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Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., Annals PrePrint, published online ahead of print April 13, 2007 doi: 10.1196/annals.1409.015 Copyright © 2007 by the New York Academy of Sciences description
1 Biomedical Sciences, Dstl, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JQ, United Kingdom; , Meadow Croft, Salisbury, SP4 6AY, United Kingdom 2 Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology and the Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: rwtitball{at}dstl.gov.uk. PrePrint Abstract
The availability of the genome sequences of different strains of Francisella tularensis is having a major impact on a wide range of research projects, from understanding the biology of this organism to devising vaccines and diagnostics. Comparative genomics and molecular typing methods suggest that the four different subspecies of F. tularensis are genetically distinct groups. Although there is a high degree of nucleotide identity between strains, there are numerous DNA rearrangements. IS elements appear to have played a major role in these chromosomal re-arrangements. The different subspecies of F. tularensis appear to have evolved by vertical descent from a common ancestor, probably F. tularensis subspecies novicida. Comparative genomic and proteomic studies have revealed possible reasons for the different virulence of different strains and a range of candidate virulence genes have been identified including those located on the Francisella pathogenicity island. Proteomic studies have identified proteins which are produced at elevated levels in vivo, and proteins which are recognised by immune or convalescent sera. These proteins might be exploited as components of vaccines or diagnostic systems. Key Words:
Francisella tularensis, genomics, proteomics, genome sequence, immunoproteomics, evolution
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