Open AccessThe phosphotriesterase gene opdA in Agrobacterium radiobacter P230 is transposable
Author(s) -
Horne Irene,
Qiu Xinghui,
Russell Robyn J,
Oakeshott John G
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1016/s0378-1097(03)00211-8
Subject(s) - transposable element , transposase , inverted repeat , sleeping beauty transposon system , biology , genetics , tn3 transposon , gene , insertion sequence , transposition (logic) , genome , linguistics , philosophy
We report a transposase gene ( tnpA ) upstream of the opdA phosphotriesterase gene of Agrobacterium radiobacter P230, as well as inverted repeats indicative of insertion sequences, flanking the two genes. Both the tnpA gene and the inverted repeats resemble the Tn 610 transposon from Mycobacterium fortuitum . Two additional putative open reading frames separate opdA and tnpA with inferred translation products with similarity to two proteins encoded on the Geobacillus stearothermophilus IS 5376 transposon. To test the proposition that these genes were contained on a transposon, an artificial composite transposon was constructed. This artificial transposon was then delivered into Escherichia coli DH10β cells. Transposition was demonstrated by the presence of opdA on the E. coli chromosome and confirmation of insertion by inverse polymerase chain reaction. The data presented suggest a possible role of transposition in the distribution of the opd / opdA genes across a wide range of soil bacteria.