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Updated: Jul 15, 2026

A Duplex Digital PCR Assay for Simultaneous Quantification of the Enterococcus spp. and the Human Fecal-associated HF183 Marker in Waters
Published on: March 9, 2016
A novel class of small repetitive DNA sequences in Enterococcus faecalis
Rossella Venditti1, Eliana De Gregorio, Giustina Silvestro
1Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare, Facoltà di Medicina, Università Federico II, Napoli, Italy.
Enterococcus faecalis repeats (EFAR) are novel miniature insertion sequences. These DNA sequences integrate into specific chromosomal targets, forming unique L-shaped structures.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Genomics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Enterococcus faecalis is a significant opportunistic pathogen.
- Understanding mobile genetic elements like insertion sequences is crucial for bacterial genomics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the structural organization of novel Enterococcus faecalis repeats (EFAR).
- To investigate the integration mechanism and target site characteristics of EFAR.
Main Methods:
- In silico analysis of the Enterococcus faecalis V583 genome.
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to identify EFAR presence in clinical isolates.
- Sequencing of chromosomal integration sites.
Main Results:
- EFAR are miniature insertion sequences (42-650 bp) with length variation due to 16 sequence types.
- Most EFAR elements (approx. 170 bp) form L-shaped structures via two stem-loop structures (SLSs).
- Integration targets are short (24-37 bp) sequences capable of forming SLSs, with partial retention at EFAR termini post-integration.
Conclusions:
- EFAR represent a new class of miniature insertion sequences in Enterococcus faecalis.
- EFAR integration involves specific target site recognition and structural modification.
- The findings contribute to understanding genome plasticity in Enterococcus faecalis.
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