Differentiation of Francisella tularensis Subspecies and Subtypes
Marilynn A. Larson, Khalid Sayood, Amanda M. Bartling, Jennifer R. Meyer, Clarise Starr, James C. Baldwin, Michael P. Dempsey
Abstract
The highly infectious and zoonotic pathogen Francisella tularensis is the etiologic agent of tularemia, a potentially fatal disease if untreated. Despite the high average nucleotide identity, which is >99.2% for the virulent subspecies and >98% for all four subspecies, including the opportunistic microbe Francisella tularensis subsp. novicida , there are considerable differences in genetic organization. These chromosomal disparities contribute to the substantial differences in virulence observed between the various F. tularensis subspecies and subtypes.
Topics & Concepts
Francisella tularensisTularemiaSubspeciesVirulenceFrancisellaBiologyPathogenMicrobiologyVirologyGeneticsGeneZoologyBacillus and Francisella bacterial researchYersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites researchBacteriophages and microbial interactions