Whole genome sequences of nine Taylorella equigenitalis strains isolated in the Czech Republic between 1982-2021: Molecular dating suggests a common ancestor at the time of Roman Empire.
Abstract: Taylorella equigenitalis is the causative agent of sexually transmitted contagious equine metritis. Infections manifest as cervicitis, vaginitis and endometritis and cause temporary infertility and miscarriages of mares. While previous studies have analyzed this organism for various parameters, the evolutionary dynamics of this pathogen, including the emergence of antibiotic resistance, remains unresolved. The aim of this study was to isolate contemporary strains, determine their genome sequences, evaluate their antibiotic resistance and compare them with other strains. We determined nine complete whole genome sequences of T. equigenitalis strains, mainly from samples collected from Kladruber horses in the Czech Republic. While T. equigenitalis strains from Kladruby isolated between 1982 and 2018 were inhibited by streptomycin, contemporary strains were found to be resistant to streptomycin, suggesting the recent emergence of this mutation. In addition, we used the collection dates of Kladruber horse strains to estimate the genome substitution rate, which resulted in a scaled mean evolutionary rate of 6.9×10-7 substitutions per site per year. Analysis with other available T. equigenitalis genome sequences (n = 18) revealed similarity of the Czech T. equigenitalis genomes with the Austrian T. equigenitalis genome, and molecular dating suggested a common ancestor of all analyzed T. equigenitalis strains from 1.5-2.6 thousand years ago, dating to the first centuries A.D. Our study revealed a recently emerged streptomycin resistance in T. equigenitalis strains from Kladruber horses, emphasizing the need for antibiotic surveillance and alternative treatments. Additionally, our findings provided insights into the pathogen's evolution rate, which is important for understanding its evolution and preparing preventive strategies.
Copyright: © 2025 Hrala et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Publication Date: 2025-01-03 PubMed ID: 39752466PubMed Central: PMC11698419DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0315946Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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Overview
- Researchers sequenced the genomes of nine Taylorella equigenitalis strains isolated in the Czech Republic from 1982 to 2021 to study antibiotic resistance and evolutionary history.
- The study discovered recent emergence of streptomycin resistance and estimated that all analyzed strains share a common ancestor dating back to the Roman Empire era.
Background
- Taylorella equigenitalis is a bacterium causing contagious equine metritis, a sexually transmitted infection in horses.
- Infections cause reproductive issues such as cervicitis, vaginitis, endometritis, temporary infertility, and miscarriages in mares.
- Understanding the evolutionary dynamics of this pathogen, including antibiotic resistance development, is critical but not fully resolved.
Study Objectives
- Isolate modern and historical strains of T. equigenitalis, focusing on samples from Czech Republic Kladruber horses.
- Sequence complete genomes of these strains to analyze genetic differences and antibiotic resistance patterns.
- Compare Czech strains with other global strains to understand evolutionary relationships and timing.
- Estimate the genome substitution rate and approximate the time to the most recent common ancestor for these strains.
Methods
- Collected nine T. equigenitalis strains spanning from 1982 to 2021, predominantly isolated from Kladruber horses in the Czech Republic.
- Generated complete whole genome sequences for each strain to obtain detailed genetic information.
- Tested strains for antibiotic susceptibility with a focus on streptomycin resistance.
- Conducted comparative genomic analysis incorporating 18 additional genome sequences from other countries.
- Used molecular dating techniques based on genome substitution rates to estimate evolutionary timelines.
Key Findings
- Strains isolated from 1982 to 2018 were generally susceptible to streptomycin, whereas more recent strains showed resistance, indicating a recent spread of streptomycin resistance.
- The calculated genome evolutionary rate was approximately 6.9×10^-7 substitutions per site per year, a metric that helps infer mutation dynamics over time.
- Phylogenetic comparison showed Czech strains closely related to an Austrian strain, suggesting regional genetic similarity.
- Molecular clock dating suggested a common ancestor of the examined T. equigenitalis strains existed 1,500 to 2,600 years ago, placing the origin around the first centuries A.D., during the Roman Empire period.
Implications
- The emergence of streptomycin resistance highlights the need for ongoing antibiotic resistance surveillance in T. equigenitalis to guide effective treatment.
- Understanding the mutation rate and evolutionary history aids in predicting pathogen adaptation and informing preventative strategies in horse breeding and veterinary care.
- The ancient common ancestor suggests that T. equigenitalis has a long evolutionary history within equine populations, possibly correlating with historical horse domestication and breeding patterns.
Conclusion
- This study provides valuable insights into the recent antibiotic resistance developments and the deep evolutionary history of T. equigenitalis.
- Findings stress the importance of monitoring antibiotic resistance in equine pathogens and utilizing genomic tools to trace pathogen evolution.
- Such knowledge supports improved management of contagious equine metritis and the development of alternative treatments to preserve horse reproductive health.
Cite This Article
APA
Hrala M, Andrla P, Bosák J, Fedrová P, Mugutdinov A, Karpíšková R, Nedbalcová K, Raichová J, Faldyna M, Hořín P, Šmajs D.
(2025).
Whole genome sequences of nine Taylorella equigenitalis strains isolated in the Czech Republic between 1982-2021: Molecular dating suggests a common ancestor at the time of Roman Empire.
PLoS One, 20(1), e0315946.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0315946 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Preventive Medicine, Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic.
- National Stud at Kladruby nad Labem, Kladruby nad Labem, Czech Republic.
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Preventive Medicine, Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Animal Genetics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno (VETUNI), Brno, Czech Republic.
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Genomics, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horses / microbiology
- Whole Genome Sequencing
- Czech Republic
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Taylorella equigenitalis / genetics
- Genome, Bacterial / genetics
- Phylogeny
- Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
- Evolution, Molecular
- Drug Resistance, Bacterial / genetics
- Female
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
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Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Wasiński B, Złotnicka J, Kubajka M, Olejarczyk M, Szulowski K. Taylorella equigenitalis infections in Poland - results of current diagnostic investigations.. J Vet Res 2025 Sep;69(3):339-344.
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