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Prevalent chromosome fusion in Vibrio cholerae O1

Author

Listed:
  • Aline Cuénod

    (McGill University)

  • Denise Chac

    (University of Washington)

  • Ashraful I. Khan

    (Bangladesh, (ICDDR, B))

  • Fahima Chowdhury

    (Bangladesh, (ICDDR, B))

  • Randy W. Hyppa

    (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center)

  • Susan M. Markiewicz

    (University of Washington)

  • Amelia Rice

    (University of Washington)

  • Akhil Kholwadwala

    (McGill University)

  • Stephen B. Calderwood

    (Massachusetts General Hospital
    Harvard Medical School)

  • Edward T. Ryan

    (Massachusetts General Hospital
    Harvard Medical School
    Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health)

  • Jason B. Harris

    (Harvard Medical School
    Harvard Medical School
    Massachusetts General Hospital for Children)

  • Regina C. LaRocque

    (Massachusetts General Hospital
    Harvard Medical School)

  • Taufiqur R. Bhuiyan

    (Bangladesh, (ICDDR, B))

  • Gerald R. Smith

    (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center)

  • Firdausi Qadri

    (Bangladesh, (ICDDR, B))

  • Patrick Lypaczewski

    (McGill University)

  • Ana A. Weil

    (University of Washington
    University of Washington)

  • B. Jesse Shapiro

    (McGill University
    McGill University
    McGill University)

Abstract

Two circular chromosomes are a defining feature of the bacterial family Vibrionaceae, including the pathogen Vibrio cholerae, with rare reports of isolates with a single, fused chromosome. Here, we use long-read sequencing to analyse 467 V. cholerae O1 isolates from 47 cholera patients and household contacts in Bangladesh. We identify several independent chromosome fusion events that are likely transmissible within a household. Fusions occur in a 12 kilobase-pair homologous sequence shared between the two chromosomes and are stable for at least 200 generations under laboratory conditions. We find no detectable effect of fusion on V. cholerae growth, virulence factor expression, or biofilm formation. The factors promoting fusion, affecting chromosome stability, and subtle phenotypic or clinical consequences merit further investigation.

Suggested Citation

  • Aline Cuénod & Denise Chac & Ashraful I. Khan & Fahima Chowdhury & Randy W. Hyppa & Susan M. Markiewicz & Amelia Rice & Akhil Kholwadwala & Stephen B. Calderwood & Edward T. Ryan & Jason B. Harris & R, 2025. "Prevalent chromosome fusion in Vibrio cholerae O1," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-60699-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-60699-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alyce Taylor-Brown & Mokibul Hassan Afrad & Ashraful Islam Khan & Florent Lassalle & Md. Taufiqul Islam & Nabid Anjum Tanvir & Nicholas R. Thomson & Firdausi Qadri, 2023. "Genomic epidemiology of Vibrio cholerae during a mass vaccination campaign of displaced communities in Bangladesh," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Thandavarayan Ramamurthy & Agila Kumari Pragasam & Alyce Taylor-Brown & Robert C. Will & Karthick Vasudevan & Bhabatosh Das & Sunil Kumar Srivastava & Goutam Chowdhury & Asish K. Mukhopadhyay & Shanta, 2022. "Vibrio cholerae O139 genomes provide a clue to why it may have failed to usher in the eighth cholera pandemic," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Md Mamun Monir & Mohammad Tarequl Islam & Razib Mazumder & Dinesh Mondal & Kazi Sumaita Nahar & Marzia Sultana & Masatomo Morita & Makoto Ohnishi & Anwar Huq & Haruo Watanabe & Firdausi Qadri & Mustaf, 2023. "Genomic attributes of Vibrio cholerae O1 responsible for 2022 massive cholera outbreak in Bangladesh," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.
    4. Théophile Niault & Ariel Talavera & Eric Le Cam & Sonia Baconnais & Ole Skovgaard & Florian Fournes & Léa Wagner & Hedvig Tamman & Andrew Thompson & Dannele Echemendia-Blanco & Noa Guzzi & Abel Garcia, 2025. "Dynamic transitions of initiator binding coordinate the replication of the two chromosomes in Vibrio cholerae," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-16, December.
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