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Neisseria gonorrhoeae LIN codes: a robust, multi-resolution lineage nomenclature

Abstract:

Investigation of the bacterial pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae is complicated by extensive horizontal gene transfer: a process which disrupts phylogenetic signals and impedes our understanding of population structure. The ability to consistently identify N. gonorrhoeae lineages is important for surveillance of this increasingly antimicrobial resistant organism, facilitating efficient communication regarding its epidemiology; however, conventional typing systems fail to reflect N. gonorrhoeae strain taxonomy in a reliable and stable manner. Here, a N. gonorrhoeae genomic lineage nomenclature, based on the barcoding system of Life Identification Number (LIN) codes, was developed using a refined 1430 core gene MLST (cgMLST). This hierarchical LIN code nomenclature conveys lineage information at multiple levels of resolution within one code, enabling it to provide immediate context to an isolate’s ancestry, and to relate to familiar, previously used typing schemes such as Ng cgMLST v1, 7-locus MLST, or NG-STAR clonal complex (CC). Clustering with LIN codes accurately reflects gonococcal diversity and population structure, providing insight into associations between genotype and phenotype for traits such as antibiotic resistance. These codes are automatically assigned and publicly accessible via the pubmlst.org/organisms/neisseria-spp database.

Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Not peer reviewed

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Files:
Preprint server copy:
10.1101/2025.03.28.646058

Authors


More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MPLS
Department:
Biology
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0003-1392-9786
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MPLS
Department:
Biology
Oxford college:
Hertford College
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0002-7681-7135
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MPLS
Department:
Biology
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0001-7511-1459
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MPLS
Department:
Biology
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0002-0751-0287
More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MPLS
Department:
Biology
Oxford college:
Hertford College
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0001-6321-5138


More from this funder
Funder identifier:
https://ror.org/029chgv08
Funding agency for:
Jolley, KA
Maiden, MCJ
Parfitt, KM
Harrison, OB
Grant:
218205/Z/19/Z
214374/Z/18/Z
More from this funder
Funder identifier:
https://ror.org/00cwqg982
Funding agency for:
Unitt, A
Grant:
BB/M011224/1
214374/Z/18/Z
More from this funder
Funding agency for:
Krisna, M
Grant:
https://ror.org/03sxt1c89


Preprint server:
bioRxiv
Publication date:
2025-04-03
DOI:


Language:
English
Pubs id:
2117257
Local pid:
pubs:2117257
Deposit date:
2025-05-12

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