Archival and Newly Isolated Historical <i>Bacillus anthracis</i> Strains Populate the Deeper Phylogeny of the A.Br.075(Sterne) Clade
The anthrax pathogen <i>Bacillus anthracis</i> can remain dormant as spores in soil for many years. This applies to both natural foci and to sites of anthropogenic activity such as tanneries, abattoirs, or wool factories. The A.Br.075 (A-branch) clade (also known as A.Br.Sterne) is promi...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Markus Antwerpen Peter Braun Wolfgang Beyer Dirk Aldenkortt Michael Seidel Gregor Grass |
| author_facet | Markus Antwerpen Peter Braun Wolfgang Beyer Dirk Aldenkortt Michael Seidel Gregor Grass |
| author_sort | Markus Antwerpen |
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| description | The anthrax pathogen <i>Bacillus anthracis</i> can remain dormant as spores in soil for many years. This applies to both natural foci and to sites of anthropogenic activity such as tanneries, abattoirs, or wool factories. The A.Br.075 (A-branch) clade (also known as A.Br.Sterne) is prominent not only because it comprises several outbreak strains but even more so because spore preparations of its namesake, the Sterne strain, are counted among the most utilized anthrax animal vaccines. In this study, we genome-sequenced and analyzed 56 additional <i>B. anthracis</i> isolates of the A.Br.075 clade. Four of these we recently retrieved from soil samples taken from a decades-long abandoned tannery. The other 52 strains originated from our archival collection from the 20th century. Notably, the extended phylogeny of the A.Br.075 clade indicated that many of the newly added chromosomes represent basal members, some of which are among the most basal strains from this lineage. Twelve new strains populate a very deep-branching lineage we have named A.Br.Ortho-Sterne (also known as A.Br.076). A further 11 isolates amend the clade named A.Br.Para-Sterne (A.Br.078). Finally, some of the terminal clusters of the clade named A.Br.Eu-Sterne appear to be replete with (near) identical isolates, possibly a result of widespread use of the Sterne vaccine and of its re-isolation from vaccination-related animal anthrax outbreaks. From the accrued new phylogenetic information, we designed and tested a variety of new SNP-PCR assays for rapid and facile genotyping of unassigned <i>B. anthracis</i> genomes. Lastly, the successful isolation of live <i>B. anthracis</i> from a long-abandoned tannery reemphasizes the need for continued risk awareness of such sites. |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-db843fe6df5340f2b01b98be5feddf142025-01-24T13:44:50ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172025-01-011418310.3390/pathogens14010083Archival and Newly Isolated Historical <i>Bacillus anthracis</i> Strains Populate the Deeper Phylogeny of the A.Br.075(Sterne) CladeMarkus Antwerpen0Peter Braun1Wolfgang Beyer2Dirk Aldenkortt3Michael Seidel4Gregor Grass5Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology (IMB), 80937 Munich, GermanyBundeswehr Institute of Microbiology (IMB), 80937 Munich, GermanyDepartment of Livestock Infectiology and Environmental Hygiene, Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, GermanyEnviro Services International Sarl, Livange, 3378 Luxembourg, LuxembourgBundeswehr Institute of Microbiology (IMB), 80937 Munich, GermanyBundeswehr Institute of Microbiology (IMB), 80937 Munich, GermanyThe anthrax pathogen <i>Bacillus anthracis</i> can remain dormant as spores in soil for many years. This applies to both natural foci and to sites of anthropogenic activity such as tanneries, abattoirs, or wool factories. The A.Br.075 (A-branch) clade (also known as A.Br.Sterne) is prominent not only because it comprises several outbreak strains but even more so because spore preparations of its namesake, the Sterne strain, are counted among the most utilized anthrax animal vaccines. In this study, we genome-sequenced and analyzed 56 additional <i>B. anthracis</i> isolates of the A.Br.075 clade. Four of these we recently retrieved from soil samples taken from a decades-long abandoned tannery. The other 52 strains originated from our archival collection from the 20th century. Notably, the extended phylogeny of the A.Br.075 clade indicated that many of the newly added chromosomes represent basal members, some of which are among the most basal strains from this lineage. Twelve new strains populate a very deep-branching lineage we have named A.Br.Ortho-Sterne (also known as A.Br.076). A further 11 isolates amend the clade named A.Br.Para-Sterne (A.Br.078). Finally, some of the terminal clusters of the clade named A.Br.Eu-Sterne appear to be replete with (near) identical isolates, possibly a result of widespread use of the Sterne vaccine and of its re-isolation from vaccination-related animal anthrax outbreaks. From the accrued new phylogenetic information, we designed and tested a variety of new SNP-PCR assays for rapid and facile genotyping of unassigned <i>B. anthracis</i> genomes. Lastly, the successful isolation of live <i>B. anthracis</i> from a long-abandoned tannery reemphasizes the need for continued risk awareness of such sites.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/1/83<i>Bacillus anthracis</i>anthraxphylogeneticsPCR assaytannerysoil |
| spellingShingle | Markus Antwerpen Peter Braun Wolfgang Beyer Dirk Aldenkortt Michael Seidel Gregor Grass Archival and Newly Isolated Historical <i>Bacillus anthracis</i> Strains Populate the Deeper Phylogeny of the A.Br.075(Sterne) Clade Pathogens <i>Bacillus anthracis</i> anthrax phylogenetics PCR assay tannery soil |
| title | Archival and Newly Isolated Historical <i>Bacillus anthracis</i> Strains Populate the Deeper Phylogeny of the A.Br.075(Sterne) Clade |
| title_full | Archival and Newly Isolated Historical <i>Bacillus anthracis</i> Strains Populate the Deeper Phylogeny of the A.Br.075(Sterne) Clade |
| title_fullStr | Archival and Newly Isolated Historical <i>Bacillus anthracis</i> Strains Populate the Deeper Phylogeny of the A.Br.075(Sterne) Clade |
| title_full_unstemmed | Archival and Newly Isolated Historical <i>Bacillus anthracis</i> Strains Populate the Deeper Phylogeny of the A.Br.075(Sterne) Clade |
| title_short | Archival and Newly Isolated Historical <i>Bacillus anthracis</i> Strains Populate the Deeper Phylogeny of the A.Br.075(Sterne) Clade |
| title_sort | archival and newly isolated historical i bacillus anthracis i strains populate the deeper phylogeny of the a br 075 sterne clade |
| topic | <i>Bacillus anthracis</i> anthrax phylogenetics PCR assay tannery soil |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/1/83 |
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