Pathogenicity Islands and the Evolution of Microbes

by Hacker, J.; Kaper, James B.; Compans, R. W.; Cooper, M.; Ito, Y.; Koprowski, H.

• ISBN13: 9783540426820
• ISBN10: 3540426825
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-05-01
• Publisher: Springer Nature

Summary

It has been known for a number of years that not only pathogenicity islands but also plasmids and bacteriophages are able to carry genes whose products are involved in pathogenic processes. Accordingly, such elements and their products play an important role in pathogenesis due to the intestinal E. coli as well to Shigellae. Another interesting aspect which is reflected in different articles is that genomes evolve by acquisition of new pieces of DNA following gene transfer, but also by genome reduction. Different mechanisms include the deletion of sequences or the elimination of functions by the accumulation of point mutations or rearrangements.

Table of Contents

Helicobacter pylori: Impact of gene transfer and the role of the cag pathogenicity islands for host adaptation and virulence

The genus Neisseria: population structure, genome plasticity, and evolution of pathogenicity

Genomic islands of Dichelobacter nodosus

Phages and other mobile virulence elements in gram-positive pathogens

Genome structure and evolution of the Bacillus cereus group

Pathogenicity islands and virulence plasmids of bacterial plant pathogens

Genome structure of pathogenic fungi

Impact of integrons and transposons on the evolution of resistance and virulence

Subject index

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