Genome Analysis of Streptococcus gordonii SK12

The gram-positive, mesophilic and non-motile coccus Streptococcus gordonii is an important causative agent of infective endocarditis (IE). This pioneer species of dental plaque also causes bacteraemia in immune-supressed patients. In this study, we analysed the genome of a representative strain, Streptococcus gordonii SK12 that was originally isolated from the oral cavity. To gain a better understanding of the biology, virulence and phylogeny, of this potentially pathogenic organism, high-throughput Illumina HiSeq technology and different bioinformatics approaches were performed. Genome assembly of SK12 was performed using CLC Genomic Workbench 5.1.5 while RAST annotation revealed the key genomic features. The assembled draft genome of Streptococcus gordonii SK12 consists of 27 contigs, with a genome size of 2,145,851 bp and a G+C content of 40.63%. Phylogenetic inferences have confirmed that SK12 is closely related to the widely studied strain Streptococcus gordonii Challis. Interestingly, we predicted 118 potential virulence genes in SK12 genome which may contribute to bacterial pathogenicity in infective endocarditis. We also discovered an intact prophage which might be recently integrated into the SK12 genome. Examination of genes present in genomic islands revealed that this oral strain might has potential to acquire new phenotypes/traits including strong defence system, bacitracin resistance and collateral detergent sensitivity. This detailed analysis of S. gordonii SK12 further improves our understanding of the genetic make-up of S. gordonii as a whole and may help to elucidate how this species is able to transition between living as an oral commensal and potentially causing the lifethreatening condition infective endocarditis.