Target choice and orientation preference of the insertion sequence IS903.

ABSTRACT: We have examined the targeting preference of the bacterial insertion element IS903 by determining the sites of insertion of a large number of transposition events into the 55-kb conjugative plasmid pOX38. Despite the large target size, all the insertions were clustered in four small distinct regions associated with conjugal DNA transfer. Within these regions, many different sites were used for insertion; however, there were a few sites that IS903 inserted into more than once. Alignment of the insertion sites showed that there was no consensus sequence within the 9-bp target duplication but that there were preferred sequences located symmetrically on either side of the target. This is consistent with target recognition by a dimer or multimer of transposase, with either sequence-specific or

SUBMITTER: Hu WY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC107802 | biostudies-literature | 1998 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature