Figure 2

Hierarchical clustering of 17 L . casei strains based on overall gene content. Members of each cluster were aligned using Mauve, and vertical red lines indicate contig boundaries. Locally Collinear Blocks (LCBs) are colored to reveal harmonization within each cluster, but do not have identity to LCBs of the same color outside a particular cluster. The Lactobacillus casei BL23 genome was used as a reference to order and orientate contigs for strains included in all clusters except B, where strains 21/1, 32G, and Lc-10 were ordered using the L. casei Zhang genome as a reference, and strains CRF28 and 12A were ordered based on L. casei ATCC 334. The BL23 alignment is shown with cluster B to compare genomic similarity.