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Updated: May 27, 2026

Generation and Multi-phenotypic High-content Screening of Coxiella burnetii Transposon Mutants
Published on: May 13, 2015
Genetics of Coxiella burnetii: on the path of specialization
Michael F Minnick1, Rahul Raghavan
1Division of Biological Sciences, The University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA. mike.minnick@mso.umt.edu
Abstract:
Coxiella burnetii is an extremely infectious, zoonotic agent that causes Q fever in humans. With the exception of New Zealand, the bacterium is distributed worldwide. Coxiella is classified as a select agent based on its past and potential use as a bioweapon and its threat to public health. Despite decades of research, we know relatively little regarding Coxiella?s molecular pathogenesis, and a vaccine is not widely available. This article briefly reviews the unusual genetics of C. burnetii; a pathogen that retains telltale genetic mementos collected over the course of its evolutionary path from a free-living bacterium to an obligate intracellular parasite of eukaryotic host cell phagosomes. Understanding why these genetic elements are maintained may help us better understand the biology of this fascinating pathogen.
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