Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of plague, which diverged from Yersinia
pseudotuberculosis within the past 20,000 years. Although these two species share a high
degree of homology at the DNA level (> 90%), they differ radically in their pathogenicity and
transmission. In this review, we briefly outline the known virulence factors that differentiate
these two species and emphasize genetic studies that have been conducted comparing Y.
pestis and Y. pseudotuberculosis. These comparisons have led to a better understanding of …