Segmental Variation in a Duplicated msp2 Pseudogene Generates Anaplasma marginale Antigenic Variants.

ABSTRACT: Anaplasma marginale is a prototypical highly antigenically variant bacterial pathogen dependent on the sequential generation of major surface protein 2 (Msp2) outer membrane variants to establish persistent infection. Msp2 is encoded by a single expression site, and diversity is achieved by gene conversion of chromosomally encoded msp2 pseudogenes. Analysis of the full complement of msp2 pseudogenes in the St. Maries strain revealed identical sequences in different loci. The Florida strain shared the same locus structure, but in the loci where the St. Maries strain had two identical pseudogenes, the Florida strain had one whose sequence was identical to the St. Maries sequences, while the sequence of the second pseudogene differed. Consequently, we hypothesized that th

SUBMITTER: Graca T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6346141 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature