Identification and sequence of an unstable DNA element in the entomopathogenic bacteria Photorhabdus temperata strain K122.
OBJECTIVE
A search was conducted for a difference in genome composition between phenotypic variants of the insect pathogenic bacteria, Photorhabdus temperata.


METHODS
An unstable 300 bp fragment of DNA was identified by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis, which was not, however, associated with phenotypic variation.


RESULTS
During prolonged culturing of the bacteria, one copy of the repeated fragment was deleted and a restriction site linked to one of the copies was lost or gained. The sequence did not show substantial identity to any in the database, but a 16-bp region was identical to part of the marR gene of Escherichia coli.


CONCLUSIONS
The work has implications for the understanding of genetic instability in this and other pathogenic species of bacteria. In addition, the complete unstable element may be useful as a genetic tool in Photorhabdus spp.
Roche
D M
DM
Department of Biology and Institute for Bioengineering and Agroecology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland.
Dowds
Barbara C A
BC
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D007313:Insecta / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020637:Photorhabdus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004269:DNA, Bacterial