Evidence for positive selection acting on microcystin synthetase adenylation domains in three cyanobacterial genera.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cyanobacteria produce a wealth of secondary metabolites, including the group of small cyclic heptapeptide hepatotoxins that constitutes the microcystin family. The enzyme complex that directs the biosynthesis of microcystin is encoded in a single large gene cluster (mcy). mcy genes have a widespread distribution among cyanobacteria and are likely to have an ancient origin. The notable diversity within some of the Mcy modules is generated through various recombination events including horizontal gene transfer.

Results

A comparative analysis of the adenylation domains from the first module of McyB (McyB1) and McyC in the microcystin synthetase complex was performed on a large number of microcystin-producing strains from the Anabaena, Microcystis and Planktothrix gen

SUBMITTER: Tooming-Klunderud A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2564945 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature