title: Analysis of the hypervariable region of the Salmonella enterica genome associated with tRNA(leuX).
abstract: The divergence of Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli is estimated to have occurred approximately 140 million years ago. Despite this evolutionary distance, the genomes of these two species still share extensive synteny and homology. However, there are significant differences between the two species in terms of genes putatively acquired via various horizontal transfer events. Here we report on the composition and distribution across the Salmonella genus of a chromosomal region designated SPI-10 in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi and located adjacent to tRNA(leuX). We find that across the Salmonella genus the tRNA(leuX) region is a hypervariable hot spot for horizontal gene transfer; different isolates from the same S. enterica serovar can exhibit significant variation in this region. Many P4 phage, plasmid, and transposable element-associated genes are found adjacent to tRNA(leuX) in both Salmonella and E. coli, suggesting that these mobile genetic elements have played a major role in driving the variability of this region.
authors.affiliation: The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, United Kingdom. gd1@sanger.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Anne L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Bishop
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jenks
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fookes
authors.forename: Peadar O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Gaora
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pickard
authors.forename: Muna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anjum
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Farrar
authors.forename: Tran T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Hien
authors.forename: Al
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ivens
authors.forename: Gordon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dougan
mesh_terms: D001435:Bacteriophages; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D022801:Complementarity Determining Regions / Q000235:genetics*; D004270:DNA, Circular / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D044404:Genomic Islands; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D012356:RNA, Transfer, Leu / Q000235:genetics*; D019779:Salmonella enterica / Q000235:genetics*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D022801:Complementarity Determining Regions; D004270:DNA, Circular; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012356:RNA, Transfer, Leu