Adjacent location of the bac gene and two-component regulatory system genes within the putative Streptococcus agalactiae pathogenicity island.
A chromosomal DNA fragment of 8992 bp in size that has not been previously identified in Streptococcus agalactiae, was cloned and sequenced from strain 98-D60C. In particular, this 8992-bp fragment contained genes homologous to the sensor histidine kinase gene and the DNA-binding response-regulator gene of Streptococcus pneumoniae, and S. agalactiae bac gene. Structural and genetic features of the 8992-bp fragment were highly similar to those specific for bacterial pathogenicity islands. Analysis of epidemiologically unrelated S. agalactiae strains revealed that this fragment was present only in bac gene-positive strains. The possible origin of the 8992-bp fragment in S. agalactiae and its significance for molecular mechanisms of "bacteria-host" interactions are discussed.
Dmitriev
A
A
Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences, Saint Petersburg 197376, Russia. admitriev10@yandex.ru
Yang
Y H
YH
Shen
A D
AD
Totolian
A
A
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D044404:Genomic Islands / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011247:Pregnancy; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D037521:Virulence Factors