Summary auto-generated
This article presents a monthly update on bacterial genome sequencing, discussing twelve newly published microbial genomes including species from Candidatus Blochmannia pennsylvanicus, Colwellia psychrerythraea, Mycoplasma, and Pseudomonas species, plus three protozoan genomes. The authors highlight rapid advances in sequencing technology that now enable genome sequencing and annotation within days. A major focus is comparative analysis of two-component signal transduction systems (histidine kinases and response regulators) across 250 complete bacterial genomes. Key findings reveal substantial variation among bacterial phyla: free-living bacteria average ~20 two-component systems, while environmental bacteria like Bacteroides contain considerably more (averaging ~50). Notably, organisms with reduced genomes like Mycoplasma lack these systems entirely, possibly because wall-less organisms don't require external environment sensing. Two-component system genes typically cluster within 15 kilobases but rarely occur in classical operons within 2 kilobases, with many orphan response regulators distributed throughout genomes.
Key findings
- Twelve new bacterial genomes were sequenced, with new rapid sequencing methods enabling genome completion and annotation within days rather than months
- Two-component transduction systems vary dramatically across bacterial phyla, from absent in wall-less organisms like Mycoplasma to >60 histidine kinases in large environmental bacteria like Pseudomonas species
- Free-living bacteria average approximately 20 two-component systems while environmental Bacteroides species average ~50, suggesting ecological lifestyle influences regulatory complexity
- Two-component system genes predominantly cluster within 15 kilobase regions but rarely occur in classical operons, with many response regulators distributed as isolated 'orphans' throughout bacterial genomes
- Reduced-genome endosymbionts and pathogens consistently lack two-component systems, potentially reflecting adaptation to stable host environments
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Abstract
Genomes of the month
Twelve new microbial genomes have been published since the last Genome Update column was written. The collection of this month's genomes, listed in Table 1, include five published bacterial genomes (Candidatus Blochmannia pennsylvanicus, Colwellia psychrerythraea, Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, Mycoplasma synoviae and Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae B728a). An additional four bacterial genomes have been deposited in GenBank (Candidatus Pelagibacter ubique, Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola 1448A, Psychrobacter arcticum and Staphylococcus haemolyticus). Furthermore, three protozoan genomes have been published (Leishmania major, Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma brucei).