Open AccessA strain of Yersinia pestis with a mutator phenotype from the Republic of Georgia
Author(s) -
Rajanna Chythanya,
Ouellette Gary,
Rashid Mohammed,
Zemla Adam,
Karavis Mark,
Zhou Carol,
Revazishvili Tamara,
Redmond Brady,
McNew Lauren,
Bakanidze Lela,
Imnadze Paata,
Rivers Bryan,
Skowronski Evan W.,
O'Connell Kevin P.,
Sulakvelidze Alexander,
Gibbons Henry S.
Publication year - 2013
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 - 10.1111/1574-6968.12137
Subject(s) - yersinia pestis , biology , genetics , mutation , mutation rate , strain (injury) , phenotype , gene , allele , virulence , anatomy
Abstract We describe here a strain of Y ersinia pestis , G1670A, which exhibits a baseline mutation rate elevated 250‐fold over wild‐type Y. pestis . The responsible mutation, a C to T substitution in the mutS gene, results in the transition of a highly conserved leucine at position 689 to arginine ( mutS(L689R) ). When the Mut S L 689R protein of G1670A was expressed in a Δ mutS derivative of Y. pestis strain EV 76, mutation rates observed were equivalent to those observed in G1670A, consistent with a causal association between the mutS mutation and the mutator phenotype. The observation of a mutator allele in Yersinia pestis has potential implications for the study of evolution of this and other especially dangerous pathogens.