title: Detection of bacteriophage VSH-1 svp38 gene in Brachyspira spirochetes.
abstract: VSH-1 is a mitomycin C-inducible, non-lytic, phage-like agent that packages random 7.5-kb fragments of the Brachyspira hyodysenteriae genome. VSH-1 is the first recognized mechanism for gene transfer between B. hyodysenteriae cells. To analyze the distribution of VSH-1 among spirochetes, a 344-bp probe for gene svp38, encoding the VSH-1 major head protein, was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and used in Southern blot hybridizations with genomic DNA from various spirochete genera. The svp38 probe hybridized to a 40-kb SalI-SmaI fragment of the B. hyodysenteriae B78(T) chromosome, indicating VSH-1 DNA insertion into the chromosome at a unique site. Restriction endonuclease digested DNAs of 27 spirochete strains representing six Brachyspira species (B. hyodysenteriae, B. innocens, B. pilosicoli, B. murdochii, B. intermedia, B. alvinipulli) contained a single fragment hybridizing with the svp38 probe. DNAs from spirochete species of the genera Treponema, Spirochaeta, Borrelia, and Leptospira did not hybridize with the probe. VSH-1-like agents appear to be widely distributed among Brachyspira species and, as has been demonstrated for B. hyodysenteriae, may serve as useful gene transfer agents for those other species.
authors.affiliation: Pre-Harvest Food Safety and Enteric Diseases Research Unit, National Animal Disease Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA 50010, USA. tstanton@nadc.ars.usda.gov
authors.forename: Thad B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Stanton
authors.forename: M Greg
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Samuel B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Humphrey
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Zuerner
mesh_terms: D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000235:genetics*; D016679:Genome, Viral; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D039002:Prophages / Q000235:genetics; D013143:Spirochaetaceae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000821:virology*; D014161:Transduction, Genetic; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014764:Viral Proteins