Mycobacterium xenopi IS1395, a novel insertion sequence expanding the IS256 family

An insertion sequence (IS) of Mycobacterium xenopi has been isolated and sequenced. This 1323 bp element, designated IS1395, is present in up to 18 copies in the M. xenopi genome and may be harboured in an M. xenopi extrachromosomal element. It encodes a putative transposase of 415 amino acids which displays sequence homology to the Staphylococcus aureus IS256 family. Members of this class of elements have been described in the genus Mycobacterium-for example IS1081 is present in the M. tuberculosis complex, IS1245-IS1311 in M. avium, and IS6120 in M. smegmatis; these elements exhibit an 89%, 45% and 16% amino acid identity with IS1395, respectively. Investigation of the host range of IS1395 by Southern blot analysis revealed additional IS1395-related repeated sequences in M. gordonae and M. celatum. Moreover, IS1395 represents a useful epidemiological tool for M. xenopi strain typing as it provides a diversity of restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns.