biostudies-literatureUnknown7(1)Siddique AWellcome TrustNeisseria meningitidis is the primary causative agent of bacterial meningitis. The genome is rich in repetitive DNA and almost 2% is occupied by a diminutive transposon called the Correia element. Here we report a bioinformatic analysis defining eight subtypes of the element with four distinct types of ends. Transcriptional analysis, using PCR and a lacZ reporter system, revealed that two ends in particular encode strong promoters. The activity of the strongest promoter is dictated by a recurrent polymorphism (Y128) at the right end of the element. We highlight examples of elements that appear to drive transcription of adjacent genes and others that may express small non-coding RNAs. Pair-wise comparisons between three meningococcal genomes revealed that no more than two-thirds of Correia PLoS geneticse1001277https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC3024310biostudies-literatureThe transposon-like Correia elements encode numerous strong promoters and provide a potential new mechanism for phase variation in the meningococcus.PMC3024310Buisine NChalmers RSiddique AfalseThe transposon-like Correia elements encode numerous strong promoters and provide a potential new mechanism for phase variation in the meningococcus.Neisseria meningitidis is the primary causative agent of bacterial meningitis. The genome is rich in repetitive DNA and almost 2% is occupied by a diminutive transposon called the Correia element. Here we report a bioinformatic analysis defining eight subtypes of the element with four distinct types of ends. Transcriptional analysis, using PCR and a lacZ reporter system, revealed that two ends in particular encode strong promoters. The activity of the strongest promoter is dictated by a recurrent polymorphism (Y128) at the right end of the element. We highlight examples of elements that appear to drive transcription of adjacent genes and others that may express small non-coding RNAs. Pair-wise comparisons between three meningococcal genomes revealed that no more than two-thirds of Correia 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z2011 Jan2026-05-02T07:43:24.167Z2019-03-27T00:38:18ZS-EPMC30243102128379010.1371/journal.pgen.1001277