Crucial role for insertion sequence elements in Lactobacillus helveticus evolution as revealed by interstrain genomic comparison.

ABSTRACT: Lactobacillus helveticus is a versatile dairy bacterium found to possess heterogeneous genotypes depending on the ecosystem from which it was isolated. The recently published genome sequence showed the remarkable flexibility of its structure, demonstrated by a substantial level of insertion sequence (IS) element expansion in association with massive gene decay. To assess this diversity and examine the level of genome plasticity within the L. helveticus species, an array-based comparative genome hybridization (aCGH) experiment was designed in which 10 strains were analyzed. The aCGH experiment revealed 16 clusters of open reading frames (ORFs) flanked by IS elements. Four of these ORFs are associated with restriction/modification which may have played a role in accelerated evolution of stra

SUBMITTER: Kaleta P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2798629 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature