title: Population structure of Francisella tularensis.
abstract: We have sequenced fragments of five metabolic housekeeping genes and two genes encoding outer membrane proteins from 81 isolates of Francisella tularensis, representing all four subspecies. Phylogenetic clustering of gene sequences from F. tularensis subsp. tularensis and F. tularensis subsp. holarctica aligned well with subspecies affiliations. In contrast, F. tularensis subsp. novicida and F. tularensis subsp. mediasiatica were indicated to be phylogenetically incoherent taxa. Incongruent gene trees and mosaic structures of housekeeping genes provided evidence for genetic recombination in F. tularensis.
authors.affiliation: Robert Koch Institute, Burgstr. 37, 38855 Wernigerode, Germany. nuebelu@rki.de
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Nübel
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reissbrodt
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weller
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grunow
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Porsch-Ozcürümez
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tomaso
authors.forename: Erwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hofer
authors.forename: Wolf
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Splettstoesser
authors.forename: Ernst-Jürgen
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Finke
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tschäpe
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Witte
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011158:Population Growth; D014871:Water Microbiology