Unique physiological and pathogenic features of Leptospira interrogans revealed by whole-genome sequencing

Shuangxi Ren(Chinese National Human Genome Center at Shanghai), Gang Fu(Shanghai Institute of Hematology), Xiugao Jiang(Chinese Center For Disease Control and Prevention), Rong Zeng(Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science), You‐Gang Miao(Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences), Hai Xu(Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science), Yixuan Zhang(Fudan University), Hui Xiong(Shanghai Institute of Hematology), Gang Lü(Chinese National Human Genome Center at Shanghai), Ling-Feng Lu(Chinese National Human Genome Center at Shanghai), Hong-Quan Jiang(Chinese National Human Genome Center at Shanghai), Jia Jia(Chinese National Human Genome Center), Yuefeng Tu(Chinese National Human Genome Center at Shanghai), Ju‐Xing Jiang(Chinese National Human Genome Center), Wenyi Gu(Chinese National Human Genome Center), Yueqing Zhang(Chinese National Human Genome Center at Shanghai), Zhen Cai(Chinese National Human Genome Center), Haihui Sheng(Chinese National Human Genome Center), Haifeng Yin(Chinese National Human Genome Center at Shanghai), Yi Zhang(Fudan University), Genfeng Zhu(Chinese National Human Genome Center), Ma Wan(National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention), Hong-Lei Huang(Chinese Center For Disease Control and Prevention), Zhen Qian(Chinese National Human Genome Center at Shanghai), Shengyue Wang(Chinese National Human Genome Center), Wei Ma(Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences), Zhijian Yao(Chinese National Human Genome Center), Yan Shen(Chinese National Human Genome Center), Boqin Qiang(Chinese National Human Genome Center), Qi‐Chang Xia(Chinese Academy of Sciences), Xiaokui Guo(Shanghai Institute of Hematology), Antoine Danchin(University of Hong Kong), Isabelle Saint Girons(Institut Pasteur), Ronald L. Somerville(Purdue University West Lafayette), Yumei Wen(Fudan University), Man-Hua Shi(Chinese Center For Disease Control and Prevention), Chen Zhu(Shanghai Institute of Hematology), Jianguo Xu(National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention), Guoping Zhao(Chinese National Human Genome Center at Shanghai)
Nature
April 1, 2003
10.1038/nature01597
Cited by 608Open Access
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Abstract

Leptospirosis is a widely spread disease of global concern. Infection causes flu-like episodes with frequent severe renal and hepatic damage, such as haemorrhage and jaundice. In more severe cases, massive pulmonary haemorrhages, including fatal sudden haemoptysis, can occur. Here we report the complete genomic sequence of a representative virulent serovar type strain (Lai) of Leptospira interrogans serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae consisting of a 4.33-megabase large chromosome and a 359-kilobase small chromosome, with a total of 4,768 predicted genes. In terms of the genetic determinants of physiological characteristics, the facultatively parasitic L. interrogans differs extensively from two other strictly parasitic pathogenic spirochaetes, Treponema pallidum and Borrelia burgdorferi, although similarities exist in the genes that govern their unique morphological features. A comprehensive analysis of the L. interrogans genes for chemotaxis/motility and lipopolysaccharide synthesis provides a basis for in-depth studies of virulence and pathogenesis. The discovery of a series of genes possibly related to adhesion, invasion and the haematological changes that characterize leptospirosis has provided clues about how an environmental organism might evolve into an important human pathogen.

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