Identification of the site-specific DNA invertase responsible for the phase variation of SusC/SusD family outer membrane proteins in Bacteroides fragilis.

ABSTRACT: The human gut microbe Bacteroides fragilis can alter the expression of its surface molecules, such as capsular polysaccharides and SusC/SusD family outer membrane proteins, through reversible DNA inversions. We demonstrate here that DNA inversions at 12 invertible regions, including three gene clusters for SusC/SusD family proteins, were controlled by a single tyrosine site-specific recombinase (Tsr0667) encoded by BF0667 in B. fragilis strain YCH46. Genetic disruption of BF0667 diminished or attenuated shufflon-type DNA inversions at all three susC/susD genes clusters, as well as simple DNA inversions at nine other loci, most of which colocalized with susC/susD family genes. The inverted repeat sequences found within the Tsr0667-regulated invertible regions shared the consensus motif sequ

SUBMITTER: Nakayama-Imaohji H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2747901 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature