The genome sequence of Bacillus anthracis Ames and comparison to closely related bacteria

Timothy D. Read (), Scott N. Peterson, Nicolas Tourasse, Les W. Baillie, Ian T. Paulsen, Karen E. Nelson, Hervé Tettelin, Derrick E. Fouts, Jonathan A. Eisen, Steven R. Gill, Erik K. Holtzapple, Ole Andreas Økstad, Erlendur Helgason, Jennifer Rilstone, Martin Wu, James F. Kolonay, Maureen J. Beanan, Robert J. Dodson, Lauren M. Brinkac, Michelle Gwinn, Robert T. DeBoy, Ramana Madpu, Sean C. Daugherty, A. Scott Durkin, Daniel H. Haft, William C. Nelson, Jeremy D. Peterson, Mihai Pop, Hoda M. Khouri, Diana Radune, Jonathan L. Benton, Yasmin Mahamoud, Lingxia Jiang, Ioana R. Hance, Janice F. Weidman, Kristi J. Berry, Roger D. Plaut, Alex M. Wolf, Kisha L. Watkins, William C. Nierman, Alyson Hazen, Robin Cline, Caroline Redmond, Joanne E. Thwaite, Owen White, Steven L. Salzberg, Brendan Thomason, Arthur M. Friedlander, Theresa M. Koehler, Philip C. Hanna, Anne-Brit Kolstø and Claire M. Fraser
Additional contact information
Timothy D. Read: The Institute for Genomic Research
Scott N. Peterson: The Institute for Genomic Research
Nicolas Tourasse: University of Oslo
Les W. Baillie: The Institute for Genomic Research
Ian T. Paulsen: The Institute for Genomic Research
Karen E. Nelson: The Institute for Genomic Research
Hervé Tettelin: The Institute for Genomic Research
Derrick E. Fouts: The Institute for Genomic Research
Jonathan A. Eisen: The Institute for Genomic Research
Steven R. Gill: The Institute for Genomic Research
Erik K. Holtzapple: The Institute for Genomic Research
Ole Andreas Økstad: University of Oslo
Erlendur Helgason: University of Oslo
Jennifer Rilstone: The Institute for Genomic Research
Martin Wu: The Institute for Genomic Research
James F. Kolonay: The Institute for Genomic Research
Maureen J. Beanan: The Institute for Genomic Research
Robert J. Dodson: The Institute for Genomic Research
Lauren M. Brinkac: The Institute for Genomic Research
Michelle Gwinn: The Institute for Genomic Research
Robert T. DeBoy: The Institute for Genomic Research
Ramana Madpu: The Institute for Genomic Research
Sean C. Daugherty: The Institute for Genomic Research
A. Scott Durkin: The Institute for Genomic Research
Daniel H. Haft: The Institute for Genomic Research
William C. Nelson: The Institute for Genomic Research
Jeremy D. Peterson: The Institute for Genomic Research
Mihai Pop: The Institute for Genomic Research
Hoda M. Khouri: The Institute for Genomic Research
Diana Radune: The Institute for Genomic Research
Jonathan L. Benton: The Institute for Genomic Research
Yasmin Mahamoud: The Institute for Genomic Research
Lingxia Jiang: The Institute for Genomic Research
Ioana R. Hance: The Institute for Genomic Research
Janice F. Weidman: The Institute for Genomic Research
Kristi J. Berry: The Institute for Genomic Research
Roger D. Plaut: The Institute for Genomic Research
Alex M. Wolf: The Institute for Genomic Research
Kisha L. Watkins: The Institute for Genomic Research
William C. Nierman: The Institute for Genomic Research
Alyson Hazen: The Institute for Genomic Research
Robin Cline: The Institute for Genomic Research
Caroline Redmond: University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute
Joanne E. Thwaite: University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute
Owen White: The Institute for Genomic Research
Steven L. Salzberg: The Institute for Genomic Research
Brendan Thomason: University of Michigan Medical School
Arthur M. Friedlander: US Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases
Theresa M. Koehler: University of Texas–Houston Health Science Center Medical School, University of Texas
Philip C. Hanna: University of Michigan Medical School
Anne-Brit Kolstø: University of Oslo
Claire M. Fraser: The Institute for Genomic Research

Nature, 2003, vol. 423, issue 6935, 81-86

Abstract: Abstract Bacillus anthracis is an endospore-forming bacterium that causes inhalational anthrax1. Key virulence genes are found on plasmids (extra-chromosomal, circular, double-stranded DNA molecules) pXO1 (ref. 2) and pXO2 (ref. 3). To identify additional genes that might contribute to virulence, we analysed the complete sequence of the chromosome of B. anthracis Ames (about 5.23 megabases). We found several chromosomally encoded proteins that may contribute to pathogenicity—including haemolysins, phospholipases and iron acquisition functions—and identified numerous surface proteins that might be important targets for vaccines and drugs. Almost all these putative chromosomal virulence and surface proteins have homologues in Bacillus cereus, highlighting the similarity of B. anthracis to near-neighbours that are not associated with anthrax4. By performing a comparative genome hybridization of 19 B. cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis strains against a B. anthracis DNA microarray, we confirmed the general similarity of chromosomal genes among this group of close relatives. However, we found that the gene sequences of pXO1 and pXO2 were more variable between strains, suggesting plasmid mobility in the group. The complete sequence of B. anthracis is a step towards a better understanding of anthrax pathogenesis.

Date: 2003
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DOI: 10.1038/nature01586

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