Pathogenicity Islands and the Evolution of Pathogenic Microbes

Jörg Hacker ist Professor für Mikrobiologie und leitet das Institut für Molekulare Infektionsbiologie der Uni Würzburg.

List of Contents.- Evolution of Prokaryotic Genomes.- Extraintestinal Escherichia coli as a Model System for the Study of Pathogenicity Islands.- Pathogenicity Islands of Intestinal E. coli.- Pathogenicity Islands of Shigella.- Pathogenicity Islands and Host Adaptation of Salmonella Serovars.- Plasmids and Pathogenicity Islands of Yersinia.- Genomic Organization of LPS-Specific Loci.- Genomic Structure of Capsular Determinants.- Genome Plasticity in Pathogenic and Nonpathogenic Enterobacteria.- Phylogenetic Relationships and Virulence Evolution in the Genus Bordetella.- Pathogenicity Islands and PAI-Like Structures in Pseudomonas Species.

From the reviews:

"In addition to classic mutational events, a highly successful strategy of generating genetic diversity in bacteria is the acquisition of genomic islands. ... This compendium ... features an international assembly of authors including W. Arber (Basel) giving a lucid introduction into the evolution of prokaryotic genomes. The two-volume work provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge on PAIs and other mobile virulence determinants in bacterial as well as fungal pathogens of humans and plants." (Susanne Rohrer, BioWorld, Issue 6, 2002)