Metagenomic analysis of uncultured Anaplasmataceae pathogen from a single tick in Japan

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26460532
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Bacteriology (including mycology)
• Research Institution: University of Shizuoka
• Principal Investigator: Ohashi Norio 静岡県立大学, 食品栄養科学部, 教授 (10169039)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 吉川 悠子 日本獣医生命科学大学, 獣医学部, 助教 (00580523)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: メタゲノム / 細菌 / 新興感染症 / Anaplasma / マダニ媒介

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis (HGA) is an emerging infectious disease and caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum, that infects primarily neutrophils. In Japan, we do not have any Japanese A. phagocytophilum isolate, because its isolation from patients is extremely difficult. In this study, therefore we attempted the metagenomic analysis to obtain the genome sequence of uncultured A. phagocytophilum from a single Ixodes persulcatus tick using several next-generation and third-generation sequencers such as ION PGM System, MiSeq, HiSeq, and MinION. Eventually, we successfully obtained almost full-length genome sequence with 1. 48 Mb of the uncultured A. phagocytophilum in Japan using the whole-genome amplification DNA from salivary glands of the single tick. Thus, we believe that the genome sequence ofJapanese A. phagocytophilum obtained in this study will contribute the development of molecular-based HGA-diagnostic tool for public health significance.

Free Research Field

微生物学