Gene fusion in Helicobacter pylori: making the ends meet.
Fusion genes have been reported as a means of enabling the development of novel or enhanced functions. In this report, we analyzed fusion genes in the genomes of two Helicobacter pylori strains (26695 and J99) and identified 32 fusion genes that are present as neighbours in one strain (components) and are fused in the second (composite), and vice-versa. The mechanism for each case of gene fusion is explored. 28 out of 32 genes identified as fusion products in this analysis were reported as essential genes in the previously documented transposon mutagenesis of H. pylori strain G27. This observation suggests the potential of the products of fusion genes as putative microbial drug targets. These results underscore the utility of bacterial genomic sequence comparisons for understanding gene evolution and for in silico drug target identification in the post-genomic era.
Programme in Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 5 Science Drive 2, Kent Ridge 117597, Singapore.
Kishore R
KR
Sakharkar
Meena K
MK
Sakharkar
Vincent T K
VT
Chow
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D021901:DNA, Intergenic / Q000235:genetics; D050939:Gene Fusion; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013045:Species Specificity
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D021901:DNA, Intergenic