Genomic analysis of 1,198 isolates of the foodborne pathogen Campylobacter jejuni from a range of host organisms uncovers lineages that specialize in colonizing cattle; the results suggest that specialization for cattle may have developed from generalist lineages, coinciding with the intensification of cattle agriculture in the 20th century, through horizontal gene transfer and significant gain and loss of genes, and showing how potential zoonotic pathogens can adapt to altered niches in changing environments.
Article #19-17168: "Agricultural intensification and the evolution of host specialism in the enteric pathogen Campylobacter jejuni," by Evangelos Mourkas et al.
MEDIA CONTACT: Samuel K. Sheppard, University of Bath, UNITED KINGDOM; e-mail: S.K.Sheppard@bath.ac.uk
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences