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Genomics

Relative pathogenic values

Nature volume 423, pages 23–24 (2003)Cite this article

The bacterium that causes anthrax has several close relatives. Comparison of their genome sequences should provide insight into the biology of these organisms as agents of disease — and of terrorism.

Particular notoriety has been accorded to Bacillus anthracis of late. As the causative agent of anthrax, this bacterium was used in the 2001 postal attacks in the United States1, and it has reportedly been 'weaponized' as a warfare agent on at least one occasion2. On pages 81 and 87 of this issue, Read et al.3 and Ivanova et al.4 bring the power of genomics to bear on efforts to understand this pathogen and its close relatives.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. the Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, CB10 1SA, Cambridge, UK

    Julian Parkhill

  2. the Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3US, UK

    Colin Berry

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  1. Julian Parkhill
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  2. Colin Berry
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Correspondence to Julian Parkhill or Colin Berry.

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Parkhill, J., Berry, C. Relative pathogenic values. Nature 423, 23–24 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/423023a

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/423023a

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