Mobile Genetic Element Insertions Drive Antibiotic Resistance Across

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Mobile Genetic Element Insertions Drive Antibiotic Resistance Across bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/527788; this version posted January 23, 2019. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was1 not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 1 Mobile genetic element insertions drive antibiotic 2 resistance across pathogens 3 Authors: Matthew G. Durrant1, Michelle M. Li1, Ben Siranosian1, Ami S. Bhatt1 4 Affiliations: 1) Department of Medicine (Hematology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation) and 5 Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA. 6 Abstract 7 Mobile genetic elements contribute to bacterial adaptation and evolution; however, detecting 8 these elements in a high-throughput and unbiased manner remains challenging. Here, we demonstrate a 9 de novo approach to identify mobile elements from short-read sequencing data. The method identifies 10 the precise site of mobile element insertion and infers the identity of the inserted sequence. This is an 11 improvement over previous methods that either rely on curated databases of known mobile elements or 12 rely on ‘split-read’ alignments that assume the inserted element exists within the reference genome. We 13 apply our approach to 12,419 sequenced isolates of nine prevalent bacterial pathogens, and we identify 14 hundreds of known and novel mobile genetic elements, including many candidate insertion sequences. 15 We find that the mobile element repertoire and insertion rate vary considerably across species, and that 16 many of the identified mobile elements are biased toward certain target seQuences, several of them being 17 highly specific. Mobile element insertion hotspots often cluster near genes involved in mechanisms of 18 antibiotic resistance, and such insertions are associated with antibiotic resistance in laboratory 19 experiments and clinical isolates. Finally, we demonstrate that mutagenesis caused by these mobile 20 elements contributes to antibiotic resistance in a genome-wide association study of mobile element 21 insertions in pathogenic Escherichia coli. In summary, by applying a de novo approach to precisely identify bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/527788; this version posted January 23, 2019. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was2 not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 22 mobile genetic elements and their insertion sites, we thoroughly characterize the mobile element 23 repertoire and insertion spectrum of nine pathogenic bacterial species and find that mobile element 24 insertions play a significant role in the evolution of clinically relevant phenotypes, such as antibiotic 25 resistance. 26 Main 27 Genomic variation is critical for the adaptation of pathogenic bacteria. Successful human 28 pathogens, such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, are able to acquire adaptive phenotypes, 29 such as antibiotic resistance, through the acquisition of single nucleotide polymorphisms, small insertions 30 and deletions, inversions, duplications, and also through the movement of mobile genetic elements 31 (MGEs). Prokaryotic MGEs come in many forms such as insertion seQuence (IS) elements, transposons, 32 integrons, plasmids, and bacteriophages (Stokes and Gillings 2011; Rankin, Rocha, and Brown 2011). Some 33 of these elements can mobilize and insert themselves in a site-specific or random manner throughout the 34 host genome. They are of great interest to the scientific and medical communities, in large part because 35 they can transfer between microbes via horizontal gene transfer, spreading their genetic potential 36 between strains of the same species, and even across species (Juhas 2015; Bloemendaal, Brouwer, and 37 Fluit 2010). 38 IS elements are among the simplest MGEs, and typically code for only the gene (transposase) 39 necessary for their transposition (Mahillon and Chandler 1998). IS elements can transpose into genes, 40 resulting in insertional mutagenesis and loss of function of the gene (Figure 1f) (Emmanuelle Lerat and 41 Ochman 2004); alternatively, they can transpose into gene regulatory elements and influence expression 42 of neighboring genes (Figure 1f,g). IS elements play a role in antibiotic resistance (Linkevicius, Sandegren, 43 and Andersson 2013), horizontal gene transfer (Ochman, Lawrence, and Groisman 2000), and genome 44 evolution (Plague et al. 2017; Biémont and Vieira 2006; Barrick et al. 2009). In addition to minimal bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/527788; this version posted January 23, 2019. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was3 not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 45 elements, such as insertion sequences, MGEs can contain additional “passenger” genes (Figure 1e). These 46 passenger genes can code for a variety of proteins, including virulence factors, antibiotic resistance genes, 47 detoxifying agents, and enzymes for secondary metabolism (Rankin, Rocha, and Brown 2011). 48 Historical estimates suggest that IS movements make up approximately 3% of acQuired mutations 49 in adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) experiments (Conrad, Lewis, and Palsson 2011), but more recent 50 studies have found that the rate of IS mutagenesis can vary depending on growth conditions, such as 51 oxygen exposure (Finn et al. 2017). Under neutral conditions, the rate of IS element insertion in E. coli is 52 estimated as 3.5 x 10-4 per genome per generation under neutral laboratory conditions (Lee et al. 2016); 53 this IS insertion rate is about 1/3rd the rate of base substitution (Lee et al. 2012). Whereas the majority of 54 studies investigating IS insertion rates have been carried out in E. coli, the rate of IS insertions does vary 55 between strains and species (Knöppel et al. 2018; Lee et al. 2016). Functionally, IS elements have been 56 shown to play an important role in antibiotic resistance in studies of small collections of clinical isolates 57 (Olliver et al. 2005; Sun et al. 2016), but a larger survey of IS insertions in clinical isolates has not yet been 58 carried out. Our somewhat narrow understanding of the location and role of IS elements in bacterial 59 adaptation is likely the result of limited awareness of the role of these elements in adaptation, an 60 assumption that short reads cannot accurately identify such insertions, and the lack of flexible and 61 sensitive tools to identify such mutations. 62 Several approaches exist for identifying IS elements and cargo-carrying MGEs for both prokaryotic 63 and eukaryotic genomes (Barrick et al. 2014; E. Lerat 2010; Xie and Tang 2017; Treepong et al. 2018; Jiang 64 et al. 2015; Adams, Bishop, and Wright 2016; Biswas et al. 2015; Hawkey et al. 2015). For example, a 65 database-dependent approach has been used to identify novel IS elements through performing a BLAST 66 search on completed genome or draft genome assemblies (Siguier et al. 2006), and other approaches 67 relying on split-read alignments can identify MGE insertions with respect to a well-annotated reference 68 genome (Barrick et al. 2014). While these approaches are useful, most are limited due to their dependence bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/527788; this version posted January 23, 2019. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was4 not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 69 on shared homology with known MGEs or genes, or by requiring well-annotated reference genomes using 70 sequenced isolates that closely resemble the reference. 71 Here, we sought to comprehensively identify complete MGEs, the genes they contained, and their 72 site of insertion with respect to a reference genome from short-read sequencing data. Our approach is 73 flexible, as it can use a database of MGEs when available, but it does not depend entirely on a database 74 of known MGEs and mobile genes. It is sensitive and precise enough to be used on both laboratory 75 samples and environmental isolates. We focus on MGE insertion sites, generate consensus sequences for 76 inserted elements from the clipped ends of locally-aligned reads, infer complete MGEs from sequence 77 assemblies, and build a de novo database of elements across all analyzed samples. We combine several 78 sequence inference approaches to identify large insertions, resulting in a highly sensitive and precise 79 overall approach. 80 By focusing on MGE insertion sites, we answer several Questions about these elements that have 81 not been thoroughly addressed in the past. For example, we determine the target-site specificity of each 82 of these MGEs, their level of activity relative to other MGEs within the same species, and the overall MGE 83 insertional capacity of the species of interest. Understanding the overall MGE potential helps us to 84 understand to what extent a bacterial species can adapt by means of MGE activity, either within a single 85 bacterial genome or by way of horizontal gene transfer. Additionally, we can identify genes that are 86 freQuently disrupted by MGE insertions within the population, hinting at selective pressures that may be 87 driving these adaptive insertion events 88 We use our de novo approach to analyze 12,419 sequenced isolates of nine pathogenic bacterial 89 species and demonstrate large differences in the overall MGE repertoire and the rate of MGE insertion 90 between species. We characterize MGE insertion hotspots across species and demonstrate that these 91 insertions alter the activity of genes in clinically relevant biological pathways, such as those related to 92 antibiotic resistance. We analyze MGE insertions in the context of adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/527788; this version posted January 23, 2019.
Recommended publications
  • Mobile Genetic Elements in Streptococci
    Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. (2019) 32: 123-166. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21775/cimb.032.123 Mobile Genetic Elements in Streptococci Miao Lu#, Tao Gong#, Anqi Zhang, Boyu Tang, Jiamin Chen, Zhong Zhang, Yuqing Li*, Xuedong Zhou* State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, PR China. #Miao Lu and Tao Gong contributed equally to this work. *Address correspondence to: [email protected], [email protected] Abstract Streptococci are a group of Gram-positive bacteria belonging to the family Streptococcaceae, which are responsible of multiple diseases. Some of these species can cause invasive infection that may result in life-threatening illness. Moreover, antibiotic-resistant bacteria are considerably increasing, thus imposing a global consideration. One of the main causes of this resistance is the horizontal gene transfer (HGT), associated to gene transfer agents including transposons, integrons, plasmids and bacteriophages. These agents, which are called mobile genetic elements (MGEs), encode proteins able to mediate DNA movements. This review briefly describes MGEs in streptococci, focusing on their structure and properties related to HGT and antibiotic resistance. caister.com/cimb 123 Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. (2019) Vol. 32 Mobile Genetic Elements Lu et al Introduction Streptococci are a group of Gram-positive bacteria widely distributed across human and animals. Unlike the Staphylococcus species, streptococci are catalase negative and are subclassified into the three subspecies alpha, beta and gamma according to the partial, complete or absent hemolysis induced, respectively. The beta hemolytic streptococci species are further classified by the cell wall carbohydrate composition (Lancefield, 1933) and according to human diseases in Lancefield groups A, B, C and G.
    [Show full text]
  • Bacterial Genetics
    BACTERIAL GENETICS Genetics is the study of genes including the structure of genetic materials, what information is stored in the genes, how the genes are expressed and how the genetic information is transferred. Genetics is also the study of heredity and variation. The arrangement of genes within organisms is its genotype and the physical characteristics an organism based on its genotype and the interaction with its environment, make up its phenotype. The order of DNA bases constitutes the bacterium's genotype. A particular organism may possess alternate forms of some genes. Such alternate forms of genes are referred to as alleles. The cell's genome is stored in chromosomes, which are chains of double stranded DNA. Genes are sequences of nucleotides within DNA that code for functional proteins. The genetic material of bacteria and plasmids is DNA. The two essential functions of genetic material are replication and expression. Structure of DNA The DNA molecule is composed of two chains of nucleotides wound around each other in the form of “double helix”. Double-stranded DNA is helical, and the two strands in the helix are antiparallel. The backbone of each strand comprises of repeating units of deoxyribose and phosphate residue. Attached to the deoxyribose is purine (AG) or pyrimidine (CT) base. Nucleic acids are large polymers consisting of repeating nucleotide units. Each nucleotide contains one phosphate group, one deoxyribose sugar, and one purine or pyrimidine base. In DNA the sugar is deoxyribose; in RNA the sugar is ribose. The double helix is stabilized by hydrogen bonds between purine and pyrimidine bases on the opposite strands.
    [Show full text]
  • Wait to Open the Exam Until the Bell Rings
    PRINTED NAME BIO 226R SPRING 05 DR BLINKOVA EXAM 4 INSTRUCTIONS: FILL IN NAME AND UTEID ON THE SCANTRON, NOW. FILL IN NAME ON THIS PAGE, NOW. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW, NOW. Answers. Answer on the answer sheet. 2.5 pts each. Read the questions carefully and choose the best answer. Understanding the questions is part of the exam. Therefore, no questions about the exam will be answered, unless some of the exam questions are ambiguous, in which case, the entire class will be interrupted and the same explanation made to everyone. If you think that a question is ambiguous, inform the TA or instructor. Several questions ask you to analyze lecture material and formulate an answer, rather than just to repeat material from memory. WAIT TO OPEN THE EXAM UNTIL THE BELL RINGS 1. Generalized transduction is distinguishable from specialized transduction by the fact that a. generalized transduction may be used to move any gene, whereas specialized transduction moves only certain genes. b. selective medium is required for generalized transduction, whereas selective medium is not required for specialized transduction. c. donor DNA must be purified from the donor for generalized transduction, whereas specialized transduction involves movement of DNA by phages. d. generalized transduction is possible in generally all organisms, whereas specialized transduction is possible only in special groups of organisms. 2. Generalized transducing particles a. are formed by packaging host chromosomal fragments after phage infection b. are formed during growth of a phage in a bacterial host c. carry donor genes to recipient cells d. all the above 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Transposable Elements Contribute to the Genome Plasticity of Ralstonia Solanacearum Species Complex
    RESEARCH ARTICLE Gonçalves et al., Microbial Genomics 2020;6 DOI 10.1099/mgen.0.000374 Transposable elements contribute to the genome plasticity of Ralstonia solanacearum species complex Osiel Silva Gonçalves, Kiara França Campos, Jéssica Catarine Silva de Assis, Alexia Suellen Fernandes, Thamires Santos Souza, Luiz Guilherme do Carmo Rodrigues, Marisa Vieira de Queiroz and Mateus Ferreira Santana* Abstract The extensive genetic diversity of Ralstonia solanacearum, a serious soil-borne phytopathogen, has led to the concept that R. solanacearum encompasses a species complex [R. solanacearum species complex (RSSC)]. Insertion sequences (ISs) are sug- gested to play an important role in the genome evolution of this pathogen. Here, we identified and analysed transposable ele- ments (TEs), ISs and transposons, in 106 RSSC genomes and 15 Ralstonia spp. We mapped 10 259 IS elements in the complete genome of 62 representative RSSC strains and closely related Ralstonia spp. A unique set of 20 IS families was widespread across the strains, IS5 and IS3 being the most abundant. Our results showed six novel transposon sequences belonging to the Tn3 family carrying passenger genes encoding antibiotic resistance and avirulence proteins. In addition, internal rearrange- ment events associated with ISs were demonstrated in Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum strains. We also mapped IS elements interrupting avirulence genes, which provided evidence that ISs plays an important role in virulence evolution of RSSC. Addi- tionally, the activity of ISs was demonstrated by transcriptome analysis and DNA hybridization in R. solanacearum isolates. Altogether, we have provided collective data of TEs in RSSC genomes, opening a new path for understanding their evolutionary impact on the genome evolution and diversity of this important plant pathogen.
    [Show full text]
  • Bacterial Insertion Sequences E
    Bacterial Insertion Sequences E. OHTSUBO and Y. SEKINE Introduction 2 Families of Insertion Sequences ....................................... 3 2.1 IS1 Family. .. ................. .................... 3 2.2 IS3 Family. .. .......... .................................. 6 2.3 IS4 Family . ................ 8 2.4 IS630-Tc1 Family ........................................... 9 2.5 A Family of Unusual IS Elements ................... 10 2.6 IS1071, a MemberofTn3 Family .................. 11 2.7 Others ........ .......... 12 3 Translational Frameshifting in Production of T ransposases Encoded by IS Elements ... 12 3.1 IS1 Transposase .. .. .......... 13 3.2 IS3 Transposase . ........ 14 3.3 Other T ransframe Proteins Including Retroviral Polyproteins .............. 15 4 Possible Intermediate Molecules of Transposition of IS Elements ................. 16 4.1 IS Circles . .. ........ 17 4.2 IS Linears 19 References 20 1 Introduction While DNA has a property of being fundamentally stable as invariable genetic information, studies on gene expression and gene organization have revealed that the genome is often subject to dynamic changes. Some of these changes are brought about by mobile genetic elements which have been found in prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes so far studied. Insertion sequences (ISs) are bacterial mobile DNA elements which cause various kinds of genome rearrangements, such as deletions, inversions, duplications, and replicon fusions, by their ability to transpose, These were discovered during investigation of mutations that are highly polar in the galactose and lactose operons of Escherichia coli K-12 (JORDAN et al. 1968; MALAMY 1966, 1970; SHAPIRO 1969) and in the early genes of bacteriophage A (BRACHET et al. 1970). Many of these mutations were shown by Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Yayoi 1-1-1, Tokyo 113, Japan H.
    [Show full text]
  • Genetic Analysis of the Interaction of the Insertion Sequence IS903 Transposase with Its Terminal Inverted Repeats
    Proc. Nail. Acad. Sci. USA Vol. 84, pp. 8049-8053, November 1987 Genetics Genetic analysis of the interaction of the insertion sequence IS903 transposase with its terminal inverted repeats (point mutations/cis-acting protein/DNA-protein interactions/transposition mechanisms) KEITH M. DERBYSHIRE, LEON HWANG, AND NIGEL D. F. GRINDLEY Yale University, Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, New Haven, CT 06510 Communicated by Joan A. Steitz, August 10, 1987 (receivedfor review June 26, 1987) ABSTRACT The insertion sequence IS903 has perfect, kanamycin (7, 8). Each IS903 element is capable of transpo- 18-base-pair terminal repeats that are the presumed binding sition and is flanked by perfect 18-bp inverted repeats. These sites of its transposase. We have isolated mutations throughout are the only sequence elements required in cis for transpo- this inverted repeat and analyzed their effect on transposition. sition (9), although it should also be noted that the IS903 We show that every position in the inverted repeat (with the transposase is a cis-acting protein (7). This is a phenomenon possible exception of position 4) is important for efficient that appears to be a general property of IS element trans- transposition. Furthermore, various substitutions at a single posases; those of IS], ISIO, and IS50 also do not efficiently position can have a wide range of effects. Analysis of these complement mutant transposons in trans (10-12). We have hierarchical effects suggests that transposase contacts the described (13) a saturation mutagenesis technique by which minor groove in the region from position 13 to position 16 but we isolated many mutations throughout the inverted repeat of makes major groove (or more complex) interactions with the IS903.
    [Show full text]
  • Easy Identification of Insertion Sequence Mobilization Events in Related Bacterial Strains with Iscompare
    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.10.16.342287; this version posted October 20, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY 4.0 International license. E.G. Mogro et al. Easy identification of insertion sequence mobilization events in related bacterial strains with ISCompare. Mogro E.G.1 , Ambrosis N.1 , and Lozano M.J.1* 1IBBM - Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular, CONICET, CCT-La Plata, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, calles 47 y 115, 1900-La Plata, Argentina. Key words: insertion sequence detection, mobile genetic elements, genome evolution *Corresponding author Phone: +54-221-422-9777 E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Abstract Motivation Bacterial genomes are composed by a core and an accessory genome. The first composed of housekeeping and essential genes, while the second is composed, in its majority, of mobile genetic elements, including transposable elements (TEs). Insertion sequences (ISs), the smallest TEs, have an important role in genome evolution, and contribute to bacterial genome plasticity and adaptability. ISs can spread in a genome, presenting different locations in nearly related strains, and producing phenotypic variations. Few tools are available which can identify differentially located ISs (DLIS) on assembled genomes. Results We developed ISCompare to profile IS mobilization events in related bacterial strains using complete or draft genome assemblies. ISCompare was validated using artificial genomes with simulated random IS insertions and real sequences, achieving the same or better results than other available tools, with the advantage that ISCompare can analyse multiple ISs at the same time and outputs a list of candidate DLIS.
    [Show full text]
  • Insertion Sequence-Excision Enhancer Removes Transposable Elements from Bacterial Genomes and Induces Various Genomic Deletions
    ARTICLE Received 18 Aug 2010 | Accepted 1 Dec 2010 | Published 11 Jan 2011 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1152 Insertion sequence-excision enhancer removes transposable elements from bacterial genomes and induces various genomic deletions Masahiro Kusumoto1, Tadasuke Ooka2, Yoshiaki Nishiya3, Yoshitoshi Ogura2,4, Takashi Saito5, Yasuhiko Sekine5, Taketoshi Iwata1, Masato Akiba1 & Tetsuya Hayashi2,4 Insertion sequences (ISs) are the simplest transposable elements and are widely distributed in bacteria. It has long been thought that IS excision rarely occurs in bacterial cells because most bacteria exhibit no end-joining activity to regenerate donor DNA after IS excision. Recently, however, we found that excision of IS629, an IS3 family member, occurs frequently in Escherichia coli O157. In this paper, we describe a protein IS-excision enhancer (IEE) that promotes IS629 excision from the O157 genome in an IS transposase-dependent manner. Various types of genomic deletions are also generated on IEE-mediated IS excision, and IEE promotes the excision of other IS3 family members and ISs from several other IS families. These data and the phylogeny of IEE homologues found in a broad range of bacteria suggest that IEE proteins have coevolved with IS elements and have pivotal roles in bacterial genome evolution by inducing IS removal and genomic deletion. 1 Safety Research Team, National Institute of Animal Health, 3-1-5 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan. 2 Division of Microbiology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan. 3 Tsuruga Institute of Biotechnology, Toyobo Co., Ltd., Fukui 914-0047, Japan. 4 Division of Bioenvironmental Science, Frontier Science Research Center, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 889-1692, Japan.
    [Show full text]
  • A Pipeline for Insertion Sequence Detection and Study for Bacterial Genome
    A Pipeline for Insertion Sequence Detection and Study for Bacterial Genome Huda Al-Nayyef1;2, Christophe Guyeux1, and Jacques M. Bahi1 1 FEMTO-ST Institute, UMR 6174 CNRS, DISC Computer Science Department Universit´ede Franche-Comt´e,16, Rue de Gray, 25000 Besan¸con,France 2 Computer Science Department, University of Mustansiriyah, Iraq fhuda.al-nayyef, christophe.guyeux, [email protected] June 27, 2017 Abstract Insertion Sequences (ISs) are small DNA segments that have the ability of moving themselves into genomes. These types of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) seem to play an essential role in genomes rearrangements and evolution of prokaryotic genomes, but the tools that deal with discovering ISs in an efficient and accurate way are still too few and not totally precise. Two main factors have big effects on IS discovery, namely: genes annotation and functionality prediction. Indeed, some specific genes called \transposases" are enzymes that are responsible of the production and catalysis for such transposition, but there is currently no fully accurate method that could decide whether a given predicted gene is either a real transposase or not. This is why authors of this article aim at designing a novel pipeline for ISs detection and classification, which embeds the most recently available tools developed in this field of research, namely OASIS (Optimized Annotation System for Insertion Sequence) and ISFinder database (an up-to-date and accurate repository of known insertion sequences). As this latter depend on predicted coding sequences, the proposed pipeline will encompass too various kinds of bacterial genes annotation tools (that is, Prokka, BASys, and Prodigal).
    [Show full text]
  • Genetic Analysis of the Interaction of the Insertion Sequence IS903
    Proc. Nail. Acad. Sci. USA Vol. 84, pp. 8049-8053, November 1987 Genetics Genetic analysis of the interaction of the insertion sequence IS903 transposase with its terminal inverted repeats (point mutations/cis-acting protein/DNA-protein interactions/transposition mechanisms) KEITH M. DERBYSHIRE, LEON HWANG, AND NIGEL D. F. GRINDLEY Yale University, Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, New Haven, CT 06510 Communicated by Joan A. Steitz, August 10, 1987 (receivedfor review June 26, 1987) ABSTRACT The insertion sequence IS903 has perfect, kanamycin (7, 8). Each IS903 element is capable of transpo- 18-base-pair terminal repeats that are the presumed binding sition and is flanked by perfect 18-bp inverted repeats. These sites of its transposase. We have isolated mutations throughout are the only sequence elements required in cis for transpo- this inverted repeat and analyzed their effect on transposition. sition (9), although it should also be noted that the IS903 We show that every position in the inverted repeat (with the transposase is a cis-acting protein (7). This is a phenomenon possible exception of position 4) is important for efficient that appears to be a general property of IS element trans- transposition. Furthermore, various substitutions at a single posases; those of IS], ISIO, and IS50 also do not efficiently position can have a wide range of effects. Analysis of these complement mutant transposons in trans (10-12). We have hierarchical effects suggests that transposase contacts the described (13) a saturation mutagenesis technique by which minor groove in the region from position 13 to position 16 but we isolated many mutations throughout the inverted repeat of makes major groove (or more complex) interactions with the IS903.
    [Show full text]
  • Characterization of a Functional Insertion Sequence Issau2 from Staphylococcus Aureus
    Wang et al. Mobile DNA (2018) 9:3 DOI 10.1186/s13100-018-0108-5 RESEARCH Open Access Characterization of a functional insertion sequence ISSau2 from Staphylococcus aureus Liangliang Wang1,2,3†, Wei Si1†, Huping Xue1 and Xin Zhao1,4* Abstract Background: ISSau2 has been suggested as a member of the IS150 f subgroup in the IS3 family. It encodes a fusion transposase OrfAB produced by programmed − 1 translational frameshifting with two overlapping reading frames orfA and orfB. To better characterize ISSau2, the binding and cleaving activities of the ISSau2 transposase and its transposition frequency were studied. Results: The purified ISSau2 transposase OrfAB was a functional protein in vitro since it bound specifically to ISSau2 terminal inverted repeat sequences (IRs) and cleaved the transposon ends at the artificial mini-transposon pUC19-IRL- gfp-IRR. In addition, the transposition frequency of ISSau2 in vivo was approximately 1.76 ± 0.13 × 10− 3,basedonaGFP hop-on assay. Furthermore, OrfB cleaved IRs with the similar catalytic activity of OrfAB, while OrfA had no catalytic activity. Finally, either OrfA or OrfB significantly reduced the transposition of ISSau2 induced by OrfAB. Conclusion: We have confirmed that ISSau2 is a member of IS150/IS3 family. The ISSau2 transposase OrfAB could bind to and cleave the specific fragments containing the terminal inverted repeat sequences and induce the transposition, suggesting that ISSau2 is at least partially functional. Meanwhile, both OrfA and OrfB inhibited the transposition by ISSau2. Our results will help understand biological roles of ISSau2 in its host S. aureus. Keywords: ISSau2, Functional insertion sequence, IS150, Transposition frequency Background the transposon inverted repeats [2] and a DDE domain Insertion sequences are ubiquitous in prokaryote and which catalyzes transposition reactions [3].
    [Show full text]
  • Diversity of Aster Yellows Phytoplasmas in Lettuce
    DIVERSITY OF ASTER YELLOWS PHYTOPLASMAS IN LETTUCE Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Jianhua Zhang, B. S. ***** The Ohio State University 2003 Dissertation Committee: Approved by Dr. Sally A. Miller (adviser) Dr. Saskia A. Hogenhout (co-adviser) Adviser, Department of Plant Pathology Dr. Lowell R. Nault Dr. Terrence L. Graham Co-Adviser, Department of Entomology Dr. Sophien Kamoun ABSTRACT Aster yellows is a potentially devastating disease of lettuce, caused by a leafhopper- transmitted phytoplasma. Disease incidence varies in the range of 0-100% from year to year in Ohio lettuce fields. An unknown number of aster yellows phytoplasma strains infect lettuce. Aster yellows phytoplasma strains may be distributed differently in lettuce plants, potentially influencing leafhopper transmission of the pathogen. In this study I used molecular methods and symptom type to characterize several aster yellows phytoplasma strains. At least five aster yellows phytoplasma strains were identified based on the symptoms they cause in China aster and lettuce. Strain AY-Witches’ broom (AY-WB) caused wilting in lettuce and witches’-broom in aster plants at the late stage of infection. Aster yellows-Severe (AY-S) caused stunting, clustering and phyllody in aster. AY- Semi-geotropism (AY-SG) differed from the others by causing semi-geotropism at the late stage of infection in aster and lettuce. Strain Bolt-White (AY-BW) infection resulted in chlorosis of newly emerging leaves and Strain Bolt-Distortion (AY-BD2) resulted in leaf and stem distortion in lettuce, mild symptoms compared to those caused by other strains.
    [Show full text]