Helicobacter Pylori's plasticity zones are novel transposable elements.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Genes present in only certain strains of a bacterial species can strongly affect cellular phenotypes and evolutionary potentials. One segment that seemed particularly rich in strain-specific genes was found by comparing the first two sequenced Helicobacter pylori genomes (strains 26695 and J99) and was named a "plasticity zone".

Principal findings

We studied the nature and evolution of plasticity zones by sequencing them in five more Helicobacter strains, determining their locations in additional strains, and identifying them in recently released genome sequences. They occurred as discrete units, inserted at numerous chromosomal sites, and were usually flanked by direct repeats of 5'AAGAATG, a sequence generally also present in one copy at unoccupied sites in othe

SUBMITTER: Kersulyte D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2731543 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature