Evidence that the intra-amoebal Legionella drancourtii acquired a sterol reductase gene from eukaryotes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Free-living amoebae serve as a natural reservoir for some bacteria that have evolved into "amoeba-resistant" bacteria. Among these, some are strictly intra-amoebal, such as Candidatus "Protochlamydia amoebophila" (Candidatus "P. amoebophila"), whose genomic sequence is available. We sequenced the genome of Legionella drancourtii (L. drancourtii), another recently described intra-amoebal bacterium. By comparing these two genomes with those of their closely related species, we were able to study the genetic characteristics specific to their amoebal lifestyle.

Findings

We identified a sterol delta-7 reductase-encoding gene common to these two bacteria and absent in their relatives. This gene encodes an enzyme which catalyses the last step of cholesterol biosynthesis

SUBMITTER: Moliner C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2667531 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature