Intergenic regions of Borrelia plasmids contain phylogenetically conserved RNA secondary structure motifs.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Borrelia species are unusual in that they contain a large number of linear and circular plasmids. Many of these plasmids have long intergenic regions. These regions have many fragmented genes, repeated sequences and appear to be in a state of flux, but they may serve as reservoirs for evolutionary change and/or maintain stable motifs such as small RNA genes.

Results

In an in silico study, intergenic regions of Borrelia plasmids were scanned for phylogenetically conserved stem loop structures that may represent functional units at the RNA level. Five repeat sequences were found that could fold into stable RNA-type stem loop structures, three of which are closely linked to protein genes, one of which is a member of the Borrelia lipoprotein_1 super family genes and a

SUBMITTER: Delihas N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2674063 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature