Methylation of foreign DNA overcomes the restriction barrier of <i>Flavobacterium psychrophilum</i> and allows efficient genetic manipulation.

ABSTRACT: Flavobacterium psychrophilum causes bacterial cold-water disease (BCWD) in salmonids and other fish, resulting in substantial economic losses in aquaculture worldwide. The mechanisms F. psychrophilum uses to cause disease are poorly understood. Despite considerable effort, most strains of F. psychrophilum have resisted attempts at genetic manipulation. F. psychrophilum restriction-modification (R-M) systems may contribute to this resistance. Restriction endonucleases (REases) rapidly degrade nonself DNA if it is not properly methylated by their cognate DNA methyltransferases (MTases). We used comparative genomics to show that R-M systems are abundant in F. psychrophilum and that strain-specific variations partially align with phylogeny. We identified two

SUBMITTER: Sloboda S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11837570 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature