Complete genome sequence of Salmonella enterica subspecies arizonae str. RKS2983

Salmonella arizonae (also called Salmonella subgroup IIIa) is a Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, motile, rod-shaped, facultatively anaerobic bacterium. S. arizonae strain RKS2983 was isolated from a human in California, USA. S. arizonae lies somewhere between Salmonella subgroups I (human pathogens) and V (also called S. bongori; usually non-pathogenic to humans) and so is an ideal model organism for studies of bacterial evolution from non-human pathogen to human pathogens. We hence sequenced the genome of RKS2983 for clues of genomic events that might have led to the divergence and speciation of Salmonella into distinct lineages with diverse host ranges and pathogenic features. The 4,574,836 bp complete genome contains 4,203 protein-coding genes, 82 tRNA genes and 7 rRNA operons. This genome contains several characteristics not reported to date in Salmonella subgroup I or V and may provide information about the genetic divergence of Salmonella pathogens.