[Role of horizontal gene transfer by bacteriophages in the origin of pathogenic bacteria].
The review considers the involvement of bacteriophages in transferring genes, which determine bacterial pathogenicity, and the increasing role of comparative genomics and genetics of bacteria and bacteriophages in detecting new cases of horizontal gene transfer. Examples of phage participation in this process proved to a different extent are described. Emphasis is placed on the original work carried out in Russia and focused on bacteriophages (temperate transposable phages and giant virulent phi KZ-like phages) of conditional pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Consideration is given to the possible lines of further research of the role of bacteriophages in the infection process and, in particular, the role of virulent phages, whose products are similar to those of pathogenic bacteria, in modification of clinical signs of infectious diseases and in evolution. An attempt is made to predict the possible direction of pathogen evolution associated with development of new treatment strategies and generation of new specific niches.
Krylov
V N
VN
State Research Institute of Genetic and Selection of Industrial Microorganisms, Moscow, 113545 Russia. krylov@genetika.ru
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D016679:Genome, Viral; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D008242:Lysogeny / Q000235:genetics; D017105:Pseudomonas Phages / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa; D014161:Transduction, Genetic; D014774:Virulence
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements