Background: Vibrio vulnificus (VV) is a causative agent of foodborne diseases with high mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the genomic and phenotypic profiles of VV.
Methods: Six VV isolates were collected and conducted whole-genome sequencing. Biofilm formation and anti-complement killing test were performed to evaluate the pathogenicity. Subsequently, 157 publicly available genomes of VV isolates were selected to determine the evolutionary relationship.
Results: The resistant genes norM and tet34 were identified in six isolates. A total of 156 virulence genes were identified. However, there is no obvious difference between strains isolated from blood and puncture fluid. The tendency of growth for six isolates decreased with the lapse of time, while the biofilm formation increased. The genes tadC and flp related to Flp pili were found in isolate 25506 and 30896, resulting in more obvious biofilm formation. In addition, the survival rate of 19656 was less than 20% due to lack of one genomic island including virulence genes (impD-H, clpV-1) relevant to type VI secretion system (T6SS). Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) revealed 95 different STs and 19 novel STs, indicating that the tendency of 163 isolates was sporadic. Further comparative genomics analysis clearly classified 163 isolates into three distinct evolutionary lineages.
Conclusion: VV infections were sporadic in humans and the environment. Virulence genes impD-H and clpV-1 related to T6SS were associated with pathogenicity phenotype of VV.



中文翻译：

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创伤弧菌感染的基因组和表型特征

背景： 创伤弧菌（VV）是一种高死亡率食源性疾病的病原体。本研究的目的是调查 VV 的基因组和表型谱。
方法：收集6个VV分离株并进行全基因组测序。进行生物膜形成和抗补体杀伤试验以评估致病性。随后，选择了 157 个公开可用的 VV 分离株基因组来确定进化关系。
结果：抗性基因norM和tet34在六个分离株中鉴定出。共鉴定出156个毒力基因。然而，从血液和穿刺液中分离的菌株之间没有明显的区别。随着时间的推移，6株菌株的生长趋势逐渐减弱，而生物膜的形成增加。在分离株25506和30896中发现了与Flp菌毛相关的基因tadC和flp，导致生物膜形成更加明显。此外，19656的存活率低于20%，原因是缺少一个包括毒力基因（impD-H、clpV-1）的基因组岛。) 与 VI 型分泌系统 (T6SS) 相关。多位点序列分型 (MLST) 揭示了 95 个不同的 STs 和 19 个新的 STs，表明 163 个分离株的趋势是零星的。进一步的比较基因组学分析清楚地将 163 个分离株分为三个不同的进化谱系。
结论： VV感染在人类和环境中是散发的。与 T6SS 相关的毒力基因impD-H和clpV-1与 VV 的致病性表型相关。