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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC AND EVOLUTIONARY MICROBIOLOGY logo

Volume 58, Issue 6

Gene sequences of the operon reveal relationships between symbiotic strains of Free

Abstract

Symbiosis between the bobtail squid (Mollusca: Cephalopoda) and bacteria has been a well-studied model for understanding the molecular mechanisms of colonization and adherence to host cells. For example, pilin expression has been observed to cause subtle variation in colonization for a number of Gram-negative bacteria with eukaryotic hosts. To investigate variation amongst genes of closely related strains of vibrios, we amplified genes , , and to determine orientation and sequence similarity to other symbiotic vibrios. The gene was found to be upstream from all other genes, and not contiguous with the rest of the operon. The , and loci were flanked at the 3′ end by , followed by a conserved hypothetical gene. DNA sequences of each gene were aligned and analysed phylogenetically using parsimony for both individual and combined gene trees. Results demonstrate that certain loci ( and ) are conserved among strains of , but differs in sequence between symbiotic and free-living strains. Phylogenetic analysis of all genes gives better resolution of Indo-west Pacific symbionts compared with analysis of the 16S rRNA gene. Hawaiian and Australian symbiotic strains form one monophyletic tree, supporting the hypothesis that strain specificity is selected by the geographical location of their hosts and is not related to specific squid species.

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2008-06-01
2024-04-19
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Gene sequences of the pil operon reveal relationships between symbiotic strains of Vibrio fischeri
Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 58, 1292 (2008); https://doi.org/10.1099/ijs.0.65370-0
/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijs.0.65370-0
/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijs.0.65370-0
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