title: Clonal spread of serogroup A meningococci: a paradigm for the analysis of microevolution in bacteria.
abstract: Extensive epidemiological analyses of epidemics of meningococcal meningitis have resulted in large, well-defined strain collections which represent the local diversity and global spread of serogroup A bacteria. Several genes for cell surface proteins are conserved during spread, with a few exceptions: analysis of these exceptions has revealed some of the phenomena which can lead to microevolution. Microevolution is so rapid with serogroup A meningococci that several independent recombination events have been documented within the last few decades. In a few cases, the recombinant bacteria have become established by clonal replacement plus epidemic spread. Comparison with other bacteria indicates that serogroup A meningococci provide a number of advantages for analysis of microevolution.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck Institut für molekulare Genetik, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Achtman
mesh_terms: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000235:genetics*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins