Journal article
Biased distribution of DNA uptake sequences towards genome maintenance genes
Repeated sequence signatures are characteristic features of all genomic DNA. We have made a rigorous search for repeat genomic sequences in the human pathogens Neisseria meningitidis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Haemophilus influenzae and found that by far the most frequent 9-10mers residing within coding regions are the DNA uptake sequences (DUS) required for natural genetic transformation.
More importantly, we found a significantly higher density of DUS within genes involved in DNA repair, recombination, restriction-modification and replication than in any other annotated gene group in these organisms. Pasteurella multocida also displayed high frequencies of a putative DUS identical to that previously identified in H. influenzae and with a skewed distribution towards genome maintenance genes, indicating that this bacterium might be transformation competent under certain conditions.
Language: | English |
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Publisher: | Oxford University Press |
Year: | 2004 |
Pages: | 1050-1058 |
ISSN: | 13624962 and 03051048 |
Types: | Journal article |
DOI: | 10.1093/nar/gkh255 |