How open is the Listeria pan-genome?
Eleven new genomes spanning serotypes show a stable but open pan-genome with nine hypervariable hotspots dominated by mobile elements.
Source
Reassessment of the Listeria monocytogenes pan-genome reveals dynamic integration hotspots and mobile genetic elements as major components of the accessory genome
Study at a glance
- Design
- Computational / modelling — Extended L. monocytogenes complete-genome set covering all serotypes for pan-genome analysis
- N
- N=16 · 16 completely sequenced chromosomes (extended by 11 strains in this work)
- Population
- Listeria monocytogenes genomes across serotypes
- Outcome
- Pan-genome stability and accessory-gene hotspot dynamics
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Inspect source passages
How open is the Listeria pan-genome?
These passages occur verbatim in the stored paper text. They support the points listed below; they do not verify every statement in the explanation.
Fully sequenced genomes were extended by 11 strains.
Extension of fully sequenced genomes by 11 strains to include all serotypes of the species allowed evolutionary analyses of unprecedented depth.
Is the pan-genome closed?
pan-genome is highly stable but not closed, (ii) accessory genes are mainly located in defined chromosomal regions (nine hyper variable hotspots, nine different prophages, three transposons, and two mobilizable islands) constituting primary loci of gene-scale species evolution, (
What they did
Extended L. monocytogenes genome sets by 11 strains covering all serotypes and reassessed pan-genome structure.
What they found
The pan-genome is highly stable but not closed; accessory genes concentrate in hypervariable hotspots with mobile genetic elements as major accessory components.
The limits
What it doesn't show
Gene presence/absence aids diagnostics/phylogenetics but does not alone prove each virulence phenotype.
Key terms
- Pan-genome
- All genes found across strains of a species.
- Accessory genome
- Genes present in only some strains.
- Hypervariable hotspot
- Region with frequent gene content change.
- Mobile genetic element
- DNA that moves between genomes.
- Serotype
- Strain group defined by surface antigens.
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Pan-genome:
Common questions
Closed pan-genome?
No—stable but not closed.
Strains added?
11.
Hotspots?
Nine hypervariable hotspots.
Accessory drivers?
Mobile genetic elements.
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