Antigenic Variation in Bacterial Pathogens
Year: 2016
Type: article
Abstract: Antigenic variation is a strategy used by a broad diversity of microbial pathogens to persist within the mammalian host. Whereas viruses make use of a minimal proofreading capacity combined with large amounts of progeny to use random mutation for variant generation, antigenically variant bacteria have evolved mechanisms which use a stable genome, which aids in protecting the fitness of the progeny. Here, three well-characterized and highly antigenically variant bacterial pathogens are discussed: Anaplasma, Borrelia, and Neisseria. These three pathogens display a variety of mechanisms used to create the structural and antigenic variation needed for immune escape and long-term persistence. Intrahost antigenic variation is the focus; however, the role of these immune escape mechanisms at the population level is also presented.
Source: Microbiology Spectrum
Institutions: Washington State University, Northwestern University
Language: English
Subfield: Parasitology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: Mutational analysis of the vlp/vsp antigenic variation system of the relapsing fe, Antigenic variation in microbial transmission, G6105351342, Molecular Genetics of the Gonococcus, Study of Immune Avoidance During the Enzootic Cycle of the Lyme Disease Pathogen, Mechanisms of Gonococcal Pilin Antigenic and Phase Variation
OpenAlex ID: W2310858669