A genomic island integrated into recA of Vibrio cholerae contains a divergent recA and provides multi‐pathway protection from DNA damage. (26th June 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rapa, Rita A.; Islam, Atiqul; Monahan, Leigh G.; Mutreja, Ankur; Thomson, Nicholas; Charles, Ian G.; Stokes, Harold W.; Labbate, Maurizio
• Is Part Of: Environmental microbiology. Volume 17:Number 4(2015:Apr.)
• Page Start: 1090
• Page End: 1102
• Publication Date: 2014-06-26
• Subjects: Microbial ecology -- Periodicals; Environmental Microbiology -- Periodicals; 579.17
• DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.12512
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1462-2912

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Summary</title> <p>Lateral gene transfer (LGT) has been crucial in the evolution of the cholera pathogen, <italic>V</italic><italic>ibrio cholerae</italic>. The two major virulence factors are present on two different mobile genetic elements, a bacteriophage containing the cholera toxin genes and a genomic island (GI) containing the intestinal adhesin genes. Non‐toxigenic <italic>V</italic><italic>. cholerae</italic> in the aquatic environment are a major source of novel DNA that allows the pathogen to morph via LGT. In this study, we report a novel GI from a non‐toxigenic <italic>V</italic><italic>. cholerae</italic> strain containing multiple genes involved in DNA repair including the recombination repair gene <italic>recA</italic> that is 23% divergent from the indigenous <italic>recA</italic> and genes involved in the translesion synthesis pathway. This is the first report of a GI containing the critical gene <italic>recA</italic> and the first report of a GI that targets insertion into a specific site within <italic>recA</italic>. We show that possession of the island in <italic>E</italic><italic>scherichia coli</italic> is protective against DNA damage induced by UV‐irradiation and DNA targeting antibiotics. This study highlights the importance of genetic elements such as GIs in the evolution of <italic>V</italic><italic>. cholerae</italic> and emphasizes the importance of environmental strains as a source of novel DNA that can influence the pathogenicity of toxigenic strains.</p> </abstract>