Comparison of Francisella tularensis genomes reveals evolutionary events associated with the emergence of human pathogenic strains.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Francisella tularensis subspecies tularensis and holarctica are pathogenic to humans, whereas the two other subspecies, novicida and mediasiatica, rarely cause disease. To uncover the factors that allow subspecies tularensis and holarctica to be pathogenic to humans, we compared their genome sequences with the genome sequence of Francisella tularensis subspecies novicida U112, which is nonpathogenic to humans.

Results

Comparison of the genomes of human pathogenic Francisella strains with the genome of U112 identifies genes specific to the human pathogenic strains and reveals pseudogenes that previously were unidentified. In addition, this analysis provides a coarse chronology of the evolutionary events that took place during the emergence of the human pathogenic s

SUBMITTER: Rohmer L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2394750 | biostudies-literature | 2007

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature