Complete genome sequences of Streptococcus pyogenes type strain reveal 100%-match between PacBio-solo and Illumina-Oxford Nanopore hybrid assemblies

We present the first complete, closed genome sequences of Streptococcus pyogenes strains NCTC 8198(T) and CCUG 4207(T), the type strain of the type species of the genus Streptococcus and an important human pathogen that causes a wide range of infectious diseases. S. pyogenes NCTC 8198(T) and CCUG 4207(T) are derived from deposit of the same strain at two different culture collections. NCTC 8198(T) was sequenced, using a PacBio platform; the genome sequence was assembled de novo, using HGAP. CCUG 4207(T) was sequenced and a de novo hybrid assembly was generated, using SPAdes, combining Illumina and Oxford Nanopore sequence reads. Both strategies yielded closed genome sequences of 1,914,862 bp, identical in length and sequence identity. Combining short-read Illumina and long-read Oxford Nanopore sequence data circumvented the expected error rate of the nanopore sequencing technology, producing a genome sequence indistinguishable to the one determined with PacBio. Sequence analyses revealed five prophage regions, a CRISPR-Cas system, numerous virulence factors and no relevant antibiotic resistance genes. These two complete genome sequences of the type strain of S. pyogenes will effectively serve as valuable taxonomic and genomic references for infectious disease diagnostics, as well as references for future studies and applications within the genus Streptococcus.