Paired-End Sequence Mapping Detects Extensive Genomic Rearrangement and Translocation During Divergence of Francisella tularensis Subspecies Tularensis and Francisella tularensis Subspecies holarctica Populations

摘要

Franciscella tularensis is a non-motile, Gram-negative coccobacillus originally isolated from ground squirrels in 1911 during a plague investigation in Tulare County, CA (1). The geographic distribution of the organism spans the entire Northern Hemisphere, with only a very recent isolated recovery of the organism occurring in the Southern Hemisphere (2, 3). The organism is a facultative intracellular pathogen and is believed to affect more animal species than any other known zoonotic pathogen (4, 5). It has been isolated from as many as 250 species of wildlife (reviewed by Oysten, Sjostedt, et. al) (6) including various birds, amphibians, fish and many mammalian species. The organism can also be found in invertebrates species, including arthropod vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks (reviewed by Petersen and Schriefer) (7). Human infection occurs most often through direct exposure to infected animals or by bites from infected arthropod vectors. Recently, terrestrial and aquatic life cycles have been described for F. tularensis (8, 9); and protozoa, such as Acanthamoeba castellanii, may also serve as a host for maintenance of F tularensis in the aquatic cycle (10).