Genetics and Molecular Biology (Jan 2007)

In search of essentiality: Mollicute-specific genes shared by twelve genomes

  • Rangel Celso Souza,
  • Darcy Fontoura de Almeida,
  • Arnaldo Zaha,
  • David Anderson de Lima Morais,
  • Ana Tereza Ribeiro de Vasconcelos

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/s1415-47572007000200002
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 30, no. 1
pp. 169 – 173

Abstract

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Mollicutes are cell wall-less bacteria with a genome characterized by its small size. Chromosomal rearrangements help these organisms evade host immune surveillance and hence cause disease. Our goal was to determine genes shared by Mollicutes genomes using the bidirectional best hit methodology. The twelve studied Mollicutes share 210 genes, most of which (> 60%) fall into the following COG categories: translation, ribosomal structure and biogenesis; DNA replication, recombination and repair; nucleotide transport and metabolism and energy production and conversion. Thirty Mollicute-specific genes were identified, 22 of them previously described as essential genes in Mycoplasma genitalium.

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