Direct repetition of a 1.2 Md DNA sequence is involved in site-specific recombination by the P1 plasmid R68

Gene
|September 1, 1980
PubMed

Insights

A novel insertion sequence, IS8, was identified in the R68.45 plasmid, contributing to plasmid formation and site-specific recombination. This discovery enhances understanding of bacterial plasmid dynamics and genetic elements.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • The R68.45 plasmid, a mutant derivative of the R68 plasmid, exhibits unique genetic characteristics.
  • Understanding the genetic makeup of plasmids is crucial for comprehending bacterial adaptation and evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize a significant DNA insertion within the R68.45 plasmid.
  • To elucidate the role of this insertion in plasmid formation and recombination events.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of the DNA sequence and structure of the R68.45 plasmid.
  • Identification and characterization of repetitive DNA elements and foreign DNA fragments.

Main Results:

  • A 1.5 Md DNA insertion was identified in the R68.45 plasmid, near the kanamycin-resistance region.
  • This insertion comprises a 1.2 Md DNA repeat (IS8) flanking a 0.3 Md foreign DNA fragment.
  • The IS8 element is implicated in the formation of R'68.45 plasmids and site-specific recombination in RP4.

Conclusions:

  • The 1.2 Md DNA fragment, designated IS8, functions as an insertion sequence.
  • IS8 plays a critical role in the generation of R'68.45 plasmids and influences site-specific recombination.
  • This finding contributes to the understanding of mobile genetic elements and their impact on plasmid evolution.

Related Concept Videos

The Replisome03:01

The Replisome

DNA replication is carried out by a large complex of proteins that act in a coordinated matter to achieve high-fidelity DNA replication. Together this complex is known as the DNA replication machinery or the replisome.
The synthesis of the leading and lagging strands is a highly coordinated process. To explain this, the “Trombone model” was proposed by Bruce Alberts in 1980. The DNA loop formation starts when a primer is synthesized on the parent lagging strand. The loop grows with the...
Translesion DNA Polymerases02:10

Translesion DNA Polymerases

Translesion (TLS) polymerases rescue stalled DNA polymerases at sites of damaged bases by replacing the replicative polymerase and installing a nucleotide across the damaged site. Doing so, TLS allows additional time for the cell to repair the damage before resuming regular DNA replication.
TLS polymerases are found in all three domains of life - archaea, bacteria, and eukaryotes. Of the different classes of TLS polymerases, members of the Y family are fitted with specialized structures that...
Homologous Recombination02:31

Homologous Recombination

The basic reaction of homologous recombination (HR) involves two chromatids that contain DNA sequences sharing a significant stretch of identity. One of these sequences uses a strand from another as a template to synthesize DNA in an enzyme-catalyzed reaction. The final product is a novel amalgamation of the two substrates. To ensure an accurate recombination of sequences, HR is restricted to the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle. At these stages, the DNA has been replicated already and the...
Restarting Stalled Replication Forks02:37

Restarting Stalled Replication Forks

DNA replication is initiated at sites containing predefined DNA sequences known as origins of replication. DNA is unwound at these sites by the minichromosome maintenance (MCM) helicase and other factors such as Cdc45 and the associated GINS complex.The unwound single strands are protected by replication protein A (RPA) until DNA polymerase starts synthesizing DNA at the 5’ end of the strand in the same direction as the replication fork. To prevent the replication fork from falling apart, a...
Conservative Site-specific Recombination and Phase Variation02:53

Conservative Site-specific Recombination and Phase Variation

Because the DNA segments are cut and reorganized in a direction-specific manner, site-specific recombination has emerged as an efficient genetic engineering technique. Flippase and Cyclization recombinases or Flp and Cre, respectively, are two members of the tyrosine recombinase family derived from bacteriophages, that are used to mediate site-specific DNA insertions, deletions, and targeted expression of proteins in mammalian cell lines.
The recognition sites for Cre recombinase called LoxP...
Replication in Prokaryotes01:32

Replication in Prokaryotes

DNA replication has three main steps: initiation, elongation, and termination. Replication in prokaryotes begins when initiator proteins bind to the single origin of replication (ori) on the cell's circular chromosome. Replication then proceeds around the entire circle of the chromosome in each direction from the two replication forks, resulting in two DNA molecules.
Many Proteins Work Together to Replicate the Chromosome
Replication is coordinated and carried out by a host of specialized...