Interaction with eukaryotic cells enhances the circularization and transcription of integrative and conjugative elements in Mycoplasma hominis.

ABSTRACT: Mobile genetic elements drive bacterial evolution by promoting genetic plasticity and adaptation; among them, mycoplasma Integrative and Conjugative Elements (ICEs) challenge the notion that mycoplasmas evolved solely through genome reduction. However, they remain poorly characterized, particularly in Mycoplasma hominis, which is a human genital pathogen. In this study, we investigated the circularization, transcription, and protein expression of M. hominis 4788 ICE (ICEHo4788) under the following four environmental conditions: axenic growth, coculture with HeLa cells, mitomycin C exposure, and thermal stress. During axenic growth, ICEHo4788 circularization peaked at 12 h with a 9.4-fold increase in the number of circular forms. Mitomycin C and cold shock induced only a moderate increase i

SUBMITTER: Boureima Abdou B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12228374 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature