Identification of five novel tectiviruses in Bacillus strains: analysis of a highly variable region generating genetic diversity
Date
2013
Authors
Jalasvuori, Matti
Palmu, Saara
Gillis, Annika
Kokko, Hanna
Mahillon, Jacques
Bamford, Jaana K.H.
Fornelos, Nadine
Journal Title
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Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract
Our biosphere is abundant with unique and small genes for which no homologs are known. These genes, often referred to as orphans or ORFans, are commonly found in bacteriophage genomes but their origins remain unclear. We discovered five novel tectivirus-like genetic elements by screening more than five-hundred Bacillus strains. A highly variable region (HVR) of these viruses was shown to harbor ORFans in most of these otherwise well-conserved bacteriophages. Previous studies demonstrated that mutations close to this region dramatically alter bacteriophage gene regulation, suggesting that the acquisition of those ORFans may provide a source of genetic diversity that is then subject to genetic selection during bacteriophage evolution.
Description
Keywords
Keywords: article; Bacillus; bacterial mutation; bacterial strain; bacteriophage; gene control; genetic selection; genetic variability; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; priority journal; regulatory sequence; Amino Acid Sequence; Bacillus; Bacillus Phages; DNA, Viral; Evolution; Lysogeny; ORFan; Phage cycle regulation; Tectivirus
Citation
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Source
Research in Microbiology
Type
Journal article
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2037-12-31