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Journal of Bacteriology, June 2005, p. 3903-3908, Vol. 187, No. 11
0021-9193/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JB.187.11.3903-3908.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Evolution of Subspecies of Francisella tularensis

Department of NBC-Analysis, Swedish Defence Research Agency, SE-901 82 Umeå, Sweden,¹ Department of Clinical Microbiology, Bacteriology,² Department of Clinical Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, Umeå University, SE-901 85 Umeå, Sweden³

Received 26 November 2004/ Accepted 23 February 2005

Analysis of unidirectional genomic deletion events and single nucleotide variations suggested that the four subspecies of Francisella tularensis have evolved by vertical descent. The analysis indicated an evolutionary scenario where the highly virulent F. tularensis subsp. tularensis (type A) appeared before the less virulent F. tularensis subsp. holarctica (type B). Compared to their virulent progenitors, attenuated strains of F. tularensis exhibited specific unidirectional gene losses.

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