Assembly and analysis of Staphylococcus genomes using DNASTAR tools

We have been identifying bacterial species that are infecting leg joints in lame broiler chickens (see PAG poster #10973 by Al-Rubaye et al).  The infections are induced using a wire flooring model that induces lameness attributable to bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO).  PCR sequencing of 16S ribosomal DNA for bacterial isolates has shown that most of the lame broilers in a single floor pen are primarily infected with a single species of bacteria.  The primary isolate (>87% incidence) we isolate is Staphylococcus agnetis, an as yet poorly characterized species.  We have been using next-gen sequencing using the Illumina MiSeq platform to characterize the genome of this species and compare that genome with the genomes of other Staphylococci species.  This presentation will highlight use of the DNAStar Lasergene software suite for de novo and template-based assembly of a bacterial genome, identification  of structural variants, and genome comparisons.