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Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
Research Guide
What is Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research?
Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research encompasses genetic and pathogenic studies of Yersinia pestis, the bacterium causing plague, including its genomics, evolution, virulence factors, type III secretion system, biofilm formation, flea-borne transmission via ectoparasites, and ancient DNA analysis.
This field includes 67,446 works on Yersinia pestis pathogenesis and flea/rodent transmission cycles. Perry and Fetherston (1997) detailed Y. pestis as the etiologic agent of plague in "Yersinia pestis--etiologic agent of plague", noting its zoonotic nature across mammalian hosts and fleas. Chen (2004) established VFDB in "VFDB: a reference database for bacterial virulence factors" to catalog mechanisms like those in Y. pestis.
Topic Hierarchy
Research Sub-Topics
Yersinia pestis Genomics
This sub-topic sequences genomes to identify strain diversity, plasmid content, and gene content evolution. Researchers apply comparative genomics across modern and historical isolates.
Yersinia pestis Virulence Factors
Studies characterize plasminogen activator Pla, F1 capsule, and Yops effectors in host-pathogen interactions. Functional assays dissect factor contributions to systemic infection.
Yersinia Type III Secretion System
Research elucidates T3SS needle structure, translocation mechanisms, and immune evasion by injected effectors. Structural biology reveals regulation and assembly dynamics.
Plague Flea-Borne Transmission
This area models proventricular biofilm blockage in fleas and bacterial biofilm factors like HmsHDE. Field studies correlate vector competence with transmission efficiency.
Ancient DNA Plague Analysis
Paleogenomic studies reconstruct Y. pestis from medieval skeletons, tracing phylogeography and Black Death ancestry. Damage patterns authenticate pathogen aDNA recovery.
Why It Matters
Research on Yersinia pestis informs plague control due to its persistence in rodent-flea cycles, as Perry and Fetherston (1997) described the flea/rodent life cycle enabling widespread zoonotic transmission. VFDB by Chen (2004) supports identification of Y. pestis virulence factors, aiding vaccine and therapeutic development against bacterial threats. Henderson et al. (1999) in "Smallpox as a Biological Weapon" highlighted aerosolized plague risks, with symptoms like fever and pneumonia appearing 1-6 days post-exposure, leading to septic shock without early treatment, underscoring biodefense needs.
Reading Guide
Where to Start
"Yersinia pestis--etiologic agent of plague" by Perry and Fetherston (1997), as it provides a foundational overview of Y. pestis biology, transmission, and historical impact for newcomers.
Key Papers Explained
Perry and Fetherston (1997) in "Yersinia pestis--etiologic agent of plague" establishes core pathogenesis and flea transmission, which Chen (2004) builds on via "VFDB: a reference database for bacterial virulence factors" cataloging Y. pestis factors. Lemey et al. (2009) in "Bayesian Phylogeography Finds Its Roots" extends this to evolutionary inference, complemented by Jónsson et al. (2013) "mapDamage2.0: fast approximate Bayesian estimates of ancient DNA damage parameters" for ancient Y. pestis genomics. Brown et al. (2010) "Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology" supplies taxonomic context.
Paper Timeline
Most-cited paper highlighted in red. Papers ordered chronologically.
Advanced Directions
Field advances focus on genomics, virulence, and ancient DNA, per the 67,446 works. No recent preprints or news indicate ongoing integration of VFDB updates and phylogeographic models into flea transmission studies.
Papers at a Glance
| # | Paper | Year | Venue | Citations | Open Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VFDB: a reference database for bacterial virulence factors | 2004 | Nucleic Acids Research | 1.9K | ✓ |
| 2 | Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology | 2010 | Springer: New York | 1.9K | ✕ |
| 3 | Bayesian Phylogeography Finds Its Roots | 2009 | PLoS Computational Bio... | 1.9K | ✓ |
| 4 | Yersinia pestis--etiologic agent of plague | 1997 | Clinical Microbiology ... | 1.8K | ✓ |
| 5 | Alpha-crystallin can function as a molecular chaperone. | 1992 | Proceedings of the Nat... | 1.8K | ✓ |
| 6 | mapDamage2.0: fast approximate Bayesian estimates of ancient D... | 2013 | Bioinformatics | 1.7K | ✓ |
| 7 | Smallpox as a Biological Weapon | 1999 | JAMA | 1.5K | ✕ |
| 8 | Report of the ad hoc committee for the re-evaluation of the sp... | 2002 | INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL ... | 1.5K | ✕ |
| 9 | PHYLOGENETIC INFERENCE FROM RESTRICTION ENDONUCLEASE CLEAVAGE ... | 1983 | Evolution | 1.5K | ✓ |
| 10 | Character Displacement | 1956 | Systematic Zoology | 1.4K | ✕ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Yersinia pestis?
Yersinia pestis causes plague, a zoonotic disease with devastating historical impacts, maintained in flea/rodent cycles across mammalian hosts. Perry and Fetherston (1997) in "Yersinia pestis--etiologic agent of plague" outlined its transmission and persistence. Disappearance remains unlikely due to diverse hosts.
How does flea-borne transmission occur in plague?
Yersinia pestis cycles between fleas and rodents, with fleas vectoring the bacterium to mammals. Perry and Fetherston (1997) explained this life cycle in "Yersinia pestis--etiologic agent of plague". The process sustains endemic and epidemic plague.
What role do virulence factors play in Yersinia pestis?
Virulence factors enable Y. pestis pathogenesis, cataloged in databases like VFDB. Chen (2004) created "VFDB: a reference database for bacterial virulence factors" for molecular mechanisms. These factors drive disease processes at the genetic level.
Why study ancient DNA in plague research?
Ancient DNA reveals past plague epidemics and population dynamics. Jónsson et al. (2013) developed mapDamage2.0 in "mapDamage2.0: fast approximate Bayesian estimates of ancient DNA damage parameters" for aDNA analysis from fossils. It estimates damage parameters in bones and sediments.
What are key methods in Yersinia genomics?
Genomics studies use tools like VFDB for virulence and phylogeography for evolution. Lemey et al. (2009) advanced Bayesian phylogeography in "Bayesian Phylogeography Finds Its Roots". These infer historical dispersal of pathogens like Y. pestis.
How is Yersinia pestis classified?
Bacterial classification follows systematic standards, including species definitions. Stackebrandt et al. (2002) reported re-evaluation in "Report of the ad hoc committee for the re-evaluation of the species definition in bacteriology". Brown et al. (2010) detailed in "Bergey’s Manual of Systematic Bacteriology".
Open Research Questions
- ? How do specific Yersinia pestis virulence factors interact with flea vectors during biofilm formation and transmission?
- ? What evolutionary mechanisms drove diversification of Y. pestis strains across ancient and modern host populations?
- ? How do type III secretion systems in Y. pestis contribute to immune evasion in mammalian hosts?
- ? What genetic changes enable Y. pestis persistence in diverse ectoparasite and rodent reservoirs?
- ? How can ancient DNA damage patterns improve reconstruction of historical plague phylogeography?
Recent Trends
The field maintains 67,446 works with no specified 5-year growth rate.
Core papers like Perry and Fetherston and Chen (2004) remain highly cited at 1839 and 1946 times.
1997No recent preprints or news reported in the last 6-12 months.
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