Alexander Goesmann - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Alexander Goesmann

Genome Announcements, 2015

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is known to cause complicated urinary tract infections (UTI). The improved... more Pseudomonas aeruginosa is known to cause complicated urinary tract infections (UTI). The improved 7.0-Mb draft genome sequence of P. aeruginosa RN21, isolated from a patient with an acute UTI, was determined. It carries three (pro)phage genomes, genes for two restriction/modification systems, and a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/ CRISPR-associated (Cas) system.

Bioinformatics (Oxford, England), Jan 15, 2014

Fast algorithms and well-arranged visualizations are required for the comprehensive analysis of t... more Fast algorithms and well-arranged visualizations are required for the comprehensive analysis of the ever-growing size of genomic and transcriptomic next-generation sequencing data. ReadXplorer is a software offering straightforward visualization and extensive analysis functions for genomic and transcriptomic DNA sequences mapped on a reference. A unique specialty of ReadXplorer is the quality classification of the read mappings. It is incorporated in all analysis functions and displayed in ReadXplorer's various synchronized data viewers for (i) the reference sequence, its base coverage as (ii) normalizable plot and (iii) histogram, (iv) read alignments and (v) read pairs. ReadXplorer's analysis capability covers RNA secondary structure prediction, single nucleotide polymorphism and deletion-insertion polymorphism detection, genomic feature and general coverage analysis. Especially for RNA-Seq data, it offers differential gene expression analysis, transcription start site and...

Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology, 2015

We present results of our machine learning approach to the problem of classifying GC-MS data orig... more We present results of our machine learning approach to the problem of classifying GC-MS data originating from wheat grains of different farming systems. The aim is to investigate the potential of learning algorithms to classify GC-MS data to be either from conventionally grown or from organically grown samples and considering different cultivars. The motivation of our work is rather obvious nowadays: increased demand for organic food in post-industrialized societies and the necessity to prove organic food authenticity. The background of our data set is given by up to 11 wheat cultivars that have been cultivated in both farming systems, organic and conventional, throughout 3 years. More than 300 GC-MS measurements were recorded and subsequently processed and analyzed in the MeltDB 2.0 metabolomics analysis platform, being briefly outlined in this paper. We further describe how unsupervised (t-SNE, PCA) and supervised (SVM) methods can be applied for sample visualization and classific...

Genome announcements, 2015

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a frequent agent of complicated catheter-associated urinary tract infec... more Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a frequent agent of complicated catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). Here, we present the improved 7.1-Mb draft genome sequence of P. aeruginosa MH19, which was isolated from a patient with an acute hospital-acquired CAUTI. It includes unique genes not represented in other P. aeruginosa genomes.

Journal of biotechnology, Jan 20, 2015

The phytopathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani AG1-IB of the phylum Basidiomycota affects various ... more The phytopathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani AG1-IB of the phylum Basidiomycota affects various economically important crops comprising bean, rice, soybean, figs, cabbage and lettuce. The R. solani isolate 7/3/14 of the anastomosis group AG1-IB was deeply resequenced on the Illumina MiSeq system applying the mate-pair mode to improve its genome sequence. Assembly of obtained sequence reads significantly reduced the amount of scaffolds and improved the genome sequence of the isolate compared to the previous sequencing approach. The genome sequence of the AG1-IB isolate 7/3/14 now provides an up-graded basis to analyze genome features predicted to play a role in pathogenesis and for the development of strategies to antagonize the pathogenic impact of this fungus.

Genome announcements, 2015

The complete genome of probiotic Escherichia coli strain G3/10 is presented here. In addition, th... more The complete genome of probiotic Escherichia coli strain G3/10 is presented here. In addition, the probiotic E. coli strains G1/2, G4/9, G5, G6/7, and G8 are presented in draft form. These six strains together comprise the probiotic product Symbioflor 2 (DSM 17252).

Genome announcements, 2014

Criblamydia sequanensis is an amoeba-resisting bacterium recently isolated from the Seine River. ... more Criblamydia sequanensis is an amoeba-resisting bacterium recently isolated from the Seine River. This Chlamydia-related bacterium harbors a genome of approximately 3 Mbp and a megaplasmid of 89,525 bp. The plasmid encodes several efflux systems and an operon for arsenite resistance. This first genome sequence within the Criblamydiaceae family enlarges our view on the evolution and the ecology of this important bacterial clade largely understudied so far.

PloS one, 2014

De novo genome assembly is the process of reconstructing a complete genomic sequence from countle... more De novo genome assembly is the process of reconstructing a complete genomic sequence from countless small sequencing reads. Due to the complexity of this task, numerous genome assemblers have been developed to cope with different requirements and the different kinds of data provided by sequencers within the fast evolving field of next-generation sequencing technologies. In particular, the recently introduced generation of benchtop sequencers, like Illumina's MiSeq and Ion Torrent's Personal Genome Machine (PGM), popularized the easy, fast, and cheap sequencing of bacterial organisms to a broad range of academic and clinical institutions. With a strong pragmatic focus, here, we give a novel insight into the line of assembly evaluation surveys as we benchmark popular de novo genome assemblers based on bacterial data generated by benchtop sequencers. Therefore, single-library assemblies were generated, assembled, and compared to each other by metrics describing assembly contigu...

BMC Genomics, 2015

Background: Enterococcus faecalis is a multifaceted microorganism known to act as a beneficial in... more Background: Enterococcus faecalis is a multifaceted microorganism known to act as a beneficial intestinal commensal bacterium. It is also a dreaded nosocomial pathogen causing life-threatening infections in hospitalised patients. Isolates of a distinct MLST type ST40 represent the most frequent strain type of this species, distributed worldwide and originating from various sources (animal, human, environmental) and different conditions (colonisation/infection). Since enterococci are known to be highly recombinogenic we determined to analyse the microevolution and niche adaptation of this highly distributed clonal type.

Frontiers in Microbiology, 2015

With the widespread availability of high-throughput sequencing technologies, sequencing projects ... more With the widespread availability of high-throughput sequencing technologies, sequencing projects have become pervasive in the molecular life sciences. The huge bulk of data generated daily must be analyzed further by biologists with skills in bioinformatics and by "embedded bioinformaticians," i.e., bioinformaticians integrated in wet lab research groups. Thus, students interested in molecular life sciences must be trained in the main steps of genomics: sequencing, assembly, annotation and analysis. To reach that goal, a practical course has been set up for master students at the University of Lausanne: the "Sequence a genome" class. At the beginning of the academic year, a few bacterial species whose genome is unknown are provided to the students, who sequence and assemble the genome(s) and perform manual annotation. Here, we report the progress of the first class from September 2010 to June 2011 and the results obtained by seven master students who specifically assembled and annotated the genome of Estrella lausannensis, an obligate intracellular bacterium related to Chlamydia. The draft genome of Estrella is composed of 29 scaffolds encompassing 2,819,825 bp that encode for 2233 putative proteins. Estrella also possesses a 9136 bp plasmid that encodes for 14 genes, among which we found an integrase and a toxin/antitoxin module. Like all other members of the Chlamydiales order, Estrella possesses a highly conserved type III secretion system, considered as a key virulence factor. The annotation of the Estrella genome also allowed the characterization of the metabolic abilities of this strictly intracellular bacterium. Altogether, the students provided the scientific community with the Estrella genome sequence and a preliminary understanding of the biology of this recently-discovered bacterial genus, while learning to use cutting-edge technologies for sequencing and to perform bioinformatics analyses.

Nature Biotechnology, 2007

PLoS ONE, 2014

Adduct formation, fragmentation events and matrix effects impose special challenges to the identi... more Adduct formation, fragmentation events and matrix effects impose special challenges to the identification and quantitation of metabolites in LC-ESI-MS datasets. An important step in compound identification is the deconvolution of mass signals. During this processing step, peaks representing adducts, fragments, and isotopologues of the same analyte are allocated to a distinct group, in order to separate peaks from coeluting compounds. From these peak groups, neutral masses and pseudo spectra are derived and used for metabolite identification via mass decomposition and database matching. Quantitation of metabolites is hampered by matrix effects and nonlinear responses in LC-ESI-MS measurements. A common approach to correct for these effects is the addition of a U-13 C-labeled internal standard and the calculation of mass isotopomer ratios for each metabolite.

Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 2015

Sinorhizobium fredii HH103 is a fast-growing rhizobial strain infecting a broad range of legumes ... more Sinorhizobium fredii HH103 is a fast-growing rhizobial strain infecting a broad range of legumes including both American and Asiatic soybeans. In this work we present the sequencing and annotation of the HH103 genome (7.25 Mb), consisting of one chromosome and six plasmids and representing the structurally most complex sinorhizobial genome sequenced so far. Comparative genomic analyses of S. fredii HH103 with strains USDA257 and NGR234 showed that the core genome of these three strains contains 4212 genes (61.7% of the HH103 genes). Synteny plot analysis revealed that the much larger chromosome of USDA257 (6.48 Mb) is co-linear to the HH103 (4.3 Mb) and NGR324 chromosomes (3.9 Mb). An additional region of the USDA257 chromosome of about 2 Mb displays similarity to plasmid pSfHH103e. Remarkable differences exist between HH103 and NGR234 concerning nod genes, flavonoid effect on surface polysaccharide production, and quorum-sensing systems. Furthermore a number of protein secretion systems have been found. Two genes coding for putative type III-secreted effectors not previously described in S. fredii, nopI and gunA, have been located on the HH103 genome. These differences could be important to understand the different symbiotic behaviour of S. fredii strains HH103, USDA257, and NGR234 with soybean.

Introduction to Marine Genomics, 2010

Page 1. Chapter 9 Practical Guide: Genomic Techniques and How to Apply Them to Marine Questions V... more Page 1. Chapter 9 Practical Guide: Genomic Techniques and How to Apply Them to Marine Questions Virginie Mittard-Runte, Thomas Bekel, Jochen Blom, Michael Dondrup, Kolja Henckel, Sebastian Jaenicke, Lutz Krause, Burkhard ...

Source Code for Biology and Medicine, 2009

Background: Due to the advanced techniques in sequencing and fragment analysis, DNA sequencers an... more Background: Due to the advanced techniques in sequencing and fragment analysis, DNA sequencers and analyzers produce vast amounts of data within short time. To administrate the large data volume conveniently, efficient data management systems are used in order to process and to store sequencers' or analyzers' data outcome. The inclusion of graphical reports in such systems is necessary to achieve a comprehensive view of the integrated data. However, the resulting data of sequencing and fragment analysis runs are stored in a proprietary format, the socalled trace or fsa format, which is only readable by programs provided by the instrument's vendor operating on the machine itself or by commercial tools designed for editing the respective data. To allow for a quick conversion of the proprietary data format into a commonly used one, toolkits are required that reach this aim and can be easily integrated into workflow systems.

Nature Biotechnology, 2006

Alcanivorax borkumensis is a cosmopolitan marine bacterium that uses oil hydrocarbons as its excl... more Alcanivorax borkumensis is a cosmopolitan marine bacterium that uses oil hydrocarbons as its exclusive source of carbon and energy. Although barely detectable in unpolluted environments, A. borkumensis becomes the dominant microbe in oil-polluted waters. A. borkumensis SK2 has a streamlined genome with a paucity of mobile genetic elements and energy generation-related genes, but with a plethora of genes accounting for its wide hydrocarbon substrate range and efficient oil-degradation capabilities. The genome further specifies systems for scavenging of nutrients, particularly organic and inorganic nitrogen and oligo-elements, biofilm formation at the oil-water interface, biosurfactant production and niche-specific stress responses. The unique combination of these features provides A. borkumensis SK2 with a competitive edge in oil-polluted environments. This genome sequence provides the basis for the future design of strategies to mitigate the ecological damage caused by oil spills.

BMC Proceedings, 2011

Since 1957 Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are used for in vitro cultivation as they require as... more Since 1957 Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are used for in vitro cultivation as they require assimilable low sustenance [1]. Today, CHO cell lines represent the most commonly used mammalian expression system for the production of therapeutic proteins and are ...

Fungal Biology, 2014

Rhizoctonia solani is a soil-borne plant pathogenic fungus of the phylum Basidiomycota. It affect... more Rhizoctonia solani is a soil-borne plant pathogenic fungus of the phylum Basidiomycota. It affects a wide range of agriculturally important crops and hence is responsible for economically relevant crop losses. Transcriptome analysis of the bottom rot pathogen R. solani AG1-1B (isolate 7/3/14) by applying high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics methods addressing Expressed Sequence Tag (EST) data interpretation provided new insights in expressed genes of this fungus. Two normalized cDNA libraries representing different cultivation conditions of the fungus were sequenced on the 454 FLX (Roche) system. Subsequent to cDNA sequence assembly and quality control, ESTs were analysed applying advanced bioinformatics methods. More than 14 000 transcript isoforms originating from approximately 10 000 predictable R. solani AG1-IB 7/3/14 genes are represented in each dataset. Comparative analyses revealed several differentially expressed genes depending on the growth conditions applied. Determinants with predicted functions in recognition processes between the fungus and the host plant were identified. Moreover, many R. solani AG1-IB ESTs were predicted to encode putative cellulose, pectin, and lignin degrading enzymes. Furthermore, genes playing a possible role in mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascades, 4-aminobutyric acid (GABA) metabolism, melanin synthesis, plant defence antagonism, phytotoxin, and mycotoxin synthesis were detected.

Molecular genetics and genomics : MGG, 2003

Plasmid pB4 is a conjugative antibiotic resistance plasmid, originally isolated from a microbial ... more Plasmid pB4 is a conjugative antibiotic resistance plasmid, originally isolated from a microbial community growing in activated sludge, by means of an exogenous isolation method with Pseudomonas sp. B13 as recipient. We have determined the complete nucleotide sequence of pB4. The plasmid is 79,370 bp long and contains at least 81 complete coding regions. A suite of coding regions predicted to be involved in plasmid replication, plasmid maintenance, and conjugative transfer revealed significant similarity to the IncP-1beta backbone of R751. Four resistance gene regions comprising mobile genetic elements are inserted in the IncP-1beta backbone of pB4. The modular 'gene load' of pB4 includes (1) the novel transposon Tn 5719 containing genes characteristic of chromate resistance determinants, (2) the transposon Tn 5393c carrying the widespread streptomycin resistance gene pair strA-strB, (3) the beta-lactam antibiotic resistance gene bla(NPS-1) flanked by highly conserved sequen...

mBio, 2015

Here we present an extensive genomic and genetic analysis of Escherichia coli strains of serotype... more Here we present an extensive genomic and genetic analysis of Escherichia coli strains of serotype O78 that represent the major cause of avian colisepticemia, an invasive infection caused by avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) strains. It is associated with high mortality and morbidity, resulting in significant economic consequences for the poultry industry. To understand the genetic basis of the virulence of avian septicemic E. coli, we sequenced the entire genome of a clinical isolate of serotype O78-O78:H19 ST88 isolate 789 (O78-9)-and compared it with three publicly available APEC O78 sequences and one complete genome of APEC serotype O1 strain. Although there was a large variability in genome content between the APEC strains, several genes were conserved, which are potentially critical for colisepticemia. Some of these genes are present in multiple copies per genome or code for gene products with overlapping function, signifying their importance. A systematic deletion of each of these virulence-related genes identified three systems that are conserved in all septicemic strains examined and are critical for serum survival, a prerequisite for septicemia. These are the plasmid-encoded protein, the defective ETT2 (E. coli type 3 secretion system 2) type 3 secretion system ETT2sepsis, and iron uptake systems. Strain O78-9 is the only APEC O78 strain that also carried the regulon coding for yersiniabactin, the iron binding system of the Yersinia high-pathogenicity island. Interestingly, this system is the only one that cannot be complemented by other iron uptake systems under iron limitation and in serum. Avian colisepticemia is a severe systemic disease of birds causing high morbidity and mortality and resulting in severe economic losses. The bacteria associated with avian colisepticemia are highly antibiotic resistant, making antibiotic treatment ineffective, and there is no effective vaccine due to the multitude of serotypes involved. To understand the disease and work out strategies to combat it, we performed an extensive genomic and genetic analysis of Escherichia coli strains of serotype O78, the major cause of the disease. We identified several potential virulence factors, conserved in all the colisepticemic strains examined, and determined their contribution to growth in serum, an absolute requirement for septicemia. These findings raise the possibility that specific vaccines or drugs can be developed against these critical virulence factors to help combat this economically important disease.

Genome Announcements, 2015

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is known to cause complicated urinary tract infections (UTI). The improved... more Pseudomonas aeruginosa is known to cause complicated urinary tract infections (UTI). The improved 7.0-Mb draft genome sequence of P. aeruginosa RN21, isolated from a patient with an acute UTI, was determined. It carries three (pro)phage genomes, genes for two restriction/modification systems, and a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/ CRISPR-associated (Cas) system.

Bioinformatics (Oxford, England), Jan 15, 2014

Fast algorithms and well-arranged visualizations are required for the comprehensive analysis of t... more Fast algorithms and well-arranged visualizations are required for the comprehensive analysis of the ever-growing size of genomic and transcriptomic next-generation sequencing data. ReadXplorer is a software offering straightforward visualization and extensive analysis functions for genomic and transcriptomic DNA sequences mapped on a reference. A unique specialty of ReadXplorer is the quality classification of the read mappings. It is incorporated in all analysis functions and displayed in ReadXplorer's various synchronized data viewers for (i) the reference sequence, its base coverage as (ii) normalizable plot and (iii) histogram, (iv) read alignments and (v) read pairs. ReadXplorer's analysis capability covers RNA secondary structure prediction, single nucleotide polymorphism and deletion-insertion polymorphism detection, genomic feature and general coverage analysis. Especially for RNA-Seq data, it offers differential gene expression analysis, transcription start site and...

Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology, 2015

We present results of our machine learning approach to the problem of classifying GC-MS data orig... more We present results of our machine learning approach to the problem of classifying GC-MS data originating from wheat grains of different farming systems. The aim is to investigate the potential of learning algorithms to classify GC-MS data to be either from conventionally grown or from organically grown samples and considering different cultivars. The motivation of our work is rather obvious nowadays: increased demand for organic food in post-industrialized societies and the necessity to prove organic food authenticity. The background of our data set is given by up to 11 wheat cultivars that have been cultivated in both farming systems, organic and conventional, throughout 3 years. More than 300 GC-MS measurements were recorded and subsequently processed and analyzed in the MeltDB 2.0 metabolomics analysis platform, being briefly outlined in this paper. We further describe how unsupervised (t-SNE, PCA) and supervised (SVM) methods can be applied for sample visualization and classific...

Genome announcements, 2015

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a frequent agent of complicated catheter-associated urinary tract infec... more Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a frequent agent of complicated catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). Here, we present the improved 7.1-Mb draft genome sequence of P. aeruginosa MH19, which was isolated from a patient with an acute hospital-acquired CAUTI. It includes unique genes not represented in other P. aeruginosa genomes.

Journal of biotechnology, Jan 20, 2015

The phytopathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani AG1-IB of the phylum Basidiomycota affects various ... more The phytopathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani AG1-IB of the phylum Basidiomycota affects various economically important crops comprising bean, rice, soybean, figs, cabbage and lettuce. The R. solani isolate 7/3/14 of the anastomosis group AG1-IB was deeply resequenced on the Illumina MiSeq system applying the mate-pair mode to improve its genome sequence. Assembly of obtained sequence reads significantly reduced the amount of scaffolds and improved the genome sequence of the isolate compared to the previous sequencing approach. The genome sequence of the AG1-IB isolate 7/3/14 now provides an up-graded basis to analyze genome features predicted to play a role in pathogenesis and for the development of strategies to antagonize the pathogenic impact of this fungus.

Genome announcements, 2015

The complete genome of probiotic Escherichia coli strain G3/10 is presented here. In addition, th... more The complete genome of probiotic Escherichia coli strain G3/10 is presented here. In addition, the probiotic E. coli strains G1/2, G4/9, G5, G6/7, and G8 are presented in draft form. These six strains together comprise the probiotic product Symbioflor 2 (DSM 17252).

Genome announcements, 2014

Criblamydia sequanensis is an amoeba-resisting bacterium recently isolated from the Seine River. ... more Criblamydia sequanensis is an amoeba-resisting bacterium recently isolated from the Seine River. This Chlamydia-related bacterium harbors a genome of approximately 3 Mbp and a megaplasmid of 89,525 bp. The plasmid encodes several efflux systems and an operon for arsenite resistance. This first genome sequence within the Criblamydiaceae family enlarges our view on the evolution and the ecology of this important bacterial clade largely understudied so far.

PloS one, 2014

De novo genome assembly is the process of reconstructing a complete genomic sequence from countle... more De novo genome assembly is the process of reconstructing a complete genomic sequence from countless small sequencing reads. Due to the complexity of this task, numerous genome assemblers have been developed to cope with different requirements and the different kinds of data provided by sequencers within the fast evolving field of next-generation sequencing technologies. In particular, the recently introduced generation of benchtop sequencers, like Illumina's MiSeq and Ion Torrent's Personal Genome Machine (PGM), popularized the easy, fast, and cheap sequencing of bacterial organisms to a broad range of academic and clinical institutions. With a strong pragmatic focus, here, we give a novel insight into the line of assembly evaluation surveys as we benchmark popular de novo genome assemblers based on bacterial data generated by benchtop sequencers. Therefore, single-library assemblies were generated, assembled, and compared to each other by metrics describing assembly contigu...

BMC Genomics, 2015

Background: Enterococcus faecalis is a multifaceted microorganism known to act as a beneficial in... more Background: Enterococcus faecalis is a multifaceted microorganism known to act as a beneficial intestinal commensal bacterium. It is also a dreaded nosocomial pathogen causing life-threatening infections in hospitalised patients. Isolates of a distinct MLST type ST40 represent the most frequent strain type of this species, distributed worldwide and originating from various sources (animal, human, environmental) and different conditions (colonisation/infection). Since enterococci are known to be highly recombinogenic we determined to analyse the microevolution and niche adaptation of this highly distributed clonal type.

Frontiers in Microbiology, 2015

With the widespread availability of high-throughput sequencing technologies, sequencing projects ... more With the widespread availability of high-throughput sequencing technologies, sequencing projects have become pervasive in the molecular life sciences. The huge bulk of data generated daily must be analyzed further by biologists with skills in bioinformatics and by "embedded bioinformaticians," i.e., bioinformaticians integrated in wet lab research groups. Thus, students interested in molecular life sciences must be trained in the main steps of genomics: sequencing, assembly, annotation and analysis. To reach that goal, a practical course has been set up for master students at the University of Lausanne: the "Sequence a genome" class. At the beginning of the academic year, a few bacterial species whose genome is unknown are provided to the students, who sequence and assemble the genome(s) and perform manual annotation. Here, we report the progress of the first class from September 2010 to June 2011 and the results obtained by seven master students who specifically assembled and annotated the genome of Estrella lausannensis, an obligate intracellular bacterium related to Chlamydia. The draft genome of Estrella is composed of 29 scaffolds encompassing 2,819,825 bp that encode for 2233 putative proteins. Estrella also possesses a 9136 bp plasmid that encodes for 14 genes, among which we found an integrase and a toxin/antitoxin module. Like all other members of the Chlamydiales order, Estrella possesses a highly conserved type III secretion system, considered as a key virulence factor. The annotation of the Estrella genome also allowed the characterization of the metabolic abilities of this strictly intracellular bacterium. Altogether, the students provided the scientific community with the Estrella genome sequence and a preliminary understanding of the biology of this recently-discovered bacterial genus, while learning to use cutting-edge technologies for sequencing and to perform bioinformatics analyses.

Nature Biotechnology, 2007

PLoS ONE, 2014

Adduct formation, fragmentation events and matrix effects impose special challenges to the identi... more Adduct formation, fragmentation events and matrix effects impose special challenges to the identification and quantitation of metabolites in LC-ESI-MS datasets. An important step in compound identification is the deconvolution of mass signals. During this processing step, peaks representing adducts, fragments, and isotopologues of the same analyte are allocated to a distinct group, in order to separate peaks from coeluting compounds. From these peak groups, neutral masses and pseudo spectra are derived and used for metabolite identification via mass decomposition and database matching. Quantitation of metabolites is hampered by matrix effects and nonlinear responses in LC-ESI-MS measurements. A common approach to correct for these effects is the addition of a U-13 C-labeled internal standard and the calculation of mass isotopomer ratios for each metabolite.

Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 2015

Sinorhizobium fredii HH103 is a fast-growing rhizobial strain infecting a broad range of legumes ... more Sinorhizobium fredii HH103 is a fast-growing rhizobial strain infecting a broad range of legumes including both American and Asiatic soybeans. In this work we present the sequencing and annotation of the HH103 genome (7.25 Mb), consisting of one chromosome and six plasmids and representing the structurally most complex sinorhizobial genome sequenced so far. Comparative genomic analyses of S. fredii HH103 with strains USDA257 and NGR234 showed that the core genome of these three strains contains 4212 genes (61.7% of the HH103 genes). Synteny plot analysis revealed that the much larger chromosome of USDA257 (6.48 Mb) is co-linear to the HH103 (4.3 Mb) and NGR324 chromosomes (3.9 Mb). An additional region of the USDA257 chromosome of about 2 Mb displays similarity to plasmid pSfHH103e. Remarkable differences exist between HH103 and NGR234 concerning nod genes, flavonoid effect on surface polysaccharide production, and quorum-sensing systems. Furthermore a number of protein secretion systems have been found. Two genes coding for putative type III-secreted effectors not previously described in S. fredii, nopI and gunA, have been located on the HH103 genome. These differences could be important to understand the different symbiotic behaviour of S. fredii strains HH103, USDA257, and NGR234 with soybean.

Introduction to Marine Genomics, 2010

Page 1. Chapter 9 Practical Guide: Genomic Techniques and How to Apply Them to Marine Questions V... more Page 1. Chapter 9 Practical Guide: Genomic Techniques and How to Apply Them to Marine Questions Virginie Mittard-Runte, Thomas Bekel, Jochen Blom, Michael Dondrup, Kolja Henckel, Sebastian Jaenicke, Lutz Krause, Burkhard ...

Source Code for Biology and Medicine, 2009

Background: Due to the advanced techniques in sequencing and fragment analysis, DNA sequencers an... more Background: Due to the advanced techniques in sequencing and fragment analysis, DNA sequencers and analyzers produce vast amounts of data within short time. To administrate the large data volume conveniently, efficient data management systems are used in order to process and to store sequencers' or analyzers' data outcome. The inclusion of graphical reports in such systems is necessary to achieve a comprehensive view of the integrated data. However, the resulting data of sequencing and fragment analysis runs are stored in a proprietary format, the socalled trace or fsa format, which is only readable by programs provided by the instrument's vendor operating on the machine itself or by commercial tools designed for editing the respective data. To allow for a quick conversion of the proprietary data format into a commonly used one, toolkits are required that reach this aim and can be easily integrated into workflow systems.

Nature Biotechnology, 2006

Alcanivorax borkumensis is a cosmopolitan marine bacterium that uses oil hydrocarbons as its excl... more Alcanivorax borkumensis is a cosmopolitan marine bacterium that uses oil hydrocarbons as its exclusive source of carbon and energy. Although barely detectable in unpolluted environments, A. borkumensis becomes the dominant microbe in oil-polluted waters. A. borkumensis SK2 has a streamlined genome with a paucity of mobile genetic elements and energy generation-related genes, but with a plethora of genes accounting for its wide hydrocarbon substrate range and efficient oil-degradation capabilities. The genome further specifies systems for scavenging of nutrients, particularly organic and inorganic nitrogen and oligo-elements, biofilm formation at the oil-water interface, biosurfactant production and niche-specific stress responses. The unique combination of these features provides A. borkumensis SK2 with a competitive edge in oil-polluted environments. This genome sequence provides the basis for the future design of strategies to mitigate the ecological damage caused by oil spills.

BMC Proceedings, 2011

Since 1957 Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are used for in vitro cultivation as they require as... more Since 1957 Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are used for in vitro cultivation as they require assimilable low sustenance [1]. Today, CHO cell lines represent the most commonly used mammalian expression system for the production of therapeutic proteins and are ...

Fungal Biology, 2014

Rhizoctonia solani is a soil-borne plant pathogenic fungus of the phylum Basidiomycota. It affect... more Rhizoctonia solani is a soil-borne plant pathogenic fungus of the phylum Basidiomycota. It affects a wide range of agriculturally important crops and hence is responsible for economically relevant crop losses. Transcriptome analysis of the bottom rot pathogen R. solani AG1-1B (isolate 7/3/14) by applying high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics methods addressing Expressed Sequence Tag (EST) data interpretation provided new insights in expressed genes of this fungus. Two normalized cDNA libraries representing different cultivation conditions of the fungus were sequenced on the 454 FLX (Roche) system. Subsequent to cDNA sequence assembly and quality control, ESTs were analysed applying advanced bioinformatics methods. More than 14 000 transcript isoforms originating from approximately 10 000 predictable R. solani AG1-IB 7/3/14 genes are represented in each dataset. Comparative analyses revealed several differentially expressed genes depending on the growth conditions applied. Determinants with predicted functions in recognition processes between the fungus and the host plant were identified. Moreover, many R. solani AG1-IB ESTs were predicted to encode putative cellulose, pectin, and lignin degrading enzymes. Furthermore, genes playing a possible role in mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascades, 4-aminobutyric acid (GABA) metabolism, melanin synthesis, plant defence antagonism, phytotoxin, and mycotoxin synthesis were detected.

Molecular genetics and genomics : MGG, 2003

Plasmid pB4 is a conjugative antibiotic resistance plasmid, originally isolated from a microbial ... more Plasmid pB4 is a conjugative antibiotic resistance plasmid, originally isolated from a microbial community growing in activated sludge, by means of an exogenous isolation method with Pseudomonas sp. B13 as recipient. We have determined the complete nucleotide sequence of pB4. The plasmid is 79,370 bp long and contains at least 81 complete coding regions. A suite of coding regions predicted to be involved in plasmid replication, plasmid maintenance, and conjugative transfer revealed significant similarity to the IncP-1beta backbone of R751. Four resistance gene regions comprising mobile genetic elements are inserted in the IncP-1beta backbone of pB4. The modular 'gene load' of pB4 includes (1) the novel transposon Tn 5719 containing genes characteristic of chromate resistance determinants, (2) the transposon Tn 5393c carrying the widespread streptomycin resistance gene pair strA-strB, (3) the beta-lactam antibiotic resistance gene bla(NPS-1) flanked by highly conserved sequen...

mBio, 2015

Here we present an extensive genomic and genetic analysis of Escherichia coli strains of serotype... more Here we present an extensive genomic and genetic analysis of Escherichia coli strains of serotype O78 that represent the major cause of avian colisepticemia, an invasive infection caused by avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) strains. It is associated with high mortality and morbidity, resulting in significant economic consequences for the poultry industry. To understand the genetic basis of the virulence of avian septicemic E. coli, we sequenced the entire genome of a clinical isolate of serotype O78-O78:H19 ST88 isolate 789 (O78-9)-and compared it with three publicly available APEC O78 sequences and one complete genome of APEC serotype O1 strain. Although there was a large variability in genome content between the APEC strains, several genes were conserved, which are potentially critical for colisepticemia. Some of these genes are present in multiple copies per genome or code for gene products with overlapping function, signifying their importance. A systematic deletion of each of these virulence-related genes identified three systems that are conserved in all septicemic strains examined and are critical for serum survival, a prerequisite for septicemia. These are the plasmid-encoded protein, the defective ETT2 (E. coli type 3 secretion system 2) type 3 secretion system ETT2sepsis, and iron uptake systems. Strain O78-9 is the only APEC O78 strain that also carried the regulon coding for yersiniabactin, the iron binding system of the Yersinia high-pathogenicity island. Interestingly, this system is the only one that cannot be complemented by other iron uptake systems under iron limitation and in serum. Avian colisepticemia is a severe systemic disease of birds causing high morbidity and mortality and resulting in severe economic losses. The bacteria associated with avian colisepticemia are highly antibiotic resistant, making antibiotic treatment ineffective, and there is no effective vaccine due to the multitude of serotypes involved. To understand the disease and work out strategies to combat it, we performed an extensive genomic and genetic analysis of Escherichia coli strains of serotype O78, the major cause of the disease. We identified several potential virulence factors, conserved in all the colisepticemic strains examined, and determined their contribution to growth in serum, an absolute requirement for septicemia. These findings raise the possibility that specific vaccines or drugs can be developed against these critical virulence factors to help combat this economically important disease.