IS902, an insertion element of the chronic-enteritis-causing Mycobacterium avium subsp. silvaticum

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Genomics
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Insertion sequence (IS) elements are mobile genetic components found in bacterial genomes.
• Understanding IS elements is crucial for studying genome evolution and gene regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize a novel insertion sequence element from Mycobacterium avium subsp. silvaticum.
• To determine the complete nucleotide sequence and genomic distribution of the identified IS element.

Main Methods:

• Isolation and sequencing of the insertion sequence element.
• Bioinformatic analysis to identify open reading frames and predict protein products.
• Comparative analysis with known insertion sequence proteins.

Main Results:

• The insertion sequence element, designated IS902, was isolated and sequenced.
• IS902 is 1470 bp in size and present 10-12 times per genome.
• An open reading frame encoding a 43,932 Da protein was identified, showing high similarity to proteins from IS900, IS116, and IS110.
• IS902 lacks terminal inverted repeats and flanking direct repeats but exhibits insertion site specificity.

Conclusions:

• IS902 represents a novel insertion sequence element in Mycobacterium avium subsp. silvaticum.
• The deduced protein product of IS902 shares homology with other bacterial IS element proteins, suggesting conserved functions.
• The specific insertion site preference of IS902 may play a role in the genome plasticity of Mycobacterium avium subsp. silvaticum.