| Leptospira mayottensis | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Bacteria |
| Kingdom: | Pseudomonadati |
| Phylum: | Spirochaetota |
| Class: | Spirochaetia |
| Order: | Leptospirales |
| Family: | Leptospiraceae |
| Genus: | Leptospira |
| Species: | L. mayottensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Leptospira mayottensis Bourhy, Collet, Brisse, and Picardeau (2014) [1] | |
Leptospira mayottensis is a pathogenic species of Leptospira in the family Leptospiracea . [1] As causative agents of Leptospirosis they primarily infect humans, livestock, dogs, and small mammals. [2] They are endemic to the island of Mayotte located in the Indian ocean, [1] as well as being found in Madagascar. [3] L. mayottensis is closely related to Leptospira borgpetersenii. [1]
L. mayottensis was first isolated from patient samples in Mayotte. Originally L. mayottensis was identified as an L. borgpetersenii-like phylogenetic group (Leptospira borgpetersenii B). [4] However based upon rRNA 16s sequencing they were determined to be their own species. [1] In addition to being isolated from humans, L. mayottensis has also been isolated from the small mammals Microgale cowani, Rattus rattus , and Tenrec ecaudatus. [5] The level of diversity from isolates derived from Madagascar compared to Mayotte may indicate L. mayottensis originated from Madagascar. [6]
The genome of L. mayottensis is around 4.1 Mbp in size and consists of two chromosomes. [1] Chromosome 1 is 3.8 Mbp, while the second chromosome is smaller at around 300 Kbp. [7] The L. mayottensis genome has a GC content of 39.5%. [1]
pMaORI is a replicative plasmid used to genetically manipulate pathogenic leptospires, as well as saprophytic species. [8] The plasmid was constructed by combining the E. coli plasmid, pMAT, with a genomic island isolated from L. mayottensis strain 200901116. [8]
The morphology of leptospires is similar across species. L. mayottensis are helical, with wavelength and amplitude both around 0.5 μm. Cells have a diameter of around 0.2 μm, and length of ±9.21 μm. [1] They additionally have the 'hooked end' often associated with Leptospira. [1]