September 2007
Genome sequence of stable Campylobacter strain deciphered
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Campylobacter jejuni |
Scientists of the Institute of Food Research and their collaborators at the veterinary pharmaceutical company Intervet have deciphered and published the complete genome sequence of a strain of Campylobacter jejuni. The food-poisoning bacterium C. jejuni is one of the major causes of gastroenteritis in humans, causing diarrhoea, stomach cramps and in rare cases a nervous condition called Guillain-Barré syndrome. Humans are commonly infected by eating undercooked poultry meat, which is contaminated during processing of the chickens. Surprisingly, the Campylobacter bacterium is commonly carried in the gut of birds without causing disease in the birds.
Like many bacteria, C. jejuni is able to avoid our body’s defences by altering the nature and content of its surface. These alterations are achieved by having regions of the bacterial chromosome that are able to make small random variations, resulting in different surface structures.
Genomic variability has been a problem for researchers investigating C. jejuni, since it potentially also causes differences between laboratories and even between experiments. In a project funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Intervet, the Campylobacter group at IFR has determined and analysed the complete genome sequence of Campylobacter jejuni strain 81116 (also known as NCTC11828). This strain was selected because of its previously reported genomic stability over time.
The genome sequence reported by IFR and Intervet is 1,628,114 bases in length and notable for having fewer of the variable regions than the previously reported C. jejuni sequences. Strain 81116 is widely studied as it is amenable to genetic alterations, and grows well in poultry allowing this important natural reservoir to be studied. Thus the reported sequence will provide useful information for Campylobacter researchers worldwide, and is predicted to be a valuable resource for the research community.
Campylobacter research at IFR
Campylobacter research at IFR focuses on understanding the molecular processes involved in Campylobacter infections. State-of-the art techniques are used or developed for the analysis of virulence gene regulation and bacterial responses to stresses encountered during infection of avian and mammalian hosts or during survival in the environment. The aim is to provide an integrated, holistic approach to the investigation of Campylobacter biology and pathogenesis of infection, by combining both the study of Campylobacter physiology and genetics.
More information about Campylobacter research at IFR can be found here:
http://www.ifr.ac.uk/campylobacter/
Notes for editors:
Publication details:
Pearson BM, Gaskin DJH, Segers RPAM, Wells JM, Nuijten PJM, van Vliet AHM.
The complete genome sequence of Campylobacter jejuni strain 81116 (NCTC11828).
Journal of Bacteriology, November 2007, p. 8402-8403, Vol. 189, No. 22
Published ahead of print on 14 September 2007, doi:10.1128/JB.01404-07
http://jb.asm.org/
About IFR:
The mission of the Institute of Food Research (www.ifr.ac.uk) is to undertake international quality scientific research relevant to food and human health and to work in partnership with others to provide underpinning science for consumers, policy makers, the food industry and academia. It is a company limited by guarantee, with charitable status, grant aided by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (www.bbsrc.ac.uk).
About Intervet:
Intervet based in Boxmeer, the Netherlands, with sales of EUR 1,125 million in 2006, is dedicated to research and development, production and marketing of innovative animal health products. Intervet's product range for use in livestock, companion animals, poultry and fish includes vaccines, antiparasitics, anti-infectives, endocrine products, other pharmaceutical specialties. Intervet operates globally with its own marketing organizations. The company currently employs around 5,300 people. (www.intervet.com)
About BBSRC:
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is the UK funding agency for research in the life sciences. Sponsored by Government, BBSRC annually invests around £380 million in a wide range of research that makes a significant contribution to the quality of life for UK citizens and supports a number of important industrial stakeholders including the agriculture, food, chemical, healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. BBSRC carries out its mission by funding internationally competitive research, providing training in the biosciences, fostering opportunities for knowledge transfer and innovation and promoting interaction with the public and other stakeholders on issues of scientific interest. For more information on BBSRC go to: www.bbsrc.ac.uk
Contact Details
Andy Chapple, Press Office Assistant, IFR
t: 01603 251490
m: 07785 766779
e: andrew.chapple@ifr.ac.uk
Dr Arnoud van Vliet, Head of Campylobacter Research, IFR
t: 01603 255250
e: arnoud.vanvliet@ifr.ac.uk
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