<p>Availability of genome sequences for numerous bacterial species comprising of different bacterial strains allows elucidation of species and strain specific adaptations that facilitate their survival in widely fluctuating micro-environments and enhance their pathogenic potential. Different bacterial species use different strategies in their pathogenesis and the pathogenic potential of a bacterial species is dependent on its genomic complement of virulence factors. A bacterial virulence factor, within the context of this study, is defined as any endogenous protein product encoded by a gene that aids in the adhesion, invasion, colonization, persistence and pathogenesis of a bacterium within a host. Anecdotal evidence suggests that bacterial virulence genes are undergoing diversifying evolution to counteract the rapid adaptability of its host&rsquo / s immune defences. Genome sequences of pathogenic bacterial species and strains provide unique opportunities to study the action of diversifying selection operating on different classes of bacterial genes.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UNWC/oai:UWC_ETD:http%3A%2F%2Fetd.uwc.ac.za%2Findex.php%3Fmodule%3Detd%26action%3Dviewtitle%26id%3Dgen8Srv25Nme4_5842_1297942831 |
| Date | January 2009 |
| Creators | Sumir Panji |
| Source Sets | Univ. of Western Cape |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis and dissertation |
| Format | |
| Coverage | ZA |
| Rights | Copyright: University of the Western Cape |
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