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Genomic characterization of Tenacibaculum maritimum O-antigen gene cluster and development of a multiplex PCR-based serotyping scheme
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  • Pierre Lopez,
  • Sébastien Bridel,
  • Denis Saulnier,
  • Rarahu David,
  • Beatriz Magariños,
  • Beatriz S. Torres,
  • Jean François Bernardet,
  • Eric Duchaud
Pierre Lopez
Institut Louis Malarde

Corresponding Author:pierre.lopez@inrae.fr

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Sébastien Bridel
Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture l'Alimentation et l'Environnement Centre Ile-de-France Jouy-en-Josas Antony
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Denis Saulnier
Institut Louis Malarde
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Rarahu David
Institut Louis Malarde
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Beatriz Magariños
Universidade de Santiago de Compostela
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Beatriz S. Torres
Universidade de Santiago de Compostela
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Jean François Bernardet
Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture l'Alimentation et l'Environnement Centre Ile-de-France Jouy-en-Josas Antony
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Eric Duchaud
Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture l'Alimentation et l'Environnement Centre Ile-de-France Jouy-en-Josas Antony
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Abstract

Tenacibaculum maritimum is a devastating bacterial pathogen affecting a large variety of marine fish species. It is responsible for significant economic losses in aquaculture farms worldwide. Different typing methods have been proposed to analyze bacterial diversity and population structure. Serological heterogeneity has been observed and up to four different serotypes have been described so far. However, the underlying molecular factors remain unknown. By combining conventional serotyping and genome-wide association study, we identified the genomic loci likely involved in the O-antigen biosynthesis. This finding allowed the development of a robust multiplex PCR-based serotyping scheme able to detect subgroups within each serotype and therefore performs better than conventional serotyping. This scheme was successfully applied to a large number of isolates from worldwide origin and retrieved from a large variety of fish species. No obvious correlations were observed between the mPCR-based serotype and the host species or the geographic origin of the isolates. Strikingly, the distribution of mPCR-based serotypes does not follow the core-genome phylogeny. Nevertheless, this simple and cost-effective mPCR-based serotyping method could be useful for different applications such as population structure analysis, disease surveillance, vaccine formulation and efficacy follow-up.
29 Mar 2022Submitted to Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
29 Mar 2022Submission Checks Completed
29 Mar 2022Assigned to Editor
09 Apr 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
29 Apr 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
30 Apr 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
08 May 20221st Revision Received
08 May 2022Submission Checks Completed
08 May 2022Assigned to Editor
24 May 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
10 Jun 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
17 Jun 2022Editorial Decision: Accept