Insertion sequence IS6100 on plasmid pOAD2, which degrades nylon oligomers

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Nylon oligomer degradation is facilitated by specific bacterial plasmids.
• Plasmid pOAD2 from Flavobacterium sp. strain K172 contains repeated sequence I.
• Insertion sequences (IS) are mobile genetic elements that can influence plasmid structure and function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the nucleotide sequence of repeated sequence I in plasmid pOAD2.
• To compare repeated sequence I with known insertion sequences.
• To investigate the presence of homologous sequences in other nylon-degrading plasmids.

Main Methods:

• DNA sequencing of repeated sequence I from plasmid pOAD2.
• Sequence comparison analysis.
• Southern hybridization experiments.

Main Results:

• Repeated sequence I consists of 880 bp of identical sequence.
• This sequence is identical to IS6100, an insertion sequence from the IS6 family.
• Homologous sequences to IS6100 were detected in the nylon-degrading plasmid pNAD2 from Pseudomonas sp. strain NK87.

Conclusions:

• Repeated sequence I in pOAD2 is an instance of the IS6100 insertion sequence.
• IS6100 is present in plasmids from different bacterial genera involved in nylon degradation.
• This finding suggests horizontal transfer or shared ancestry of IS6100 among nylon-degrading bacteria.