Phylogenetic analysis of Mycobacterium bovis Reveals Evidence Of Animal And Zoonotic Tuberculosis Transmission Between Morocco And European Countries

Yahyaoui Azami, H.; Perea, C.; Stuber, T.; Bouslikhane, M.; Berrada, J.; Aboukhassib, H.; Allepuz Palau, A. O.; Reis, A. C.; Cunha, M. V.; Thacker, T. C.; Robbe-Austerman, S.; Salvador, L. C.; Quinn, F.

doi:10.1101/2024.02.09.579592

bioRxiv · 10.1101/2024.02.09.579592

Phylogenetic analysis of Mycobacterium bovis Reveals Evidence Of Animal And Zoonotic Tuberculosis Transmission Between Morocco And European Countries

Yahyaoui Azami, H.·Perea, C.·Stuber, T.·Bouslikhane, M.·Berrada, J.·Aboukhassib, H.·Allepuz Palau, A. O.·Reis, A. C.·Cunha, M. V.·Thacker, T. C.·Robbe-Austerman, S.·Salvador, L. C.·Quinn, F.

View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Livestock production is a fundamental pillar of the Moroccan economy. Infectious diseases of cattle and other species represent a significant threat to the livestock industry, animal health, and food safety and security. Bovine tuberculosis (bTB), mainly caused by Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), generates considerable direct and indirect economic losses, in addition to the unknown human health burden caused by zoonotic transmission. Previous studies have suggested likely M. bovis transmission links between Morocco and Southern Europe, however, limitations inherent with the methods used prevented more definitive conclusions from being drawn. In this study, we employed whole genome sequencing analysis of a large set of M. bovis isolates to better define the phylogenetic links between strains from Morocco and neighboring countries. A total of 780 M. bovis sequences representing 36 countries were included in the study. The results of SNP analysis showed a close genetic relationship between M. bovis from Morocco and each of Spain, France, Portugal and Germany, this is supported by animal trade between Morocco and these countries, in addition to the important human migration from Morocco to Europe and North America. Regarding zoonotic tuberculosis (TB) transmission, we were able to find genetic links between M. bovis isolates from cattle in Morocco and humans in Italy, Germany, and the UK. These results support our hypothesis of significant transmission of M. bovis from cattle to humans, which calls for further investigations of zoonotic TB transmission in Morocco and in other countries. The fact that no M. bovis sequences from North Africa in the present database were classified as AF1 or AF2 clonal complexes suggests that the Sahara might play a role in preventing M. bovis transmission between North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. Our study benefits from a large sample size and a rich dataset that includes sequences from cattle, wildlife, and humans from Morocco and neighboring countries, enabling the delineation of M. bovis transmission routes within the animal-human interface.

Explore related subjects

molecular biology Preprint

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeX RIS

Yahyaoui Azami, H., Perea, C., Stuber, T., Bouslikhane, M., Berrada, J., Aboukhassib, H., Allepuz Palau, A. O., Reis, A. C., Cunha, M. V., Thacker, T. C., Robbe-Austerman, S., Salvador, L. C., Quinn, F.. 2024-02-10. Phylogenetic analysis of Mycobacterium bovis Reveals Evidence Of Animal And Zoonotic Tuberculosis Transmission Between Morocco And European Countries. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.02.09.579592

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related preprints

bioRxiv2026

Dietary selenium deficiency drives sex-specific circadian disturbance through redox imbalance and causes early systolic dysfunction in mice

Background: Selenium is a vital trace element involved in antioxidant defence and cardiovascular health. Although selenium deficiency is implicated in cardiomyopathies, its early cardiac effects and underlying mechanisms remain poorly defined. Methods: C57BL6/Njr mice were fed either a selenium deficient or control diet for 12 weeks. Systemic selenium status, cardiac function by echocardiography, left ventricular (LV) transcriptomic profiles, redox balance, and circadian pathway markers were assessed, including sex-specific analyses. Results: Selenium deficiency reduced plasma selenium levels without inducing overt cardiac hypertrophy or fibrosis. Echocardiography showed preserved ejection fraction and fractional shortening but reduced global longitudinal strain, indicating early systolic dysfunction. Cardiac stress markers were increased predominantly in male mice. Left ventricular RNA sequencing revealed enrichment of pathways related to cardiac remodelling, redox regulation, mitochondrial function, and circadian rhythm. Additional protein and metabolic analyses supported sex-specific redox circadian alterations, with males showing a more pronounced stress response profile. Conclusions: Dietary selenium deficiency induces early myocardial dysfunction and molecular remodelling before overt cardiac failure. These changes are associated with redox and circadian pathway disruption and show sex specific features, suggesting that selenium contributes to cardiac homeostasis through sex dependent redox circadian regulation.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Dysregulation of FMR1 Splicing in Human Fragile X Syndrome

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a neuro-developmental disorder caused by a CGG expansion in FMR1, leading to transcriptional silencing and loss of the encoded protein FMRP. Surprisingly, ~70% of FXS individuals express FMR1, but the RNA is mis-spliced to isoform FMR1-217, composed of exon 1 spliced to a pseudo-exon in intron 1 and cannot produce FMRP. Splice-switching ASOs rescue proper FMR1 splicing and restore FMRP. FMR1-217 mis-splicing increases with CGG repeat length and is negatively correlated with patient IQ. FMR1-217 is associated with ribosome footprints, indicating it is translated into a polypeptide that may impair cognition. R-loops form at the FMR1 locus and extend into the pseudo-exon, but splice-switching ASOs reduce FMR1-217 and elevate FMRP independently of R-loop formation. DRB-based transcription analysis identified impaired Pol II elongation at the 5 prime region of FMR1 in FXS cells, indicated by accumulation of hypophosphorylated Pol II at the transcription start site. Consistent with this, camptothecin-induced Pol II stalling increased FMR1-217 pseudo-exon inclusion. The splicing factors PTBP1 and PTBP2 regulate FMR1-217 splicing in a differentiation stage-dependent manner. Together, these findings indicate that FMR1-217 mis-splicing in FXS is associated with CGG repeat expansion, R-loop formation, impaired co-transcriptional Pol II elongation and context-dependent regulation by PTBP1/PTBP2.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2026

Hidden Biodiversity in Wildlife Trade Networks: DNA Barcoding Reveals Fish and Crocodilian Species in Commercialized Swim Bladders

International wildlife trade represents one of the major drivers of biodiversity exploitation worldwide. However, the true taxonomic diversity embedded within commercial wildlife products often remains unknown because processing removes diagnostic morphological characteristics, preventing reliable species identification. Consequently, biodiversity assessments based solely on product labels may substantially underestimate the diversity of species involved in trade networks. To investigate hidden biodiversity within wildlife trade products, we applied DNA barcoding based on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene to 77 products commercialized as fish swim bladders and seized at Guarulhos International Airport, Brazil. Molecular analyses successfully identified all samples and revealed the presence of four species: Plagioscion auratus (n = 38), Cynoscion acoupa (n = 7), Melanosuchus niger (n = 17), and Caiman crocodilus (n = 15). Fish species accounted for 71.4% of all samples, whereas crocodilians represented 28.6%, demonstrating that products marketed under a single commercial category may conceal substantial taxonomic diversity. Notably, the occurrence of two Amazonian crocodilian species within a trade chain traditionally associated with fish products reveals a previously undocumented component of the international wildlife trade. Our findings demonstrate that DNA barcoding is an effective tool for uncovering hidden biodiversity within processed wildlife products and provide evidence that wildlife trade networks may involve a broader spectrum of species than suggested by commercial labels. These results highlight the importance of molecular surveillance for biodiversity monitoring, wildlife trade regulation, and conservation planning.

molecular biology↗