Comparison of the genomes of pathogenic treponemes, Treponema pallidum ssp. pallidum, ssp. pertenue and Treponema paraluiscuniculi.

Objectives. Genomes of closely related treponemes, Treponema pallidum ssp. pallidum (strains Nichols and SS14) and Treponema pallidum ssp. pertenue (Gauthier, Samoan D) were compared with the genome of Treponema paraluiscuniculi using genomic techniques. T. pallidum ssp. pallidum is the causative agent of a highly invasive human disease syphilis, T. pallidum ssp. pertenue is the causative agent of yaws and T. paraluiscuniculi is not pathogenic to humans. After labelling of chromosomal DNA using random hexamers and hybridization to the DNA microarray, at least 15 T. paraluiscuniculi genes showed significantly lower signals when compared to signals of T. pallidum ssp. pallidum.