Genomic, transcriptomic and phenotypic characterization analyses of Campylobacter jejuni strains isolated from different sources in Brazil

• Grant number: 24/18739-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Juliana Pfrimer Falcão
• Grantee: Juliana Pfrimer Falcão
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Campylobacteriosis is one of the main diarrheagenic diseases in different countries. The Campylobacter jejuni is responsible for approximately 90% of humans' infections, and poultry meat is the main vehicle for its transmission. In Brazil, C. jejuni studies and its isolation are seldom reported, since in the country there is no surveillance program for reporting infection by this microorganism, making it difficult to assess its importance in our country. This project aims to comparatively analyze, through whole genome sequencing (WGS), transcriptome sequencing and virulence and survival related tests, Campylobacter jejuni strains isolated from different sources over 27 years in Brazil. Comparative analysis of the whole genome sequencing will be performed for 139 C. jejuni strains isolated from humans (n=49), animals (n=49), and food (n=41) for the presence of pathogenicity and metabolic islands, presence of plasmids, core genome Multilocus Sequence Typing (cgMLST), Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI), pangenome analysis, spacer sequences of the CRISPR system analysis, prediction of Transducer like proteins (Tlps) genes and reverse vaccinology approach for the prediction of possible vaccine targets. For 60 selected strains, phenotypic tests of freezing and pasteurization tolerance, biofilm formation and peracetic acid survival will be performed. Furthermore, for 30 selected strains, a survival test in co-culture with Salmonella sp. will be performed. Finally, the transcriptome analysis of three C. jejuni strain subjected to the Simulator of the human intestinal microbial ecosystem (SHIME®) will be performed. So, the results to be obtained in the present work should contribute to a better phenotypic and molecular characterization of C. jejuni, providing unprecedented and extremely relevant information about the possible differences in pathogenicity, virulence, possible vaccine targets and genotypic diversity of strains isolated from humans, animals, and food for 27 years in Brazil. (AU)