title: Transfer RNAs and pathogenicity islands.
abstract: The tRNAs are central components in translation. In addition, they are essential for replication of retroviruses: tRNAs bind to viral genomes through their 3'-end sequences and act as primers for initiation of viral replication. Here, I discuss the possibility that tRNAs also play a role in the horizontal transfer of bacterial pathogenicity islands between different pathogens. Such a role would implicate tRNAs in DNA recombination.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA. hou1@jeflin.tju.edu
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Hou
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D001483:Base Sequence; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D008954:Models, Biological; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D012343:RNA, Transfer / Q000235:genetics*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012343:RNA, Transfer