CTX prophages in classical biotype Vibrio cholerae: functional phage genes but dysfunctional phage genomes.

ABSTRACT: CTXphi is a filamentous, lysogenic bacteriophage whose genome encodes cholera toxin, the primary virulence factor produced by Vibrio cholerae. CTX prophages in O1 El Tor and O139 strains of V. cholerae are found within arrays of genetically related elements integrated at a single locus within the V. cholerae large chromosome. The prophages of O1 El Tor and O139 strains generally yield infectious CTXphi. In contrast, O1 classical strains of V. cholerae do not produce CTXphi, although they produce cholera toxin and they contain CTX prophages integrated at two sites. We have identified the second site of CTX prophage integration in O1 classical strains and characterized the classical prophage arrays genetically and functionally. The genes of classical prophages encode functional forms of all

SUBMITTER: Davis BM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC94825 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature