Genome‐based analysis of Pseudomonas paracarnisRQ057, a strain responsible for blue discoloration spoilage in processed cheese

Abstract

A strain of Pseudomonas causing blue discoloration was isolated from processed cheese ‘Requeijão em Barra’ and studied by whole‐genome sequencing. The strain RQ057 was identified as Pseudomonas paracarnis using the TYGS web server and also by in silico DNA–DNA hybridisation and ANIb calculation. Pyoverdine biosynthetic clusters, integrative and conjugative elements (ICE), prophage regions and genomic islands (GIs) were predicted. Furthermore, we observed that copies of genes related to the tryptophan biosynthetic pathway (trpCBAFD), which are exclusive to strains causing blue discoloration, are contained in the region identified as ICE and which was also identified in GIs. This genomic region also contains genes for transposase, type IV transport system (T4SS) and pili construction. Thereby, we can assume that this region contains potential conjugative‐transposon‐like mobile genetic elements and it has plasmid‐like conjugative properties.