Analysis of a unique Clostridium botulinum strain from the Southern hemisphere producing a novel type E botulinum neurotoxin subtype

Phylogenetic analysis of bont/E in C. botulinumstrains

The nucleotide sequence of the entire bont/E gene was determined for each of the 16 C. botulinum type E strains examined in this study. Previous studies have identified several bont/E subtypes [9–12]. Nucleotide sequences of bont/E determined in this study were compared along with representatives of other reported bont/E subtypes (Figure 1). It is important to note that in some cases strain names used in previous reports may not refer to identical strains examined in this study with a similar name. For instance, the CDC reference strain labeled “Alaska” harbored a gene encoding a subtype E2 toxin and is unlikely to be related to the genome-sequenced strain Alaska E43 (Genbank accession number: NC_010723) which encodes a subtype E3 toxin. Another strain labeled “Minnesota” was distinguished from a strain with the same name reported by Macdonald et al. [11]. The CDC Minnesota strain harbored an E7 subtype-encoding gene while the strain examined by Macdonald et al. [11] encoded an E3 subtype toxin.

Strain CDC66177 harbored a significantly divergent bont/E gene which formed a unique clade when compared to other bont/E genes. Comparison of the translated amino acid sequence of this gene with the gene encoding BoNT/E1 in strain Beluga indicated that the sequences differed by ~11%. Since previous comparisons of BoNT/E subtypes resulted in differences of up to 6% amino acid sequence variation, the BoNT/E produced by strain CDC66177 can be considered a unique subtype (E9) [10, 11]. Comparison of the amino acid sequence of BoNT/E9 with representatives of BoNT/E subtypes E1-E8 demonstrated that the most divergent region of the toxin was located in the last ~200 residues (Figure 2) which corresponds to the C-terminal part of the heavy chain (Hc-C) that is involved with binding to neuronal cells [14]. BLAST analysis of this region indicated < 75% amino acid sequence identity with other BoNT/E sequences.

BLAST analysis of the 16S rRNA nucleotide sequence from strain CDC66177 shared > 99.8% identity with strains Alaska E43 and 17B indicating that the strain clusters with other Group II C. botulinum strains [9].

Mass spectrometric analysis of BoNT/E produced by strain CDC66177

Since the BoNT/E produced by strain CDC66177 appeared to be a previously unreported toxin subtype, the enzymatic light chain activity of the toxin was assessed in culture supernatants generated from the strain. The light chain of BoNT/E cleaves the synaptosomal-associated protein, SNAP-25, and the Endopep-MS method was used to measure this activity upon a specific peptide substrate mimic of SNAP-25 (IIGNLRHMALDMGNEIDTQNRQIDRIMEKADSNKT). Endopep-MS analysis revealed that the toxin cleaved the peptide substrate for BoNT/E in the expected location, resulting in products with peaks at m/z 1136.8 and 2924.2 [15] (Figure 3A).

BoNT/E9 extracted from culture supernatants of strain CDC66177 was subjected to tryptic digestion and the products were analyzed by mass spectrometry to confirm that the toxin's amino acid sequence was indeed unique based on the predicted translation of the DNA sequence. The amino acid sequence of BoNT/E9 was determined with 94.5% coverage (Figure 3B).

DNA microarray analysis of strain CDC66177

A Group II C. botulinum subtyping DNA microarray [16] was used to evaluate gene content in a panel of 21 Group II strains from the CDC culture collection. Briefly, this array featured 495 probes targeting ~15% of the annotated genes in the C. botulinum type E strain Alaska E43 and 5 additional probes targeting genes present on the bont/B-encoding plasmid (pCLL) in C. botulinum type B strain 17B. Genomic DNA isolated from 15 type E strains (not including CDC66177) hybridized with 90.5% of the probes on this array while DNA isolated from type B strains (N=4) and type F strains (N=2) hybridized with 71.9% and 71.0% of the probes, respectively. Genomic DNA from strain CDC66177 hybridized with 66.8% of the probes present on the array.

Comparison of the profile of present or absent genes demonstrated the presence of two clusters of strains (Figure 4). Cluster 1 consisted entirely of type E strains. Interestingly, strain CDC66177 grouped with cluster 2 which included the Group II type B and type F strains examined in this study.

Southern hybridization of the split rarAgene in strain CDC66177

In order to determine if the toxin gene cluster in CDC66177 inserted into the rarA operon as described for other type E strains [11, 13], we performed Southern hybridization using a probe that binds to the larger split rarA gene fragment in type E strains or the intact rarA gene in the type B strain 17B. Genomic DNA isolated from CDC66177, Beluga, and 17B was digested with XbaI and hybridized with the probe. The presence of XbaI sites flanking the intact rarA gene in strain 17B generated a ~2.8 kb fragment that hybridized the rarA probe shown in Figure 5. A ~7.4 kb fragment hybridized with the rarA probe in DNA isolated from strain Beluga. These results were expected based on analysis of the C. botulinum type E strain Beluga genome sequence (Genbank accession number: ACSC01000002) which demonstrated the presence of separate XbaI sites flanking the larger split rarA than found at the corresponding intact rarA gene in strain 17B (Genbank accession number: NC_010674). The rarA probe hybridized a similar size fragment in several other type E strains examined (data not shown). Unexpectedly, a ~1.7 kb band was hybridized by the probe using DNA isolated from strain CDC66177 suggesting the possibility that the regions flanking the toxin gene insertion in this strain were not similar to those of other type E strains.

Whole genome shotgun sequencing of strain CDC66177

Since the region flanking the rarA operon in strain CDC66177 was suspected to be unlike that of other type E strains, whole genome shotgun sequencing of this strain was performed using the PacBio SMRT sequencer. An ~3.85 Mb draft sequence consisting of 120 contigs was assembled (Genbank accession number: ALYJ00000000). Analysis of this sequence revealed that the toxin gene cluster inserted into the rarA operon (Figure 6). The nucleotide sequence of the bont/E gene extracted from the genome sequence data was identical to that determined previously by Sanger sequencing. The nucleotide sequence of a ~7.9 kb region starting at alaS and extending through CLH_1119 (relative to Alaska E43) was similar to that found in strain 17B but differed from the sequences found in strains Alaska E43 and Beluga.

As shown in Figure 6, the regions between orfX3 and the larger split rarA fragment (region I) and between the smaller split rarA fragment and bont/E (region II) contain insertion sequences that are likely involved with transposon-mediated mobility of the toxin gene cluster [13]. It is notable that regions I and II differ in size and nucleotide sequence between strains Alaska E43 and CDC66177. In order to determine if the nucleotide sequences of these regions are strain-specific, we also performed an alignment of these regions with strain Beluga. Interestingly, region I in strain Beluga differed from both CDC66177 and Alaska E43 while region II was identical to that found in Alaska E43. While the mechanism of toxin gene cluster insertion into the rarA operon is unclear, the sequence similarity in region II between strains Beluga and Alaska E43 suggests at least a partial similarity in the origin of the recombination event that results in the insertion of the toxin gene cluster. However, strain CDC66177 lacks similarity to either strain Beluga or Alaska E43 at either region suggesting that the recombination event resulting in the insertion of the toxin gene cluster in strain CDC66177 originated differently compared to strains Beluga or Alaska E43.

Analysis of the genome sequence data explains the unexpected ~1.7 kb band hybridized by the rarA probe in strain CDC66177. The presence of an XbaI site within the toxin gene cluster of both CDC66177 and Alaska E43 and an additional site downstream of the larger rarA fragment in strain CDC66177 yield an ~1.7 kb fragment. Notably the genome sequence of strain 17B also demonstrates the presence of a XbaI site downstream of the intact rarA gene. Similar to other type E toxin gene clusters, strain CDC66177 contains an intact rarA gene that does not hybridize the rarA probe used in our studies. BLAST analysis of this gene demonstrated 98% nucleotide similarity with the gene present in Alaska E43.

Our analysis of the genetic diversity of type E strains using a DNA microarray was limited to those isolated from botulism cases. Therefore, we considered the possibility that strain CDC66177 was genotypically divergent since it was isolated from an environmental source. We performed an in silico analysis of multilocus sequence typing (MLST) alleles from selected type E strains (representing isolates from soil and/or sediment, different MLST clades, and different BoNT/E subtypes) reported by Macdonald et al. [11]. These alleles were compared with alleles extracted from the genome sequences of strains 17B and CDC66177. Not surprisingly, strains 17B and CDC66177 formed a separate clade when concatenated MLST alleles were compared to other type E strains (Figure 7).

Bacterial strains used in this study

DNA extraction, genetic analysis, and DNA microarray

Genomic DNA used in Sanger sequencing and DNA microarrays was extracted using the PureLink Genomic DNA kit (Life Technologies, Grand Island, NY). Neurotoxin and 16S rRNA gene sequences were determined using previously reported primers that amplified overlapping regions [9, 19]. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using CLUSTALX and the resulting phylogenetic tree was rendered using MEGA 5.05 [20]. Comparative analysis among representative BoNT/E subtypes was performed using SimPlot (http://sray.med.som.jhmi.edu/SCRoftware/simplot/) with a 200 amino acid window.

The Group II C. botulinum subtyping microarray was designed as described elsewhere [16]. Briefly, the microarray featured 495 probes representing genes distributed throughout the C. botulinum Alaska E43 genome sequence and 5 additional probes specific for pCLL which encodes the toxin gene cluster in strain 17B. Microarray spotting was performed by ArrayIt (Sunnyvale, CA) or onsite using an Omnigrid Micro microarrayer (Digilab, Holliston, MA). Genomic DNA was labeled with Cy5 random primers and hybridized to the array as previously described [21]. The log of the ratio of the mean fluorescence signal at 635 nm for triplicate probes compared to background fluorescence (locations spotted with buffer alone) was calculated. Log ratios ≥ 1.0 were considered positive and those < 0.5 were considered negative. Log ratios between 0.5 and < 1.0 were considered intermediate likely due to nucleotide sequence variation [21]. Hybridization profiles were converted to binary data by assigning 1 to positive probes and 0 to negative and intermediate probes. Profiles were compared using a UPGMA dendrogram generated with DendroUPGMA (http://genomes.urv.cat/UPGMA/) and selecting the Jaccard coefficient. Microarray data were deposited in the Gene Expression Omnibus with series accession number GSE40271.

Southern hybridization

Genomic DNA was digested with XbaI for 1 h and run on a 1% TBE agarose gel. Alkaline transfer was performed using the TurboBlotter system (Whatman, Kent, ME). An 874 bp probe corresponding to the large rarA fragment was generated by PCR amplification with primers RarA-F and RarA-R (RarA-F, 5^′-GCAAGCACAACTGAAAATCCT-3^′; RarA-R, 5^′-CTCGGCTTTTGTXCAATTCATTAG-3^′) and labeled with the DIG DNA Labeling and Detection kit (Roche, Indianapolis, IN). Hybridization was carried out at 42°C in standard hybridization buffer (5X SSC, 0.1% N-laurylsarcosine, 0.02% SDS, 1% Blocking buffer (from DIG DNA Labeling and Detection kit).

Mass spectrometric analysis

Botulinum neurotoxin in culture supernatant CDC66177 was extracted and tested for light chain protease activity in a manner similar to that previously described [15], with the exception that 200 μL of culture supernatant was used for this study. Briefly, the neurotoxin was extracted from the culture supernatant using protein G beads coated with antibodies to BoNT/E. Following washing, the beads were then incubated for 4 h at 37°C with a peptide substrate known to be cleaved by BoNT/E in the presence of a reaction buffer. The reaction supernatant was then analyzed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry as described previously to determine the location of cleavage of the peptide substrate.

The reaction supernatant was then completely removed from the beads, and the toxin on the beads was digested and analyzed by LC-MS/MS essentially as described previously [22], with the exception that an Orbitrap Elite was used in place of the fourier transform magnetic trap. Briefly, the beads with toxin attached were digested with trypsin and then chymotrypsin. The resultant peptide mixtures were separated by nano-LC and mass analyzed on an Orbitrap Elite, generating MS/MS of the peptides. The MS/MS data were then searched against a database indexed for only Clostridium spp. for protein identification.

Whole genome sequencing and analysis

Genomic DNA was isolated from strain CDC66177 using the MasterPure kit (Epicenter, Madison, WI) with modifications previously described [23]. This DNA was further purified using a Genomic-tip 100/G column (Qiagen, Valencia, CA). One microgram of genomic DNA was sheared using a Covaris S2 ultrasonicator system to a mean size of 1 Kb. The sheared DNA was used to construct a SMRTbell sequencing library (Pacific Biosciences) according to manufacturer’s instructions. The SMRTbell library was then bound into SMRTbell-DNA polymerase complexes and loaded into zero-mode waveguides (ZMW) on 4 SMRTcells and sequenced using Pacific Biosciences C2 chemistry. This relatively small insert sized library was utilized to promote production of circular concensus reads (CCS) which retain higher accuracy base calls than the longer continuous length reads (CLR). Eight 45 min movies were recorded and processed, yielding ~305 K reads with a mean readlength of 2.9 Kbases and total of 889 Mbases of sequence. CCS reads (140 K reads) were then used to error correct the longer (165 K reads) CLR reads [24] utilizing the Pacific Biosciences analysis script BLASR and then the combined CCS/corrected CLR fastq format reads were imported into CLC Genomics workbench. Sequence reads were then trimmed of any remaining Pacific Biosciences hairpin adaptor sequences and quality trimmed to a base Q value of 20. The filtered reads were then assembled de novo using the CLC denovo assembler. The 188,898 input reads provided a draft assembly of a 3.85 Mb genome comprised of 119 contigs with an N50 value of 87,742 bases with an average coverage of 28X.

Annotation of the whole genome sequence was performed using RAST [25]. Pairwise alignments of various genes were made with EMBOSS Needle (http://www.ebi.ac.uk/Tools/psa/emboss_needle/nucleotide.html). ANI values were determined using the computer program JSpecies [17]. MLST loci from selected previously reported type E strains were obtained from Genbank [11]. These MLST loci were used to search for the corresponding alleles in the strain 17B genome sequence and the CDC66177 whole genome sequence using BLAST. Concatemers of the alleles for each strain were generated and a multiple sequence alignment was performed using CLUSTALW because the lengths of some alleles in strains 17B and CDC66177 differed due to insertion and/or deletions.