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Science 11 April 2008:
Vol. 320. no. 5873, pp. 237 - 239
DOI: 10.1126/science.1155532
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Reports

Convergence of Campylobacter Species: Implications for Bacterial Evolution

Samuel K. Sheppard, Noel D. McCarthy, Daniel Falush,*{dagger} Martin C. J. Maiden{dagger}

The nature of species boundaries in bacteria remains controversial. In particular, the mechanisms of bacterial speciation and maintenance in the face of frequent genetic exchange are poorly understood. Here, we report patterns of genetic exchange that show two closely related zoonotic pathogenic species, Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli, are converging as a consequence of recent changes in gene flow. Population expansion into a novel ecological niche generated by human activity is the most probable explanation for the increase in genetic exchange between these species. Bacterial speciation can therefore occur by mechanisms analogous to those seen in metazoans, where genetic diversification and incipient speciation caused by ecological factors have been reported in several genera.

Departments of Zoology and Statistics, University of Oxford, Peter Medawar Building, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3SY, UK.

* Present address: Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Lee Road, Cork, Ireland.

{dagger} To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: d.falush{at}ucc.ie (D.F.); martin.maiden{at}zoo.ox.ac.uk (M.C.J.M.)

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Multiplex Strategy for Multilocus Sequence Typing, fla Typing, and Genetic Determination of Antimicrobial Resistance of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli Isolates Collected in Switzerland.
B. M. Korczak, M. Zurfluh, S. Emler, J. Kuhn-Oertli, and P. Kuhnert (2009)
J. Clin. Microbiol. 47, 1996-2007
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Campylobacter jejuni Glycosylation Island Important in Cell Charge, Legionaminic Acid Biosynthesis, and Colonization of Chickens.
S. L. Howard, A. Jagannathan, E. C. Soo, J. P. M. Hui, A. J. Aubry, I. Ahmed, A. Karlyshev, J. F. Kelly, M. A. Jones, M. P. Stevens, et al. (2009)
Infect. Immun. 77, 2544-2556
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Biogeography of the Sulfolobus islandicus pan-genome.
M. L. Reno, N. L. Held, C. J. Fields, P. V. Burke, and R. J. Whitaker (2009)
PNAS 106, 8605-8610
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Bacterial Species Challenge: Making Sense of Genetic and Ecological Diversity.
C. Fraser, E. J. Alm, M. F. Polz, B. G. Spratt, and W. P. Hanage (2009)
Science 323, 741-746
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Rapid Evolution and the Importance of Recombination to the Gastroenteric Pathogen Campylobacter jejuni.
D. J. Wilson, E. Gabriel, A. J.H. Leatherbarrow, J. Cheesbrough, S. Gee, E. Bolton, A. Fox, C. A. Hart, P. J. Diggle, and P. Fearnhead (2009)
Mol. Biol. Evol. 26, 385-397
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


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