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SUMMARY:Shuffling the pack: the dynamic genome of Bordetella pertussis. - 
 Dr Andrew Preston\, The Milner Centre for Evolution and Department of Biol
 ogy and Biochemistry\, University of Bath
DTSTART:20210203T160000Z
DTEND:20210203T170000Z
UID:TALK155014@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Fiona Roby
DESCRIPTION:B. pertussis is the key causative agent of whooping cough\, or
  pertussis\, that is re-emerging globally despite high levels of vaccinati
 on. For decades\, B. pertussis was described as a monomorphic pathogen\, a
 s numerous studies identified relatively low rates of SNP mutations and a 
 distinct lack of gene content variation among strains. However\, recently\
 , distinct phenotypic differences between isolates are emerging that are n
 ot easily explained by current understanding of B. pertussis genetic diver
 sity.\n\nHere I will present my group’s work revealing that B. pertussis
  genome structure is highly variable between strains\, with extensive intr
 a-genomic recombination resulting in inversions and large duplications (an
 d higher copy number amplifications). This reorganisation of structure is 
 dynamic\, even detectable during laboratory growth of cultures. Gene expre
 ssion is affected by genome structure changes and currently we are develop
 ing novel GWAS approaches that incorporate genome organisation to define g
 enotype-phenotype relationships for B. pertussis.\n\nGenome organisation i
 s a largely ignored facet of bacterial genetic diversity\, but we provide 
 evidence that variation at the level of genome structure is widespread amo
 ng bacteria.\n\nChaired by Dr Raymond Bujdoso\n
LOCATION:Venue to be confirmed
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