title: Identification, characterization, and variable expression of a naturally occurring inhibitor protein of IS1106 transposase in clinical isolates of Neisseria meningitidis.
abstract: Transposition plays a role in the epidemiology and pathogenesis of Neisseria meningitidis. Insertion sequences are involved in reversible capsulation and insertional inactivation of virulence genes encoding outer membrane proteins. In this study, we have investigated and identified one way in which transposon IS1106 controls its own activity. We have characterized a naturally occurring protein (Tip) that inhibits the transposase. The inhibitor protein is a truncated version of the IS1106 transposase lacking the NH(2)-terminal DNA binding sequence, and it regulates transposition by competing with the transposase for binding to the outside ends of IS1106, as shown by gel shift and in vitro transposition assays. IS1106Tip mRNA is variably expressed among serogroup B meningococcal clinical isolates, and it is absent in most collection strains belonging to hypervirulent lineages.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare "L. Califano," Università di Napoli "Federico II," Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salvatore
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pagliarulo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Colicchio
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zecca
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cantalupo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tredici
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lavitola
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bucci
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Bruni
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alifano
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011485:Protein Binding; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013045:Species Specificity; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D019895:Transposases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; C440646:IS1106 Tip protein, Bacteria; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019895:Transposases