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Diversity at every level

Nature Reviews Microbiology volume 3, pages 196–197 (2005)Cite this article

Campylobacter is a genus of the ε-proteobacteria, many of whose members are intimately associated with mammals and birds, and one of which, Campylobacter jejuni, is one of the main causes of food-poisoning in humans. Infection can also lead to serious sequelae, such as Guillain–Barré and Miller–Fisher syndromes. Although the genome sequence of one C. jejuni strain (C. jejuni NCTC 11168) has been in the public domain for some time1, our understanding of the pathogenicity and host-interaction determinants of this genus still lags behind that of the better-studied enterics.

On the basis that two genomes are better than one, and many are better than two, the Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) has now published the complete genome of a second C. jejuni strain, RM1221, and have included high-coverage shotguns of the genomes of Campylobacter lari , Campylobacter upsaliensis and Campylobacter coli for good measure2. All these species are capable of causing disease in humans, although C. jejuni and C. coli are the most common suspects. Comparisons within this group, and between this group and other members of the ε-proteobacteria, should significantly increase our understanding of the ε-proteobacteria.

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Figure 1: Transmission electron micrographs of Silicibacter pomeroyi.
Figure 2: Sampling for Idiomarina loihiensis in the deep-sea hydrothermal vents in the Lo'ihi submarine volvano, Hawaii.

References

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  2. Fouts, D. E. et al. Major structural differences and novel potential virulence mechanisms from the genomes of multiple Campylobacter species. PLoS Biol. 3, e15 (2005).

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  3. Moran, M. A. et al. Genome sequence of Silicibacter pomeroyi reveals adaptations to the marine environment. Nature 432, 910–913 (2004).

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  5. Hou, S. et al. Genome sequence of the deep-sea γ–proteobacterium Idiomarina loihiensis reveals amino acid fermentation as a source of carbon and energy. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 101, 18036–18041 (2004).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, Cambridge, UK

    Lisa Crossman, Ana Cerdeño-Tárraga & Julian Parkhill

Authors
  1. Lisa Crossman
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  2. Ana Cerdeño-Tárraga
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  3. Julian Parkhill
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DATABASES

Entrez

Campylobacter coli

Campylobacter lari

Campylobacter upsaliensis

C. jejuni NCTC 11168

C. jejuni RM1221

Idiomarina loihiensis

Silicibacter pomeroyi

FURTHER INFORMATION

The Pathogen Sequencing Unit

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Crossman, L., Cerdeño-Tárraga, A. & Parkhill, J. Diversity at every level. Nat Rev Microbiol 3, 196–197 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro1479

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