Characterization of IntA, a bidirectional site-specific recombinase required for conjugative transfer of the symbiotic plasmid of Rhizobium etli CFN42.

ABSTRACT: Site-specific recombination occurs at short specific sequences, mediated by the cognate recombinases. IntA is a recombinase from Rhizobium etli CFN42 and belongs to the tyrosine recombinase family. It allows cointegration of plasmid p42a and the symbiotic plasmid via site-specific recombination between attachment regions (attA and attD) located in each replicon. Cointegration is needed for conjugative transfer of the symbiotic plasmid. To characterize this system, two plasmids harboring the corresponding attachment sites and intA were constructed. Introduction of these plasmids into R. etli revealed IntA-dependent recombination events occurring at high frequency. Interestingly, IntA promotes not only integration, but also excision events, albeit at a lower frequency. Thus, R. etli IntA app

SUBMITTER: Hernandez-Tamayo R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3807439 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature