Question

The following figure shows an alignment of whole genome sequences of 11 strains of Campylobacter lari, an environmental bacterium that occasionally causes gastrointestinal disease in humans. The genome sequences are highly syntenic, meaning that the genes are present in the same order, which makes it possible to visualize 11 genomes in a single circle diagram What do the white bars (labeled with capital letters on the outside of the diagram) represent? Why are they interesting? A B 1500 kbp 100 kbp 1400 kbp 200 kbp 1300 kbp 300 kbp 1200 kbp Reference: C lani lari RM2100 1,525,460 bp. 400 kbp 1100 kbp 500 kbp 1000 kbp 800 kbp 000 kbp 800 kbp 700 kbp RINGS C. lari subsp. concheus 2 UPTC NCTC 11845 3 UPTC CCUG 22395 7 C. subantarcticus LMG 24377 8Campylobacter spp. RM16704 9Cpeloridis 0C. volucris UPTC RM16701 5 UPTC RM16712 6 C. subantarcticus LMG 24374

Answer 1

The illustration represents the aligned sequence similarities between the different strains of this microbe, whereas the different sequences have been given a specific colour in the concentric rings. Here, the nature of alignment shows the relatedness of all the strains of this microbe.

However, there are intermittent regions of non-similarities as shown by white-bars in the concentric rings. These regions represent those genetic segments which are different in the strains of this microbe, thereby making them different from each other. Also, these regions contribute to the genetic diversity of the genus of this microbe and that is why so many strains have evolved.