6533b828fe1ef96bd1288f2a
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Identification of five novel tectiviruses in Bacillus strains: analysis of a highly variable region generating genetic diversity
Jaana K. H. BamfordJacques MahillonAnnika GillisSaara PalmuHanna KokkoNadine FornelosNadine FornelosMatti Jalasvuorisubject
Molecular Sequence DataBacillusBacillus PhagesMicrobiologyGenomeBacteriophageMicroscopy Electron TransmissionLysogenic cycleGenetic variationAmino Acid SequenceGenetic variabilityMolecular BiologyGeneGeneticsGenetic diversitybiologyVirionta1182Genetic VariationSequence Analysis DNAGeneral Medicinebiology.organism_classificationBacillus PhageDNA ViralSequence AlignmentTectiviridaedescription
Our biosphere is abundant with unique and small genes for which no homologs are known. These genes, often referred to as orphans or ORFans, are commonly found in bacteriophage genomes but their origins remain unclear. We discovered five novel tectivirus-like genetic elements by screening more than five-hundred Bacillus strains. A highly variable region (HVR) of these viruses was shown to harbor ORFans in most of these otherwise well-conserved bacteriophages. Previous studies demonstrated that mutations close to this region dramatically alter bacteriophage gene regulation, suggesting that the acquisition of those ORFans may provide a source of genetic diversity that is then subject to genetic selection during bacteriophage evolution. © 2012 Institut Pasteur.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-02-01 | Research in Microbiology |