Genomic and Metagenomic Analysis of Diversity-Generating Retroelements Associated with Treponema denticola.

ABSTRACT: Diversity-generating retroelements (DGRs) are genetic cassettes that can produce massive protein sequence variation in prokaryotes. Presumably DGRs confer selective advantages to their hosts (bacteria or viruses) by generating variants of target genes-typically resulting in target proteins with altered ligand-binding specificity-through a specialized error-prone reverse transcription process. The only extensively studied DGR system is from the Bordetella phage BPP-1, although DGRs are predicted to exist in other species. Using bioinformatics analysis, we discovered that the DGR system associated with the Treponema denticola species (a human oral-associated periopathogen) is dynamic (with gains/losses of the system found in the isolates) and diverse (with multiple types found in isolated ge

SUBMITTER: Nimkulrat S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4891356 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature