Long-read whole genome sequencing and comparative genome analysis of Campylobacter fetus subspecies

Bovine Genital Campylobacteriosis (BGC) is a sexually transmitted disease which can cause abortion and infertility in cattle. Differentiation between C. fetus subspecies is crucial for BGC diagnosis and control. Diagnostic methods including biochemical phenotyping and molecular assays have been introduced but these tests continue to be unreliable. We report 12 high-quality closed bacterial genomes. Whole-genome comparative analyses were conducted to investigate the genomic architecture, phylogenetic relationships, and genome conservation between C. fetus subspecies. The potential core genomes and unique coding sequences identified in this study provides a better insight into the pathogenicity and niche-specificity of C. fetus subspecies.