Association analysis between Intragenomic Gene Conversions and pathogenicity in genomes of Escherichia coli and Shigella spp.: a scientific workflow approach

The RECOMBFLOW scientific workflow system was used to test a previously suggested hypothesis that pathogenic Escherichia coli have more Intragenomic Gene Conversions (IGC) than non-pathogenic strains. Although some pathogens (O157:H7 and some Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) strains) had high IGC, two UTI strains and six Shigella (pathogens in the E. coli clade) were near non-pathogenic E. coli levels. Functional bacterial gene families with IGC in >4 genomes included efflux pumps, L-serine deaminases, FeS binding subunits of oxidoreductases and glutamate synthase, porins and related membrane proteins, Rhs elements, and L-ribulose-5-phosphate-4-epimerase. Shigella had lower IGCs in these families than non-pathogenic E. coli.