Metagenomic sequencing of Lawsonia intracellularis

The Gram negative, obligate intracellular bacterium Lawsonia intracellularis is the aetiological agent of a non-zoonotic enteric disease known as proliferative enteropathy (PE). The disease is most prevalent in pig herds where it is endemic, with both subclinical and clinical infections. Although the dynamics of L. intracellularis infection have been examined, there is a lack of understanding population genetic structure and the basis for pathogenesis due to difficulties with culturing obligate intracellular organisms. In this study, metagenome derived genome sequences of L. intracellularis were obtained through direct sequencing of clinical samples from field outbreaks of porcine and equine PE, and cell passaged samples without the requirement of cultivation.