The Mycoplasma conjunctivae genome sequencing, annotation and analysis
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Conjunctival Commensal Isolation and Identification in Mice
Published on: May 1, 2021
Sandra P Calderon-Copete1, George Wigger, Christof Wunderlin
1Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Génopode-UNIL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. Sandra.Calderon@unil.ch
Background:
The mollicute Mycoplasma conjunctivae is the etiological agent leading to infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) in domestic sheep and wild caprinae. Although this pathogen is relatively benign for domestic animals treated by antibiotics, it can lead wild animals to blindness and death. This is a major cause of death in the protected species in the Alps (e.g., Capra ibex, Rupicapra rupicapra).
Methods:
The genome was sequenced using a combined technique of GS-FLX (454) and Sanger sequencing, and annotated by an automatic pipeline that we designed using several tools interconnected via PERL scripts. The resulting annotations are stored in a MySQL database.
Results:
The annotated sequence is deposited in the EMBL database (FM864216) and uploaded into the mollicutes database MolliGen http://cbi.labri.fr/outils/molligen/ allowing for comparative genomics.
Conclusion:
We show that our automatic pipeline allows for annotating a complete mycoplasma genome and present several examples of analysis in search for biological targets (e.g., pathogenic proteins).
Insights
Mycoplasma conjunctivae causes infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) in sheep and wild animals. A new automated genome annotation pipeline aids in identifying potential therapeutic targets for this significant pathogen.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genomics
- Veterinary Medicine
Background:
- Mycoplasma conjunctivae is the cause of infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC).
- IKC is generally mild in domestic sheep but severe, potentially fatal, in wild Alpine caprinae.
- This pathogen poses a significant threat to protected wild species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To sequence and annotate the Mycoplasma conjunctivae genome.
- To develop and validate an automated genome annotation pipeline.
- To facilitate comparative genomics and identify potential therapeutic targets.
Main Methods:
- Genome sequencing using GS-FLX (454) and Sanger techniques.
- Development of an automated annotation pipeline using PERL scripts and various tools.
- Storage of annotations in a MySQL database.
Main Results:
- The annotated Mycoplasma conjunctivae genome sequence is available in the EMBL database (FM864216).
- The data is accessible via the mollicutes database MolliGen for comparative genomics.
- The automated pipeline successfully annotated the complete mycoplasma genome.
Conclusions:
- The developed automated pipeline is effective for annotating mycoplasma genomes.
- The annotated genome facilitates comparative analyses.
- The study identified potential biological targets, such as pathogenic proteins, for further investigation.
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