Identification of a second endogenous Porphyromonas gingivalis insertion element

¹Department of Biochemistry, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30310, USA.

|June 1, 1997

Summary

Researchers identified a new mobile genetic element, PGIS2, in Porphyromonas gingivalis. This insertion sequence element can move within the bacteria

Area of Science:

Background:

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a key bacterium implicated in periodontal disease.
Mobile genetic elements, such as insertion sequence (IS) elements, play a significant role in bacterial genome evolution and adaptation.

Purpose of the Study:

To identify and characterize novel endogenous insertion sequence (IS) elements in Porphyromonas gingivalis.
To investigate the transposition capability and genomic distribution of newly identified IS elements.

Main Methods:

Nucleotide sequence analysis of insertion sites in P. gingivalis transconjugants generated by Tn4351.
Southern hybridization using a PGIS2-specific probe to analyze chromosomal DNA from various P. gingivalis strains.
Bioinformatic analysis of the putative polypeptide encoded by PGIS2.

Main Results:

Identification of a second endogenous P. gingivalis IS element, designated PGIS2, capable of transposition.
PGIS2 is 1,207 bp long with imperfect 19-bp terminal inverted repeats, causing target site duplication upon insertion.
Genomic analysis revealed variable copy numbers of PGIS2 across different P. gingivalis strains.
PGIS2 shares homology with IS elements from other bacterial species, including Vibrio cholerae, Aeromonas salmonicida, and Escherichia coli.

Conclusions:

A novel transposable IS element, PGIS2, has been identified in Porphyromonas gingivalis.
The presence and copy number of PGIS2 vary among P. gingivalis strains, suggesting its potential role in strain diversity.
PGIS2 represents a new tool for studying genetic variation and mobile element dynamics in P. gingivalis.

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