Comparative genomics of the classical Bordetella subspecies: the evolution and exchange of virulence-associated diversity amongst closely related pathogens.

Park J, Zhang Y, Buboltz AM, Zhang X, Schuster SC, Ahuja U, Liu M, Miller JF, Sebaihia M, Bentley SD, Parkhill J, Harvill ET.

Citation

Park J, Zhang Y, Buboltz AM, Zhang X, Schuster SC, Ahuja U, Liu M, Miller JF, Sebaihia M, Bentley SD, Parkhill J, Harvill ET. (2012) Comparative genomics of the classical Bordetella subspecies: the evolution and exchange of virulence-associated diversity amongst closely related pathogens. BMC Genomics 13:545.

Abstract

Together, these observations, especially in key virulence factors, reveal that multiple mechanisms, such as point mutations, gain or loss of genes, as well as HGTs, contribute to the substantial phenotypic diversity of these versatile subspecies in various hosts.