title: Identification and characterisation of coding tandem repeat variants in incA gene of Chlamydophila pecorum.
abstract: Bacteria of the family Chlamydiaceae are obligate intracellular pathogens of human and animals. Chlamydophila pecorum is associated with different pathological conditions in ruminants, swine and koala. To characterize a coding tandem repeat (CTR) identified at the 3' end of incA gene of C. pecorum, 51 strains of different chlamydial species were examined. The CTR were observed in 18 of 18 tested C. pecorum isolates including symptomatic and asymptomatic animals from diverse geographical origins. The CTR were also found in two strains of C. abortus respectively isolated from faeces from a healthy ewe and from a goat belonging to asymptomatic herds, but were absent in C. abortus strains isolated from clinical disease specimens, and in tested strains of C. psittaci, C. caviae, C. felis and C. trachomatis. The number of CTR repeats is variable and encode several motifs that are rich in alanine and proline. The CTR-derived variable structure of incA, which encode the Chlamydiaceae-specific type III secreted inclusion membrane protein, IncA, may be involved in the adaptation of C. pecorum to its environment by allowing it to persist in the host cell.
authors.affiliation: INRA, UR1282, Infectiologie Animale et Santé Publique, Centre de recherche de Tours, F-37380 Nouzilly, France.
authors.forename: Khalil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yousef Mohamad
authors.forename: Abdessalem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rekiki
authors.forename: Garry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: Patrik M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Bavoil
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodolakis
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D023501:Chlamydophila / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020080:Tandem Repeat Sequences
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C094163:IncA protein, bacteria; D010750:Phosphoproteins