Complete Genome Sequence of the Representative γ-Hexachlorocyclohexane-Degrading Bacterium Sphingobium japonicum UT26 ▿

Sphingobium japonicum strain UT26 utilizes γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH), a man-made chlorinated pesticide that causes serious environmental problems due to its toxicity and long persistence, as a sole source of carbon and energy. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of UT26, which consists of two chromosomes and three plasmids. The 15 lin genes involved in γ-HCH degradation are dispersed on the two chromosomes and one of the three plasmids

Whole-Genome Sequencing of Staphylococcus haemolyticus Uncovers the Extreme Plasticity of Its Genome and the Evolution of Human-Colonizing Staphylococcal Species

Staphylococcus haemolyticus is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen that colonizes human skin and is remarkable for its highly antibiotic-resistant phenotype. We determined the complete genome sequence of S.haemolyticus to better understand its pathogenicity and evolutionary relatedness to the other staphylococcal species. A large proportion of the open reading frames in the genomes of S.haemolyticus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis were conserved in their sequence and order on the chromosome. We identified a region of the bacterial chromosome just downstream of the origin of replication that showed little homology among the species but was conserved among strains within a species. This novel region, designated the “oriC environ,” likely contributes to the evolution and differentiation of the staphylococcal species, since it was enriched for species-specific nonessential genes that contribute to the biological features of each staphylococcal species. A comparative analysis of the genomes of S.haemolyticus, S.aureus, and S.epidermidis elucidated differences in their biological and genetic characteristics and pathogenic potentials. We identified as many as 82 insertion sequences in the S.haemolyticus chromosome that probably mediated frequent genomic rearrangements, resulting in phenotypic diversification of the strain. Such rearrangements could have brought genomic plasticity to this species and contributed to its acquisition of antibiotic resistance

Complete Genome Sequence of Sphingobium sp. Strain SYK-6, a Degrader of Lignin-Derived Biaryls and Monoaryls

Sphingobium sp. strain SYK-6 is able to grow on an extensive variety of lignin-derived biaryls and monoaryls, and the catabolic genes for these compounds are useful for the production of industrially valuable metabolites from lignin. Here we report the complete nucleotide sequence of the SYK-6 genome which consists of the 4,199,332-bp-long chromosome and the 148,801-bp-long plasmid