Pseudomonas aeruginosa MutL promotes large chromosomal deletions through non-homologous end joining to prevent bacteriophage predation.

ABSTRACT: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen with a relatively large genome, and has been shown to routinely lose genomic fragments during environmental selection. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms that promote chromosomal deletion are still poorly understood. In a recent study, we showed that by deleting a large chromosomal fragment containing two closely situated genes, hmgA and galU, P. aeruginosa was able to form 'brown mutants', bacteriophage (phage) resistant mutants with a brown color phenotype. In this study, we show that the brown mutants occur at a frequency of 227 ± 87 × 10-8 and contain a deletion ranging from ∼200 to ∼620 kb. By screening P. aeruginosa transposon mutants, we identified mutL gene whose mutation constrained the emergence of phage-resistant brow

SUBMITTER: Shen M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5961081 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature