Isolation of the Bacteriophage DinoHI from Dichelobacter nodosus and its Interactions with other Integrated Genetic Elements.
The Gram-negative anaerobic pathogen Dichelobacter nodosus carries several genetic elements that integrate into the chromosome. These include the intA, intB, intC and intD elements, which integrate adjacent to csrA and pnpA, two putative global regulators of virulence and the virulence-related locus, vrl, which integrates into ssrA. Treatment of D. nodosus strains with ultraviolet light resulted in the isolation of DinoHI, a member of the Siphoviridae and the first bacteriophage to be identified in D. nodosus. Part of the DinoHI genome containing the packaging site is found in all D. nodosus strains tested and is located at the end of the vrl, suggesting a role for DinoHI in the transfer of the vrl by transduction. Like the intB element, the DinoHI genome contains a copy of regA which has similarity to the repressors of lambdoid bacteriophages, suggesting that the maintenance of DinoHI and the intB element may be co-ordinately controlled.
Cheetham
Brian F
BF
Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia.
Parker
Dane
D
Bloomfield
Garry A
GA
Shaw
Bruce E
BE
Sutherland
Megan
M
Hyman
Jessica A
JA
Druitt
Jenifer
J
Kennan
Ruth M
RM
Rood
Julian I
JI
Katz
Margaret E
ME