AUTHOR=Parker Craig T. , Cooper Kerry K. , Schiaffino Francesca , Miller William G. , Huynh Steven , Gray Hannah K. , Olortegui Maribel Paredes , Bardales Paul Garcia , Trigoso Dixner Rengifo , Penataro-Yori Pablo , Kosek Margaret N. 

TITLE=Genomic Characterization of Campylobacter jejuni Adapted to the Guinea Pig (Cavia porcellus) Host

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2021.607747

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2021.607747

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Campylobacter jejuni</italic> is the leading bacterial cause of gastroenteritis worldwide with excessive incidence in low-and middle-income countries (LMIC). During a survey for <italic>C. jejuni</italic> from putative animal hosts in a town in the Peruvian Amazon, we were able to isolate and whole genome sequence two <italic>C. jejuni</italic> strains from domesticated guinea pigs (<italic>Cavia porcellus</italic>). The <italic>C. jejuni</italic> isolated from guinea pigs had a novel multilocus sequence type that shared some alleles with other <italic>C. jejuni</italic> collected from guinea pigs. Average nucleotide identity and phylogenetic analysis with a collection of <italic>C. jejuni</italic> subsp<italic>. jejuni</italic> and <italic>C. jejuni</italic> subsp<italic>. doylei</italic> suggest that the guinea pig isolates are distinct. Genomic comparisons demonstrated gene gain and loss that could be associated with guinea pig host specialization related to guinea pig diet, anatomy, and physiology including the deletion of genes involved with selenium metabolism, including genes encoding the selenocysteine insertion machinery and selenocysteine-containing proteins.</p>