Pathogenicity Islands and the Evolution of Pathogenic Microbes: Volume I

Description

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. Front Matter....Pages I-XVII Evolution of Prokaryotic Genomes....Pages 1-14 Extraintestinal Escherichia coli as a Model System for the Study of Pathogenicity Islands....Pages 15-30 Pathogenicity Islands of Intestinal E. coli ....Pages 31-48 Pathogenicity Islands of Shigella ....Pages 49-65 Pathogenicity Islands and Host Adaptation of Salmonella Serovars....Pages 67-87 Plasmids and Pathogenicity Islands of Yersinia ....Pages 89-108 Genomic Organization of LPS-Specific Loci....Pages 109-135 Genomic Structure of Capsular Determinants....Pages 137-155 Genome Plasticity in Pathogenic and Nonpathogenic Enterobacteria....Pages 157-175 Phylogenetic Relationships and Virulence Evolution in the Genus Bordetella ....Pages 177-199 Pathogenicity Islands and PAI-Like Structures in Pseudomonas Species....Pages 201-211 Back Matter....Pages 213-231