Working Paper Concept Paper Version 2 This version is not peer-reviewed

Hypothesis: AT Homopolymer Strings in Salmonella enterica subspecies I Contribute to Speciation and Serovar Diversity

Version 1 : Received: 13 June 2021 / Approved: 15 June 2021 / Online: 15 June 2021 (07:43:34 CEST)
Version 2 : Received: 27 August 2021 / Approved: 31 August 2021 / Online: 31 August 2021 (12:47:33 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Guard, J.; Rivers, A.R.; Vaughn, J.N.; Rothrock, M.J., Jr.; Oladeinde, A.H.; Shah, D.H. AT Homopolymer Strings in Salmonella enterica Subspecies I Contribute to Speciation and Serovar Diversity. Microorganisms 2021, 9, 2075. Guard, J.; Rivers, A.R.; Vaughn, J.N.; Rothrock, M.J., Jr.; Oladeinde, A.H.; Shah, D.H. AT Homopolymer Strings in Salmonella enterica Subspecies I Contribute to Speciation and Serovar Diversity. Microorganisms 2021, 9, 2075.

Abstract

Adenine and thymine homopolymer strings of at least 8 nucleotides (AT 8+mers) were characterized in Salmonella entericasubspecies I. The motif differed between cother taxonomic classes but not between Salmonella enterica serovars. The motif in plasmids was associated with serovar. Approximately 12.3% of the S. enterica motif loci had mutations. Mutability of AT 8+mers suggests that genomes undergo frequent repair to maintain optimal gene content, and that the motif facilitates self-recognition; in addition, serovar diversity is associated with plasmid content. A theory that genome regeneration accounts for both persistence of predominant Salmonella serovars and serovar diversity provides a new framework for investigating root causes of foodborne illness.

Keywords

Salmonella enterica; food safety; genome; theory; single nucleotide polymorphisms; recombination; serotype

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Agricultural Science and Agronomy

Comments (1)

Comment 1
Received: 31 August 2021
Commenter: Jean Guard
Commenter's Conflict of Interests: Author
Comment: The manuscript has undergone a major revision. It includes new data and new text requested by reviewers, plus other changes.
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