Scientists at the Wadsworth Center have developed a new online resource to help researchers better understand Mycobacterium abscessus (MABS), an opportunistic bacterial pathogen that can cause difficult-to-treat infections. Drs. Anil Ojha and Pallavi Ghosh of the Division of Genetics, together with Dr. Pascal Lapierre of the Bioinformatics Core, created the MABS Pangenome Explorer, an interactive, web-based tool designed for rapid exploration of the M. abscessus pangenome (https://abscessus.wadsworth.org/)
The MABS Pangenome Explorer provides easy access to gene presence-absence patterns across a sequenced and annotated dataset of 96 M. abscessus genomes. Users can search the status of each gene in the tool, which reports:
• How frequently the gene appears across the dataset
• Whether it is found in all genomes, some genomes, or only a few genomes
• a list of all or subset of 96 isolates harboring the gene
This allows researchers to quickly identify which genes are universally present and which vary among strains — a key step in understanding bacterial diversity.
M. abscessus infections often complicate underlying conditions such as cystic fibrosis and are notoriously resistant to many standard antibiotics. The organism’s high genetic diversity makes treatment decisions challenging and can affect patient outcomes. By enabling large-scale genomic comparisons through a simple web interface, the MABS Pangenome Explorer helps scientists and clinicians:
• Compare strains more efficiently
• Identify genes linked to virulence or drug resistance
• Guide laboratory experiments
• Support development of more effective treatment strategies
Importantly, the platform makes advanced genomic analysis accessible without specialized bioinformatics expertise. This new resource reflects Wadsworth Center’s continued commitment to advancing public health microbiology through innovation, collaboration, and open scientific tools for the research and clinical communities.