Parallel independent evolution of pathogenicity within the genus Yersinia

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1317161111
• Publication Date: 2014-04-22T02:50:54Z
• Authors: Sandra Reuter; Thomas R. Connor; Lars Barquist; Danielle Walker; Theresa Feltwell; Simon R. Harris; Maria Fookes; Miquette E. Hall; Nicola K. Petty; Thilo M. Fuchs; Jukka Corander; Muriel Dufour; Tamara Ringwood; Cyril Savin; Christiane Bouchier; Liliane Martin; Minna Miettinen; Mikhail Shubin; Julia M. Riehm; Riikka Laukkanen-...; Leila M. Sihvonen; Anja Siitonen; Mikael Skurnik; Juliana Pfrimer F...; Hiroshi Fukushima; Holger C. Scholz; Michael B. Prentice; Brendan W. Wren; Julian Parkhill; Elisabeth Carniel; Mark Achtman; Alan McNally; Nicholas R. Thomson
• Keywords: Yersinia enterocolitica; Yersinia; Pathogenicity island

Significance Our past understanding of pathogen evolution has been fragmented because tendencies to study human clinical isolates. To understand the evolutionary trends pathogenic bacteria though, we need context their nonpathogenic relatives. unique and detailed dataset allows description parallel two key pathogens: causative agents plague Yersinia diarrhea. The analysis reveals an emerging pattern where few virulence-related functions are found in all lineages, representing “foothold” moments that mark emergence these pathogens. Functional gene loss metabolic streamlining equally complementing across spectrum.