title: Phylogenetic relationships and species differentiation of 39 Legionella species by sequence determination of the RNase P RNA gene rnpB.
abstract: The rnpB gene is ubiquitous in Bacteria, Archaea and Eucarya and encodes the RNA component of RNase P, an endoribonuclease P that consists of one RNA and one protein subunit (C5). In this study, partial rnpB genes were sequenced from 39 type strains and 16 additional strains of the genus Legionella. Models of the putative secondary structures of the RNase P RNA in the genus Legionella are proposed and possible interactions between RNase P RNA and C5 are discussed. The phylogenetic relationships within the genus Legionella were examined and rnpB sequences indicated six main clades that together comprised 27 of the 39 species examined. The phylogenetic relationships were further inferred by analysing combined datasets of sequences from the rnpB, mip, 16S rRNA and rpoB genes. It is concluded that rnpB is suitable for use in phylogenetic studies of closely related species and that it exhibits the potential to discriminate between Legionella species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Carl-Johan
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Rubin
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Evolution, EBC, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18C, SE-19530 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thollesson
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Box 596, Biomedical Centre, SE-75124 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Leif A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Kirsebom
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Herrmann
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007875:Legionella / Q000145:classification* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D043262:Ribonuclease P / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D043262:Ribonuclease P; C470865:ribonuclease P, E coli