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How clonal are Neisseria species? The epidemic clonality model revisited

Michel Tibayrenc1, Francisco J Ayala2

  • 1Infectious Diseases and Vectors: Ecology, Genetics, Evolution and Control, Institute of Research for Development 224, CNRS 5290, Universities of Montpellier 1 and 2, 34394 Montpellier Cedex 5, France; and michel.tibayrenc@ird.fr.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|July 22, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Neisseria meningitidis evolution is predominantly clonal, not semiclonal. This study challenges the epidemic clonality model, suggesting Neisseria species fit predominant clonal evolution criteria.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Neisseria meningitidis, Neisseria gonorrheae, and Neisseria lactamica are considered highly recombining bacteria.
  • N. meningitidis has been modeled by the semiclonal model, suggesting occasional clonal propagation within a recombining species.
  • The semiclonal model posits short-term linkage disequilibrium followed by recombination's long-term effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To challenge the semiclonal model for Neisseria meningitidis evolution.
  • To propose and evaluate the predominant clonal evolution (PCE) model for Neisseria species.
  • To re-evaluate the species status of N. meningitidis, N. gonorrheae, and N. lactamica under the PCE model.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of existing data and phylogenetic evidence.
  • Comparison of predictions from the semiclonal model versus the PCE model.
  • Utilizing microarray and whole-genome sequencing data to infer deep phylogenies.

Main Results:

  • Data contradicts the semiclonal model's predictions for N. meningitidis.
  • N. meningitidis aligns with the criteria for predominant clonal evolution (PCE).
  • Distinguishing epidemic clonality from PCE may require revised methodologies; phylogenetic evidence challenges the semiclonal model.

Conclusions:

  • The predominant clonal evolution (PCE) model better explains the evolutionary dynamics of Neisseria species, including N. meningitidis.
  • The traditional semiclonal model may be inadequate for describing the evolutionary trajectory of these bacteria.
  • Revisiting the species status of N. meningitidis, N. gonorrheae, and N. lactamica is warranted under the PCE framework.
Keywords:
deep phylogenylinkage disequilibriummolecular epidemiologynear-cladepredominant clonal evolution

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