Evolution of E. coli as a Main Virulence Factor: What it Means for Our Health
In a new study published in Nature Communications, a team of scientists have found that a major factor in the evolution of the bacterium Escherichia coli, or E. coli, is its ability to increase its virulence. By studying the genomes of E. coli strains collected from different hosts, the team was able to discover that certain genes were more likely to evolve in strains that were more virulent, or capable of causing more severe infections. This suggests that the evolution of E. coli is driven by its capacity to cause disease in humans. The findings of this study could help us better understand why certain strains of E. coli are more likely to cause disease than others.
source: Phys.org