Molecular diversity of Bacillus anthracis in the Netherlands: Investigating the relationship to the worldwide population using whole-genome SNP discovery

Sylviane Derzelle (1) , Guillaume Girault , Hendrik Ido Jan Roest , Miriam Koene

1 Laboratoire de santé animale, sites de Maisons-Alfort et de Normandie

Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, has been widely described as a clonal species. Here we report the use of both canonical SNP analysis and whole-genome sequencing to characterize the phylogenetic lineages of B. anthracis from the Netherlands. Eleven strains isolated over a 25-years period (1968-1993) were paired-end sequenced using parallel sequencing technology. Five canSNP groups or lineages, i.e. A.Br.001/002 (n = 6), A.Br.Aust94 (n = 2), A.Br.008/011 (n = 1), A.Br.011/009 (n = 1) and A.Br.Vollum (n = 1) were identified. Comparative analyses, with a focus on SNPs discovery, were carried out using a total of 52 B. anthracis genomes. A phylogeographic ''Dutch'' cluster within the dominant A.Br.001/002 group was discovered, involving isolates from a single outbreak. Diagnostic SNPs specific to the newly identified subgroups were developed into high-resolution melting SNP discriminative assays for the purpose of rapid molecular epidemiology. Phylogenetic relationships with strains from other parts of the world are discussed.

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

Sylviane Derzelle, Guillaume Girault, Hendrik Ido Jan Roest, Miriam Koene. Molecular diversity of Bacillus anthracis in the Netherlands: Investigating the relationship to the worldwide population using whole-genome SNP discovery. Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 2015, 32, pp.370-376. ⟨10.1016/j.meegid.2015.03.030⟩. ⟨anses-03857968⟩