Genomic evolution of enteric pathogens: mechanisms of pathogenicity and diagnostic innovations

作者：Tao Li, Jin Li, Zhiping Tang, Xing Liu, Shiwen Yao, Jiabao Zhu, Wei Wang, Linju Huo, Song Chen, Gaihua Zhang, Zhonghua Liu · 发表于：Frontiers in Microbiology · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.3389/fmicb.2025.1647437 · 被引用次数：3 · 研究领域：Escherichia coli research studies、Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology、Bacteriophages and microbial interactions

Genomic evolution serves as a pivotal driver of pathogenicity and host adaptation in intestinal pathogens. This review systematically dissects, from a phylogenetic perspective, the key genomic evolutionary mechanisms underpinning pathogenesis across five major classes of intestinal pathogens and their significance. Bacteria (e.g., Escherichia coli ) acquire virulence- and antibiotic resistance-enhancing genes via horizontal gene transfer and genomic recombination, equipping them to disrupt the intestinal mucosal barrier and evade host immune defenses. Fungi (e.g., Candida albicans and Cryptococcus spp.) significantly augment their pathogenic potential through chromosomal rearrangements and dynamic expansions or losses within gene families. Parasites (e.g., Giardia lamblia) successfully evade host immune recognition and clearance through complex life cycles and stage-specific gene expression regulation. Viruses (e.g., rotaviruses and noroviruses) rapidly adapt to host cellular environments via genomic mutation and recombination, triggering acute gastroenteritis. Although prions primarily propagate via the nervous system, the pronounced cellular stress response they elicit in intestinal tissues suggests the gut may serve as a potential secondary transmission or amplification site. Collectively, these diverse evolutionary mechanisms confer unique colonization, survival, and competitive advantages upon distinct pathogen classes within the complex gut microenvironment. Employing E...