title: Genetic diversity of O-antigen biosynthesis regions in Vibrio cholerae.
abstract: O-antigen biosynthetic (wbf) regions for Vibrio cholerae serogroups O5, O8, and O108 were isolated and sequenced. Sequences were compared to those of other published V. cholerae O-antigen regions. These wbf regions showed a high degree of heterogeneity both in gene content and in gene order. Genes identified frequently showed greater similarities to polysaccharide biosynthesis genes from species other than V. cholerae. Our results demonstrate the plasticity of O-antigen genes in V. cholerae, the diversity of the genetic pool from which they are drawn, and the likelihood that new pandemic serogroups will emerge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
authors.forename: Antonina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aydanian
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: J Glenn
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Judith A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: O Colin
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Stine
mesh_terms: D053898:Biosynthetic Pathways / Q000235:genetics*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D023061:Gene Order; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D019081:O Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D026801:Synteny; D014734:Vibrio cholerae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D019081:O Antigens