genomic_island pathogenic_island Nature Reviews Microbiology 2, 414-424 (2004); doi:10.1038 micro 884 GENOMIC ISLANDS IN PATHOGENIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROORGANISMS Ulrich Dobrindt, Bianca Hochhut, Ute Hentschel & Jorg Hacker. sequence SO:0000773 Mobile genetic elements that contribute to rapid changes in virulence potential. They are present on the genomes of pathogenic strains but absent from the genomes of non pathogenic members of the same or related species. pathogenic island