Functional characterization of an alkaline exonuclease and single strand annealing protein from the SXT genetic element of Vibrio cholerae.

ABSTRACT:

Background

SXT is an integrating conjugative element (ICE) originally isolated from Vibrio cholerae, the bacterial pathogen that causes cholera. It houses multiple antibiotic and heavy metal resistance genes on its ca. 100 kb circular double stranded DNA (dsDNA) genome, and functions as an effective vehicle for the horizontal transfer of resistance genes within susceptible bacterial populations. Here, we characterize the activities of an alkaline exonuclease (S066, SXT-Exo) and single strand annealing protein (S065, SXT-Bet) encoded on the SXT genetic element, which share significant sequence homology with Exo and Bet from bacteriophage lambda, respectively.

Results

SXT-Exo has the ability to degrade both linear dsDNA and single stranded DNA (ssDNA) molecules, but has no det

SUBMITTER: Chen WY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3118119 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature