title: Characterization of the replication origin of the myxobacterial self-replicative plasmid pMF1.
abstract: Thus far, pMF1 is the only endogenous myxobacterial plasmid whose replication mechanism is unclear. In this study, we determined that the plasmid replicates via the theta-mode. The pMF1.14 gene, located in the pMF1.13-pMF1.15 operon (repABC), encodes an essential replication initiation protein that was predicted to have no typical DNA/protein binding motifs but contains rich disordered regions. The pMF1 replication-related essential cis-acting DNA region, approximate 370bp, was located within pMF1.14, and was found to contain several directly and inverted atypical repeats. The unique characteristics of the pMF1 replicon are suggested to be the reason for its strict narrow host range in Myxococcus cells.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, School of Life Science, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Xiao-jing
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yue-zhong
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004261:DNA Replication; D023061:Gene Order; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009231:Myxococcales / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009876:Operon; D010957:Plasmids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D018741:Replication Origin; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015534:Trans-Activators; C045264:replication initiator protein; D004265:DNA Helicases