Transcriptomics of Leptospira Biofilms

Leptospirosis is one of the fastest re-emerging widespread and leading zoonoses across the world, caused by pathogenic and intermediate spirochetes belonging to the genus Leptospira. The Leptospira genome is complex and unique, with a mechanism to survive in the environment (water/soil), aggregate and form environmental biofilms, and infect various hosts, often leading to colonization in the kidneys and causing chronic infection. Biofilm in leptospirosis is a recently studied phenomenon, and there is no clear understanding of the mechanism involved. A transcriptome is a clear-cut index for the physiological state of the organism. Thus, transcriptome analysis is vital in understanding the molecular changes/markers in the microbes for survival in the host. The present study was carried to determine the understand the transcriptomics and differential expression of genes of Leptospira fainei serovar Hurstbridge str. BUT 6 during in vitro biofilm formation.

钩端螺旋体病（Leptospirosis）是全球范围内复苏最快、分布最广且危害最为突出的人兽共患病之一，其病原体为隶属于钩端螺旋体属（Leptospira）的致病性及中间型螺旋体。钩端螺旋体的基因组复杂且独特，具备在环境（水/土壤）中存活、聚集形成环境生物膜，以及感染多种宿主的能力，通常可定植于宿主肾脏并引发慢性感染。钩端螺旋体病相关的生物膜是近年才被研究的新兴现象，目前对其涉及的分子机制尚未形成清晰认知。转录组（transcriptome）是反映生物体生理状态的明确指标，因此转录组分析对于解析微生物在宿主体内存活所需的分子变化及标志物至关重要。本研究旨在解析费氏钩端螺旋体（Leptospira fainei）血清型Hurstbridge菌株BUT 6在体外生物膜形成过程中的转录组学特征与基因差异表达情况。