Whole genome sequencing and comparative genomics of Campylobacter coli strains isolated from different sources over a 16 year-period in Brazil

• Grant number: 18/26043-1
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): May 01, 2019
• Effective date (End): October 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Biology and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Principal researcher: Juliana Pfrimer Falcão
• Grantee: Carolina Nogueira Gomes
• Supervisor abroad: Eduardo Napoleon Taboada
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Public Health Agency of Canada Manitoba, Canada
• Associated to the scholarship: 15/23408-0 - Phenotypic analysis, genome and transcriptome sequencing of Campylobacter coli strains isolated from different sources during 16 years in Brazil, BP.DR

Abstract

Campylobacteriosis is a zoonosis of worldwide distribution with significant repercussions at the level of Public Health and with a high socio-economic impact. Considering that Brazil is the largest exporter of poultry meat in the world, and that the most important potential transmission routes of Campylobacter coli to humans are considered to be the consumption and handling of improperly prepared poultry meat, campylobacteriosis has been a neglected disease and there is insufficient data to estimate the incidence of this pathogen in this country. Furthermore, the research conducted in Brazil has mostly focused on the occurrence and antimicrobial resistance of C. coli and C. jejuni and there are few studies in which Campylobacter spp. strains have been subjected to molecular characterization. Thus, molecular studies that have the purpose to elucidate the pathogenesis and characterize Campylobacter coli strains are of great importance, especially in Brazil where there is a paucity of data for this pathogen of worldwide importance. This project aims to perform whole-genome sequencing and comparative genomic analysis of C. coli strains isolated over a 16-year period in Brazil. For this, we will study 63 C. coli strains isolated from humans (12), animals (21), the environment (20) and food (10) from some cities in Brazil between 1995-2011. All the 63 C. coli strains will have their whole genome sequenced using the NextSeq - Illumina platform during the training in the Public Health Agency of Canada; National Microbiology Laboratory under supervision of Dr. Eduardo N. Taboada. The comparative analysis of the whole genome sequences of the C. coli strains to be studied will provide important data on genetic variation, including: differences in gene content; and differences in insertions, deletions and/or point mutations that might affect the expression and/or regulation of specific genes. Moreover, these analyses may help to elucidate possible mechanisms that influence public health outcomes through effects on pathogenicity/virulence and survival along the poultry chain in C. coli strains. Together, the results obtained will contribute to a better understanding of C. coli, as well as will provide information about the strains circulating in our country. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

GOMES, CAROLINA NOGUEIRA; BARKER, DILLON OLIVER REESE; DUQUE, SHEILA DA SILVA; CHE, EMILY VICTORIA; JAYAMANNA, VASENA; TABOADA, EDUARDO NAPOLEON; FALCAO, JULIANA PFRIMER. Campylobacter coli isolated in Brazil typed by core genome Multilocus Sequence Typing shows high genomic diversity in a global context. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION, v. 95, NOV 2021. (18/26043-1, 16/24716-3, 15/23408-0, 19/19338-8)