Imprecise excision of insertion element IS5 from the fliC gene contributes to flagellar diversity in Escherichia coli.
Motile strains of Escherichia coli K12 carrying both a chromosomal fliC-H48 gene and a plasmid encoded fliC-H4 gene express both types of flagellins, which are coassembled into functional flagella. By using flagellar-H48-specific antiserum and a plasmid curing procedure, nonmotile mutants were found that carried an IS5 insertion in the chromosomal fliC-H48 gene. Motile revertants were isolated that showed deletions of the IS5 element together with sections of the fliC-H48 gene resulting in an altered flagellar serotype in these strains. As IS5 elements were found associated with 35 of 53 known H-types in wildtype E. coli strains, this insertion element might play a major role in serotype diversity.
Strauch
Eckhard
E
National Reference Laboratory for Escherichia coli, Department of Biological Safety, Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany.
Beutin
Lothar
L
D000940:Antigenic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005407:Flagella / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D005408:Flagellin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009068:Movement; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D005408:Flagellin