Characterization of an aspartate aminotransferase encoded by YPO0623 with frequent nonsense mutations in Yersinia pestis.

ABSTRACT: Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, is a genetically monomorphic bacterial pathogen that evolved from Yersinia pseudotuberculosis approximately 7,400 years ago. We observed unusually frequent mutations in Y. pestis YPO0623, mostly resulting in protein translation termination, which implies a strong natural selection. These mutations were found in all phylogenetic lineages of Y. pestis, and there was no apparent pattern in the spatial distribution of the mutant strains. Based on these findings, we aimed to investigate the biological function of YPO0623 and the reasons for its frequent mutation in Y. pestis. Our in vitro and in vivo assays revealed that the deletion of YPO0623 enhanced the growth of Y. pestis in nutrient-ric

SUBMITTER: Jin J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10713766 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature