Human and mycobacterial coevolution: the role of genetic recombination in reconstructing the evolutionary history of these important human pathogens

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Title Human and mycobacterial coevolution: the role of genetic recombination in reconstructing the evolutionary history of these important human pathogens
Publication Type dissertation
School or College College of Social & Behavioral Science
Department Anthropology
Author Smith, Silvia E
Date 2010
Description Tuberculosis (TB) and leprosy are ancient human diseases, as demonstrated by an abundant osteoarchaeological record and by molecular analyses of prehistoric and historic human remains affected by the disease. Unfortunately, mycobacterial infections (which include TB and leprosy) are not diseases of the past. Today, mycobacteria are still an enormous burden to humans, with an estimated two billion individuals currently being affected by the disease (in a latent or active stage) worldwide. It has become clear that these successful human pathogens can rapidly adapt to their changing environment and host. Evolutionary theory provides an excellent framework to test hypotheses that aim to explain how these pathogens are able to sustain such changes. Understanding the evolutionary mechanisms of the genus Mycobacterium will improve our understanding, and perhaps our ability to control, the processes that yield to these pathogens' evolution and acquisition of drug resistance. Among these adaptive mechanisms, recombination is without doubt an effective way to acquire foreign genetic material into the mycobacterial genome.
Type Text
Publisher University of Utah
Subject Coevolution; Horizontal gene transfer; Human disease; Mycobaterial disease evolution; TB evolution
Subject LCSH Mycobacteria; Mycobacteria -- Evolution; Coevolution; Genetic recombination; Paleopathology
Dissertation Institution University of Utah
Dissertation Name PhD
Language eng
Rights Management ©Silvia E. Smith
Format application/pdf
Format Medium application/pdf
Format Extent 1,729,772 bytes
Source Original in Marriott Library Special Collections, QR6.5 2010.S65
ARK ark:/87278/s6vx0x33
Setname ir_etd
ID 193122
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6vx0x33
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