Bloody <italic toggle="yes">coli</italic>: a Gene Cocktail in <named-content content-type="genus-species">Escherichia coli</named-content> O104:H4

ABSTRACT A recent study published in mBio [Y. H. Grad et al., mBio 4(1):e00452-12, 2013] indicates that a rapid introgressive evolution has occurred in Escherichia coli O104:H4 by sequential acquisition of foreign genetic material involving pathogenicity traits. O104 genetic promiscuity cannot be re...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Fernando Baquero, Raquel Tobes
Format: article
Language:EN
Published: American Society for Microbiology 2013
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Online Access:https://doaj.org/article/ded0f6e1a81b4a9faacdf9ef893ce9d7
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Summary:ABSTRACT A recent study published in mBio [Y. H. Grad et al., mBio 4(1):e00452-12, 2013] indicates that a rapid introgressive evolution has occurred in Escherichia coli O104:H4 by sequential acquisition of foreign genetic material involving pathogenicity traits. O104 genetic promiscuity cannot be readily explained by high population sizes. However, extensive interactions leading to cumulative assemblies of pathogenicity genes might be assured by small K-strategist populations exploiting particular intestinal niches. Next-generation sequencing technologies will be critical to detect particular “gene cocktails” as potentially pathogenic ensembles and to predict the risk of future outbreaks.