scholarly journals Got Acetylene: A personal research retrospective

FEMS Microbes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald S Oremland
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Outer Solar System ◽  
Cassini Mission ◽  
Personal Research ◽  
Made In

Abstract In research, sometimes sheer happenstance and serendipity make for an unexpected discovery. Once revealed and if interesting enough, such a finding and its follow-up investigations can lead to advances by others that leave its originators ‘scooped’ and mulling about what next to do with their unpublished data. Specifically what journals could it still be published in and be perceived as original. This is what occurred with us nearly 40 years ago with regard to our follow-up observations of acetylene fermentation and led us to concoct a ‘cock and bull’ story. We hypothesized about a plausible role for acetylene metabolism in the primordial biogeochemistry of Earth and the possibility of acetylene serving as a key life-sustaining substrate for alien microbes dwelling in the orbs of the outer solar system. With the passage of time advances were made in whole genome sequencing coupled with major in silico progress in bioinformatics. In parallel came the results of explorations of the outer solar system (i.e. the Cassini mission to Saturn and its moons). It now appears that these somewhat harebrained ideas of ours, arisen at first out of a sense of desperation, actually ring true in fact, and particularly well in song: “Tell a tale of cock and bull, Of convincing detail full Tale tremendous, Heav'n defend us! What a tale of cock and bull!” From ‘Yeoman of the Guard’ by Gilbert & Sullivan.

scholarly journals Genetic Characterization of Brucella spp.: Whole Genome Sequencing-Based Approach for the Determination of Multiple Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Profiles

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Pelerito ◽  
Alexandra Nunes ◽  
Teresa Grilo ◽  
Joana Isidro ◽  
Catarina Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Variable Number Tandem Repeat ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Variable Number ◽  
Epidemiological Surveillance ◽  
Future Application ◽  
Whole Genome

Brucellosis is an important zoonosis that is emerging in some regions of the world, gaining increased relevance with the inclusion of the causing agent Brucella spp. in the class B bioterrorism group. Until now, multi-locus VNTR Analysis (MLVA) based on 16 loci has been considered as the gold standard for Brucella typing. However, this methodology is laborious, and, with the rampant release of Brucella genomes, the transition from the traditional MLVA to whole genome sequencing (WGS)-based typing is on course. Nevertheless, in order to avoid a disruptive transition with the loss of massive genetic data obtained throughout the last decade and considering that the transition timings will vary considerably among different countries, it is important to determine WGS-based MLVA alleles of the nowadays sequenced genomes. On this regard, we aimed to evaluate the performance of a Python script that had been previously developed for the rapid in silico extraction of the MLVA alleles, by comparing it to the PCR-based MLVA procedure over 83 strains from different Brucella species. The WGS-based MLVA approach detected 95.3% of all possible 1,328 hits (83 strains×16 loci) and showed an agreement rate with the PCR-based MLVA procedure of 96.4% for MLVA-16. According to our dataset, we suggest the use of a minimal depth of coverage of ~50x and a maximum number of ~200 contigs as guiding “boundaries” for the future application of the script. In conclusion, the evaluated script seems to be a very useful and robust tool for the in silico determination of MLVA profiles of Brucella strains, allowing retrospective and prospective molecular epidemiological studies, which are important for maintaining an active epidemiological surveillance of brucellosis.

scholarly journals Frequency of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Salmonella From Brazil by in silico Whole-Genome Sequencing Analysis: An Overview of the Last Four Decades

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grazielle Lima Rodrigues ◽  
Pedro Panzenhagen ◽  
Rafaela Gomes Ferrari ◽  
Anamaria dos Santos ◽  
Vania Margaret Flosi Paschoalin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Resistance Genes ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Sequencing Analysis ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance Genes

A 10-year follow-up of a child with mild case of xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group D diagnosed by whole-genome sequencing

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 174-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryusuke Ono ◽  
Taro Masaki ◽  
Franklin Mayca Pozo ◽  
Yuka Nakazawa ◽  
Sigrid M. A. Swagemakers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Xeroderma Pigmentosum ◽  
Complementation Group ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Mild Case ◽  
Group D

scholarly journals Detecting Staphylococcus aureus Virulence and Resistance Genes: a Comparison of Whole-Genome Sequencing and DNA Microarray Technology

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 1008-1016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Strauß ◽  
Ulla Ruffing ◽  
Salim Abdulla ◽  
Abraham Alabi ◽  
Ruslan Akulenko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Dna Microarray ◽  
Resistance Genes ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Microarray Hybridization ◽  
Content Type

Staphylococcus aureusis a major bacterial pathogen causing a variety of diseases ranging from wound infections to severe bacteremia or intoxications. Besides host factors, the course and severity of disease is also widely dependent on the genotype of the bacterium. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS), followed by bioinformatic sequence analysis, is currently the most extensive genotyping method available. To identify clinically relevant staphylococcal virulence and resistance genes in WGS data, we developed anin silicotyping scheme for the software SeqSphere+(Ridom GmbH, Münster, Germany). The implemented target genes (n= 182) correspond to those queried by the IdentibacS. aureusGenotyping DNA microarray (Alere Technologies, Jena, Germany). Thein silicoscheme was evaluated by comparing the typing results of microarray and of WGS for 154 humanS. aureusisolates. A total of 96.8% (n= 27,119) of all typing results were equally identified with microarray and WGS (40.6% present and 56.2% absent). Discrepancies (3.2% in total) were caused by WGS errors (1.7%), microarray hybridization failures (1.3%), wrong prediction of ambiguous microarray results (0.1%), or unknown causes (0.1%). Superior to the microarray, WGS enabled the distinction of allelic variants, which may be essential for the prediction of bacterial virulence and resistance phenotypes. Multilocus sequence typing clonal complexes and staphylococcal cassette chromosomemecelement types inferred from microarray hybridization patterns were equally determined by WGS. In conclusion, WGS may substitute array-based methods due to its universal methodology, open and expandable nature, and rapid parallel analysis capacity for different characteristics in once-generated sequences.

scholarly journals Utility of Combining Whole Genome Sequencing with Traditional Investigational Methods To Solve Foodborne Outbreaks of Salmonella Infections Associated with Chicken: A New Tool for Tackling This Challenging Food Vehicle

2017 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 654-660 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel J. Crowe ◽  
Alice Green ◽  
Kimberly Hernandez ◽  
Vi Peralta ◽  
Lyndsay Bottichio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
Food Samples ◽  
Clinical Isolates ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Salmonella Infections ◽  
Outbreak Investigations ◽  
Consumption Rates ◽  
Foodborne Outbreaks

ABSTRACT High consumption rates and a multitude of brands make multistate foodborne outbreaks of Salmonella infections associated with chicken challenging to investigate, but whole genome sequencing is a powerful tool that can be used to assist investigators. Whole genome sequencing of pathogens isolated from clinical, environmental, and food samples is increasingly being used in multistate foodborne outbreak investigations to determine with unprecedented resolution how closely related these isolates are to one another genetically. In 2014, federal and state health officials investigated an outbreak of 146 Salmonella Heidelberg infections in 24 states. A follow-up analysis was conducted after the conclusion of the investigation in which 27 clinical and 24 food isolates from the outbreak underwent whole genome sequencing. These isolates formed seven clades, the largest of which contained clinical isolates from a subcluster of case patients who attended a catered party. One isolate from a chicken processed by a large producer was closely related genetically (zero to three single-nucleotide polymorphism differences) to the clinical isolates from these subcluster case patients. Chicken from this large producer was also present in the kitchen of the caterer on the day before the event, thus providing additional evidence that the chicken from this producer was the outbreak source. This investigation highlights how whole genome sequencing can be used with epidemiologic and traceback evidence to identify chicken sources of foodborne outbreaks.

scholarly journals Targeted and genome-wide sequencing reveal single nucleotide variations impacting specificity of Cas9 in human stem cells

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luhan Yang ◽  
Dennis Grishin ◽  
Gang Wang ◽  
John Aach ◽  
Cheng-Zhong Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Whole Genome Sequencing ◽  
Genome Sequencing ◽  
In Silico ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
Target Sites ◽  
Target Effects

Abstract CRISPR/Cas9 has demonstrated a high-efficiency in site-specific gene targeting. However, potential off-target effects of the Cas9 nuclease represent a major safety concern for any therapeutic application. Here, we knock out the Tafazzin gene by CRISPR/Cas9 in human-induced pluripotent stem cells with 54% efficiency. We combine whole-genome sequencing and deep-targeted sequencing to characterise the off-target effects of Cas9 editing. Whole-genome sequencing of Cas9-modified hiPSC clones detects neither gross genomic alterations nor elevated mutation rates. Deep sequencing of in silico predicted off-target sites in a population of Cas9-treated cells further confirms high specificity of Cas9. However, we identify a single high-efficiency off-target site that is generated by a common germline single-nucleotide variant (SNV) in our experiment. Based on in silico analysis, we estimate a likelihood of SNVs creating off-target sites in a human genome to be ~1.5–8.5%, depending on the genome and site-selection method, but also note that mutations might be generated at these sites only at low rates and may not have functional consequences. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of highly specific clonal ex vivo gene editing using CRISPR/Cas9 and highlights the value of whole-genome sequencing before personalised CRISPR design.

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