title: Inteins invading mycobacterial RecA proteins.
abstract: Five new inteins were discovered in a survey of 39 mycobacterial strains that was undertaken to clarify the role of RecA inteins in mycobacteria. They are all inserted at the RecA-b site of the recA gene of Mycobacterium chitae, 4. fallax, M. gastri, M. shimodei and M. thermoresistibile and belong to the MleRecA allelic family. Sequence analysis showed that although only M. tuberculosis harbours an intein at the RecA-a site the sequence of the RecA-b site is well conserved between species. Furthermore, the presence of inteins does not correlate with specific characteristics of the species such as pathogenicity or growth rate.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Pharmacologie et Biologie Structurale UMR5089, CNRS Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III, Toulouse, France. saves@ipbs.fr
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Saves
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lanéelle
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daffé
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Masson
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D007438:Introns; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016296:Mutagenesis; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000235:genetics*; D011938:Rec A Recombinases / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D011938:Rec A Recombinases