Working toward the future: insights into Francisella tularensis pathogenesis and vaccine development.
Francisella tularensis is a facultative intracellular gram-negative pathogen and the etiological agent of the zoonotic disease tularemia. Recent advances in the field of Francisella genetics have led to a rapid increase in both the generation and subsequent characterization of mutant strains exhibiting altered growth and/or virulence characteristics within various model systems of infection. In this review, we summarize the major properties of several Francisella species, including F. tularensis and F. novicida, and provide an up-to-date synopsis of the genes necessary for pathogenesis by these organisms and the determinants that are currently being targeted for vaccine development.
Pechous
Roger D
RD
Center for Biopreparedness and Infectious Disease, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226-0509, USA.
McCarthy
Travis R
TR
Zahrt
Thomas C
TC
D000818:Animals; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D014406:Tularemia / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014611:Vaccination / Q000639:trends; D014774:Virulence; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D037521:Virulence Factors