Comparison of whole genome sequences of three Bacillus cereus strains reveals the food safety risks of Apostichopus japonicus in China

Sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) is considered to be an important food and nourishing ingredient in Asian cuisine, but consumers are vulnerable to food safety risks because of eating customs and breeding conditions. Three isolates (CH, HB, and WH) of Bacillus cereus were obtained from sea cucumbers in three coastal aquaculture areas in northeastern China. We performed whole genome sequencing and the complete genome of each isolate was composed of one circular chromosome, which was further analyzed. COG functional categories, pathogenic bacteria virulence factors and evolutionary relationships were investigated. Virulence factor database (VFDB) analysis demonstrated that all three B. cereus isolates possessed multiple potential virulence factors, which indicates the urgent need to improve microbial detection in aquatic products to ensure seafood security in China.