The metabolic flexibility of Y.enterocolitica biovars is known to the highly heterogeneous, with biovar 1A displaying the broadest metabolic potential \cite{24753568}. Several metabolic pathways are known to be specific to certain Yersinia species; cobalamine biosynthesis (cob), 1,2-propanediol utilisation(pdu), tetrathionate respiration (ttr) and [NiFe]-hydrogenase complexes (hyd2/4) \cite{24753568,20047673}. This is a refection of the ’niche’ each Yersinia occupies; i.e. Y.pestis is a systemic pathogen, whereas Y.enterocolitica is an enteropathogen.
Comparison of all functional catagories between the query Y.enterocolitica biovar and a ’reference pathogenic’ Y.enterocolitica strain 8081 (a 1B biovar) isolates a number of exclusive functional domains. Most strikingly, the pathogenic reference is enriched for a spectrum of membrane transport protein, particularly of the type-III sectreation system, and iron-aquasition and metabolism proteins. Intrestingly, there are a number of metabolic/functional features identified in our query Yersinia, which are not found in the pathogenic reference (Table 3). Within this list are the beta-Fimbriae cluster (Type-VII secreation system), Aminosugars(Galactosmine Utilisation pathways) and RTX cluster, all of which have been identified in atypical, pathogenic Y.enterocolitica compared to neutral biovars. This may suggest there is the potential for the query strain to confer some pathogenic potential \cite{21798805}.
Taken together, the phylogenetic analysis and genome annotation suggest that the query sequence is of a non-pathogenic strain (1A) of Y.enterocolitica. Whilst not carrying any of the established markers of pathogenicity, the presence of several novel virulance features may confeer upon it a degree of pathogenic potential.
The query Yersinia contains resistance/tolarence genes for several heavy metals; i) cobalt-zinc-cadmium, ii) arsenic and iii) copper. The presence of blaA and vatF coding sequence suggests this particular strain of Y.enterocolitica is resistant to beta-lactam and Streptogramin B respectively. blaA has previously been identified in the Y.enterocolitica biovar 1A \cite{16553870}. Similarly, steptogramin acetyltransferase genes have also been previously reported in Y.enterocolitica \cite{10722489}.