Draft whole genome sequence of Paenibacillus sp., a novel facultative anaerobic bacteria isolated from an inflammatory bowel disease patient

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, recurrent gastrointestinal inflammation with multiple etiologies, and gut dysbiosis was most likely at the root of the failed inflammation resolution. The objective of this study was to characterize Paenibacillus sp. from a faecal sample taken from an IBD patient treated with vedolizumab under anaerobic conditions, as well as to investigate its potential role as an opportunistic pathogen contributing to the development of IBD. To simulate the anaerobic nature of the gut, the bacteria was cultivated at 37℃ for 24 hours on LB agar in an airtight container using an anaerobic culture gas pack. A single colony of Paenibacillus sp. was inoculated into 10 mL LB broth and cultivated under anaerobic parameters. The DNA was extracted, and its quality was assessed, followed by whole genome sequencing using Oxford Nanopore Technologies MinION flow cell. The draft genome size was reported to be 5,883,995 bp with 53.2% G+C contents and 114 RNAs. It included key genes linked to virulence, disease, defense, dormancy, sporulation, motility, chemotaxis, and cell wall function. These findings pointed to a possible opportunistic pathogen role for Paenibacillus sp. in the etiology of IBD. However, further research is needed to fully understand its role in the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. This study provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between gut microbiota and inflammatory bowel disease development, highlighting the importance of investigating microbial contributions to disease progression.