Complete genomic sequence of Pasteurella multocida, Pm70

We present here the complete genome sequence of a common avian clone of Pas teurella multocida, Pm70. The genome of Pm70 is a single circular chromosom e 2,257,487 base pairs in length and contains 2,014 predicted coding region s, 6 ribosomal RNA operons, and 57 tRNAs. Genome-scale evolutionary analyse s based on pairwise comparisons of 1,197 orthologous sequences between P. m ultocida, Haemophilus influenzae, and Escherichia coil suggest that P. molt ocida and H. influenzae diverged approximate to 270 million years ago and t he gamma subdivision of the proteobacteria radiated about 680 million years ago. Two previously undescribed open reading frames, accounting for approx imate to1% of the genome, encode large proteins with homology to the virule nce-associated filamentous hemagglutinin of Bordetella pertussis. Consisten t with the critical role of iron in the survival of many microbial pathogen s, in silico and whole-genome microarray analyses identified more than 50 P m70 genes with a potential role in iron acquisition and metabolism. Overall , the complete genomic sequence and preliminary functional analyses provide a foundation for future research into the mechanisms of pathogenesis and h ost specificity of this important multispecies pathogen.