piscirickettsia septicaemia (SPS). P. salmonis is a member of the class Gammaproteobacteria, classified within order Thiotrichales close to Francisella and Legionella genus. Here, we present the genome sequence analysis of pathogenic strain of P. salmonis AUS 005, in order to understand its genomic features and its pathogenic role. The P. salmonis genome consists in a single circular chromosome of 3.4 Mp with 1400 Kb in size more in comparison to Francisella noatunensis subsp. Orientalis strain Toba04. The GC content was 37.37%. The annotation resulted in a total of 2,571 protein-coding gene predictions, with 1,873 well-annotated genes which were identified in a variety of genes associated with pathogenicity, environmental adaptation, metabolic pathways and iron acquisition, as well as transposable elements and insertion sequences (ISs). The metabolic pathways prediction indicates the absence of biosynthetic and catabolic pathways of cysteine and the complete pathways of TCA cycle. Surprisingly, the genome of this immobile bacterium revealed several genes encoding components of flagellum. The availability of the P. salmonis genome represents a biotechnological opportunity to understand the molecular mechanisms of pathogenecity and the development of new therapies to counteract the piscirickettsiosis.

Biography :

Alejandro Ya?ez, PhD is Full Professor at Universidad Austral de Chile with Postdoctoral visits at the University of Missouri Kansas City USA and IRB, Barcelona, Spain. At present he is the Director of mention of PhD program of Cell and Molecular Biology of Universidad Austral de Chile and Director and Founder of AUSTRAL Omics, the first center of biotechnology of the south of Chile. He is one of the main referent in the study of fish pathogenic bacteria, Piscirkickettsia salmonis, being part and Director of several projects in this area, also is member of interdisciplinary center of aquaculture research (INCAR).