The evolving genome of Salmonella enterica serovar Pullorum

Salmonella enterica serovar Pullorum is a fowl-adapted bacterial pathogen that causes dysentery (pullorum disease). Host adaptation and special pathogenesis make S. enterica serovar Pullorum an exceptionally good system for studies of bacterial evolution and speciation, especially regarding pathogen-host interactions and the acquisition of pathogenicity. We constructed a genome map of S. enterica serovar Pullorum RKS5078, using I-CeuI, XbaI, AvrII, and SpeI and Tn10 insertions. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was employed to separate the large DNA fragments generated by the endonucleases. The genome is 4,930 kb, which is similar to most salmonellas. However, the genome of S. enterica serovar Pullorum RKS5078 is organized very differently from the majority of salmonellas, with three major inversions and one translocation. This extraordinary genome structure was seen in most S. enterica serovar Pullorum strains examined, with different structures in a minority of S. enterica serovar Pullorum strains. We describe the coexistence of different genome structures among the same bacteria as genomic plasticity. Through comparisons with S. enterica serovar Typhimurium, we resolved seven putative insertions and eight deletions ranging in size from 12 to 157 kb. The genomic plasticity seen among S. enterica serovar Pullorum strains supported our hypothesis about its association with bacterial evolution: a large genomic insertion (157 kb in this case) disrupted the genomic balance, and rebalancing by independent recombination events in individual lineages resulted in diverse genome structures. As far as the structural plasticity exists, the S. enterica serovar Pullorum genome will continue evolving to reach a further streamlined and balanced structure.