Source: Michael Fielding, MEATINGPLACE, 11/29/13


A British study from the Institute of Food Research has produced a new map of the campylobacter genome, showing the points where all of the pathogenic bacteria's genes are turned on.

The information is already being used to find new genes and control mechanisms that may offer new ways of reducing the amount of foodborne infection that campylobacter causes. The project was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

Using a high-throughput sequencing technique, British researchers identified transcriptional start sites (TSS) in high resolution. The start sites are the points in the genome where genes are switched on. The researchers then produced a map of the whole campylobacter genome showing all of the TSS – an invaluable resource for campylobacter researchers worldwide.

From the map it is possible to get a better understanding of how the pathogen controls its gene expression in response to different environments and to get a better idea of how it has evolved and adapted to become such a problem in the food chain.

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