A putative integrase gene defines the distal end of a large cluster of ToxR-regulated colonization genes in Vibrio cholerae.
A large cluster of virulence genes encoding proteins involved in Vibrio cholerae accessory colonization factor (ACF) expression and toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP) biogenesis is flanked by sequences that resemble bacteriophage attachment (att) half-sites. Adjacent to the attL-like site is a gene (int) that encodes a protein related to the integrase family of site-specific recombinases. The putative vibrio integrase appears to be most closely related to the Escherichia coli cryptic prophage (CP4-57) integrase protein (52% identity, 73% similarity). Genomic analysis of numerous V. cholerae strains (O1, non-O1 and O139) revealed that only vibrios capable of causing epidemic Asiatic cholera possess the TCP-ACF colonization gene cluster in association with the integrase. The fact that the integrase gene is absent in avirulent strains suggests that epidemic strains of V. cholerae obtained the TCP-ACF colonization gene cluster via horizontal transfer.
Kovach
M E
ME
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Medical Center, Shreveport 71130, USA.
Shaffer
M D
MD
Peterson
K M
KM
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001483:Base Sequence; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D005838:Genotype; D019426:Integrases; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D010957:Plasmids; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018085:Regulon; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D014157:Transcription Factors; C499324:toxR protein, Vibrio cholerae; C066719:toxR protein, bacteria; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases; D019426:Integrases