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Versatile persistence pathways for pathogens of animals and plants.
Danny Vereecke1, Karen Cornelis, Wim Temmerman
1Dept of Plant Systems Biology, Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, Belgium.
Trends in Microbiology
|November 7, 2002
Summary
Microbial persistence in hosts relies on conserved metabolic pathways like the glyoxylate cycle. The vic locus in Rhodococcus fascians shares genes with Mycobacterium species, suggesting conserved
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Metabolic Pathways
- Plant Pathology
Background:
- Conserved metabolic pathways, including the glyoxylate cycle and glycine cleavage system, are crucial for microbial persistence in animal hosts.
- The plant pathogen Rhodococcus fascians possesses a specific chromosomal region, the vic locus, vital for its persistence within plant-induced leafy galls.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the genetic basis of persistence in Rhodococcus fascians.
- To compare the vic locus with known persistence mechanisms in other pathogens.
Main Methods:
- Sequence analysis of the 18-kb vic locus in Rhodococcus fascians.
- Comparative genomics with Mycobacterium species.
Main Results:
- The vic locus in Rhodococcus fascians is syntenic with 'persistence' loci in Mycobacterium species.
- This suggests conserved genetic elements govern host persistence mechanisms across different host types (plants and animals).
Conclusions:
- The ability of pathogens to adapt their metabolism within a host is governed by conserved 'persistence' enzymes.
- These findings highlight conserved strategies in microbial pathogenesis between plant and animal pathogens.