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Chapter 20 : Mechanisms of Variation in Microbial Pathogenesis

Author: Susan K. Hollingshead1
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Affiliations: 1: Department of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-2170
Content Type: Monograph
Publication Year: 2008

Category: Fungi and Fungal Pathogenesis; Bacterial Pathogenesis

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Abstract:

Variation that occurs in pathogens is based firmly upon one of three prime mechanisms of genetic variability: point mutations, genetic rearrangements, or lateral gene transfer (LGT). As LGT recently has been the focus of significant new insights into pathogen evolution it will be highlighted in this chapter. The intensive sequencing of microbial genomes and the comparisons made among them expanded our understanding of the scope of LGT in bacterial gene evolution. The main distinction is that the environment and ecology of pathogens is played out within another living organism-the host. The pan-genome represents the most accessible set of building blocks available for use in LGT. In the current environment, however, the widespread selective adaptation has spread because antibiotics are added to everything from cutting boards to cattle feed. The discussion of pathogenic gene content, style, and core distribution is intimately linked to the problem of defining both the species in bacteria and the events most likely to lead to new speciation. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) involves the sampling of DNA sequences for a subset of housekeeping genes and the assessing of alleles for the purpose of studying the extent of recombination. LGT can cause shifts in the immediate pathogenesis of a clonally evolving group such as the clonal complex. The chapter reviews the way in which LGT has been an architect in the virulence, the genes, the genome, and the pan-genome of pathogens.

Citation: Hollingshead S. 2008. Mechanisms of Variation in Microbial Pathogenesis, p 221-229. In Baquero F, Nombela C, Cassell G, Gutiérrez-Fuentes J (ed), Evolutionary Biology of Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens. ASM Press, Washington, DC. doi: 10.1128/9781555815639.ch20
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Mechanisms of Variation in Microbial Pathogenesis
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Citation: Hollingshead S. 2008. Mechanisms of Variation in Microbial Pathogenesis, p 221-229. In Baquero F, Nombela C, Cassell G, Gutiérrez-Fuentes J (ed), Evolutionary Biology of Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens. ASM Press, Washington, DC. doi: 10.1128/9781555815639.ch20
/content/10.1128/9781555815639.ch20.ch20fig01
Figure 1.
The pan-genome. The set of all genes within all members of a species is known as the pan-genome. It contains core genes and noncore genes. The noncore for the species is larger than shown here and bigger than the core. Within the core are sets of genes that are shared with the strain, the species, the genus, and all bacteria (hard core).
10.1128/9781555815639/f0222-01_thmb.gif
10.1128/9781555815639/f0222-01.gif
Image of Figure 1.
Figure 1.

The pan-genome. The set of all genes within all members of a species is known as the pan-genome. It contains core genes and noncore genes. The noncore for the species is larger than shown here and bigger than the core. Within the core are sets of genes that are shared with the strain, the species, the genus, and all bacteria (hard core).

Citation: Hollingshead S. 2008. Mechanisms of Variation in Microbial Pathogenesis, p 221-229. In Baquero F, Nombela C, Cassell G, Gutiérrez-Fuentes J (ed), Evolutionary Biology of Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens. ASM Press, Washington, DC. doi: 10.1128/9781555815639.ch20
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Tables

Mechanisms of Variation in Microbial Pathogenesis
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Citation: Hollingshead S. 2008. Mechanisms of Variation in Microbial Pathogenesis, p 221-229. In Baquero F, Nombela C, Cassell G, Gutiérrez-Fuentes J (ed), Evolutionary Biology of Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens. ASM Press, Washington, DC. doi: 10.1128/9781555815639.ch20
/content/10.1128/9781555815639.ch20.ch20tab01
Table 1.
Distribution of genes within the pan-genome
Generic image for table
Table 1.

Distribution of genes within the pan-genome

Citation: Hollingshead S. 2008. Mechanisms of Variation in Microbial Pathogenesis, p 221-229. In Baquero F, Nombela C, Cassell G, Gutiérrez-Fuentes J (ed), Evolutionary Biology of Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens. ASM Press, Washington, DC. doi: 10.1128/9781555815639.ch20
/content/10.1128/9781555815639.ch20.ch20tab02
Table 2.
Elements of pathogen style relating to the effect of lateral gene transfer
Generic image for table
Table 2.

Elements of pathogen style relating to the effect of lateral gene transfer

Citation: Hollingshead S. 2008. Mechanisms of Variation in Microbial Pathogenesis, p 221-229. In Baquero F, Nombela C, Cassell G, Gutiérrez-Fuentes J (ed), Evolutionary Biology of Bacterial and Fungal Pathogens. ASM Press, Washington, DC. doi: 10.1128/9781555815639.ch20

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