Using genomic data to determine the diversity and distribution of target site motifs recognized by class C-attC group II introns.
The attC sites are well-known integrase-targeted elements involved in the insertion and excision of gene cassettes from integrons. Recently, functional analysis of Sma.I2, a class C-attC group II intron, showed that this mobile element invades the attC sites through a specific process. The analysis of genomic data indicates that class C-attC group II introns are independently acquired by their bacterial hosts and evolve in the recognition of a variety of target sites, including the attCs. In addition, adaptation of class C-attC group II introns seemed to be favourable for particular genera, such as Shewanella, suggesting a possible niche for the spread of class C-attC group II introns inserted at attC sites. This understanding suggests a functional role of short palindromic DNA sequences, such as the attCs, as important tools for the acquisition of mobile elements associated with horizontal gene transfer.
Quiroga
Cecilia
C
Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Centrón
Daniela
D
D001287:Attachment Sites, Microbiological / Q000235:genetics*; D001482:Base Composition / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016680:Genome, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000235:genetics; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics; D032023:Integrons / Q000235:genetics; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D010802:Phylogeny; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment
D019426:Integrases