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Plasmids are extrachromosomal DNA molecules found in bacteria, archaea, and some eukaryotic microbes like yeast. These small, circular DNA structures typically contain fewer than 30 genes, although some may exist linearly. Plasmids vary in their number within a cell, known as copy number. Single-copy plasmids are present in one copy per cell and multi-copy plasmids are present in multiple copies, reaching over 100 copies per cell.Plasmids usually replicate independently of the chromosomal DNA...
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Bacterial conjugation is a mechanism of horizontal gene transfer that enables the exchange of genetic material between bacterial cells through direct contact. This process is facilitated by a donor cell carrying a conjugative plasmid, which encodes genes necessary for pilus formation, DNA replication, and transfer. The conjugative plasmid plays a central role in initiating and executing the transfer of genetic material.The tra region of the conjugative plasmid encodes proteins responsible for...
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Transposons, or "jumping genes," are small mobile genetic elements (MGEs) that range from 700 to 40,000 base pairs in length. They are found in all organisms and can move within the same chromosome or transfer to different chromosomes. In some cases, transposons can also jump between different host DNA molecules, such as plasmids or viruses, contributing to genetic variability.Barbara McClintock first discovered these mobile genetic elements in the 1940s while studying maize genetics, and she...
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LTR retrotransposons are class I transposable elements with long terminal repeats flanking an internal coding region. These elements are less abundant in mammals compared to other class I transposable elements. About 8 percent of human genomic DNA comprises LTR retrotransposons. Some of the common examples of LTR retrotransposons are Ty elements in yeast and Copia elements in Drosophila.
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Demonstrating a Multi-drug Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Amplification Microarray
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Giant linear plasmids in Mycobacterium avium harbour a tRNA array unit.

Hirokazu Yano1,2, Kentaro Arikawa3, Haruo Ikeda4

  • 1Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577, Japan.

DNA Research : an International Journal for Rapid Publication of Reports on Genes and Genomes
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PubMed
Summary

Nontuberculous mycobacteria possess a unique tRNA array unit, potentially an antidefense system. This study reveals these units reside on giant linear plasmids in Mycobacterium avium, offering new insights into bacterial genome organization.

Keywords:
Mycobacterium avium complexT7SSinvertronlinear plasmidnontuberculous mycobacteria

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genomics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Nontuberculous mycobacteria feature tRNA array units, hypothesized as antidefense systems.
  • The genomic location of these tRNA array units has remained undetermined.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the precise genomic location of tRNA array units in Mycobacterium avium.
  • To characterize the extrachromosomal elements harboring these units.

Main Methods:

  • Whole-genome sequencing of five Mycobacterium avium strains using hybrid assembly (long and short reads).
  • Manual curation of assembled genomes.
  • Pulse-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and sodium dodecyl sulfate-PFGE to analyze extrachromosomal DNA.

Main Results:

  • All sequenced M. avium strains contained three to five extrachromosomal elements.
  • The tRNA array unit was consistently located on a linear contig >300 kb.
  • These contigs corresponded to linear plasmids with protein-capped termini, encoding a hybrid secretion system and lacking relaxase genes.
  • Related plasmids were found predominantly in M. avium isolates from Japan, suggesting an Asian origin.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides the first experimental evidence of giant invertron-type linear plasmids in M. avium.
  • These linear plasmids harbor the tRNA array unit, contributing to our understanding of mycobacterial genome plasticity and defense mechanisms.