Proceedings of the 10th International Colloquium on Paratuberculosis

Pathogenomics and MAP Biology Keynote Lecture
Genomic Perspectives on <strong>the</strong> Pathogenesis <strong>of</strong>
M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis.
Adel M. Talaat
University <strong>of</strong> Wisconsin-Madison, USA
The way we approach <strong>the</strong> study <strong>of</strong> molecular pathogenesis <strong>of</strong> M. paratuberculosis, <strong>the</strong> causative agent <strong>of</strong>
Johne’s disease in cattle, has changed dramatically with <strong>the</strong> arrival <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> genomics era by sequencing <strong>the</strong>
genome <strong>of</strong> M. paratuberculosis. My group among o<strong>the</strong>r groups led <strong>the</strong> way in developing novel tools to
dissect <strong>the</strong> genetic basis <strong>of</strong> M. ap infections on a genome-wide scale. One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> employed approaches was
<strong>the</strong> construction <strong>of</strong> mutant library <strong>of</strong> M. ap that was screened to identify genes important for virulence as well
as for lipid biosyn<strong>the</strong>sis. Ano<strong>the</strong>r approach involved <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> DNA microarrays to analyze <strong>the</strong>
transcriptional pr<strong>of</strong>ile <strong>of</strong> both <strong>the</strong> bovine host and <strong>the</strong> infecting M. ap growing under variable conditions. Finally,
sequence-based approaches were introduced to investigate genomic composition and genomic topology <strong>of</strong> M.
ap. In this presentation, I will discuss <strong>the</strong> latest on <strong>the</strong> pathogenesis <strong>of</strong> M. ap infection following <strong>the</strong> application
<strong>of</strong> key genomic approaches. Our goal here is to shed lights on <strong>the</strong> current and future efforts that will shape <strong>the</strong>
field <strong>of</strong> Johne’s disease to better understand <strong>the</strong> pathogenesis <strong>of</strong> this disease and to develop novel intervention
strategies against Johne’s disease.
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