Giant linear plasmids in Mycobacterium avium harbour a tRNA array unit.

ABSTRACT: Nontuberculous mycobacteria occasionally harbour clustered tRNA genes, referred to as a tRNA array unit, which is considered a putative antidefense system within their genomes. However, the precise genomic location of these tRNA array units remains unclear. To address this, we sequenced the complete genomes of 5 Mycobacterium avium strains carrying a tRNA array unit using a hybrid assembly of long and short reads followed by manual curation. The assemblies indicated that each strain harbours 3 to 5 extrachromosomal elements. In all genomes, the tRNA array unit was found on a linear contig exceeding 300 kb. Pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and sodium dodecyl sulphate-PFGE revealed that the strains harbour linear plasmids corresponding to these large contigs with protein-capped termini

SUBMITTER: Yano H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12803027 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature