Whole genome sequencing provides genomic insights into three <i>Morganella morganii</i> strains isolated from bovine rectal swabs in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Aura Rahman, Omar Faruk Bhuiyan, Abdus Sadique, Tamanna Afroze, Mrinmoy Sarker, Abdul Mueed Ibne Momen, Jahidul Alam, Arman Hossain, Imran Khan, Kazi Fahmida Rahman, Mohammad Kamruzzaman, Fariza Shams, Gias U. Ahsan, Maqsud Hossain
Abstract
Morganella morganii, a gram negative, facultative anaerobic bacterium belonging to the Proteeae tribe of the Morganellaceae family, is an unusual opportunistic pathogen mainly responsible for nosocomial and urinary tract infections. While cattle have long been established as a source of a few zoonotic pathogens, no such data has been recorded for M. morganii despite its ubiquitous presence in nature and a number of animal hosts. In this study, draft genomes were produced of three M. morganii isolates from Bangladeshi cattle. The three isolates, named B2, B3 and B5, possessed an average genome size of 3.9 Mp, a GC% of ∼51% and pan and core genomes of 4637 and 3812 genes, respectively. All strains were bearers of the qnrD1 carrying plasmid Col3M and possessed roughly similar virulence profiles and prophage regions. The strains also carried genes that were unique when compared with other publicly available M. morganii genomes. Many of these genes belonged to metabolic pathways associated with adaptation to environmental stresses and were predicted in silico to be borne in genomic islands. The findings of this study expand on the current understanding of M. morganii''s genomic nature and its adaptation in cattle.