title: [Brucella at the dawn of the third milenium: genomic organization and pathogenesis].
abstract: Bacteria of the genus Brucella, responsible for brucellosis, are pathogenic for animals and occasionally for humans. The cost of this widespread zoonotic infection is still very high for the community. Over the last few years, there have been advances in two main domains. First, the Brucella genome has been shown to be complex, with two circular chromosomes. Second, recent data on the virulence of Brucella suggest common mechanisms shared with plant pathogens and endosymbionts of the alpha-proteobacteria. Understanding virulence will have practical repercussions in the realms of vaccine development and, perhaps, development of new antibiotics. Two complete Brucella genome sequences are now available and will be a gold mine of information to guide future research.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U431, faculté de médecine, avenue Kennedy, 30900 Nîmes, France. sylvie.charachon@chu-nimes.fr
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Michaux-Charachon
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Foulongne
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Callaghan
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramuz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D002002:Brucella / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D015047:Zoonoses
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines