Naslov
Comparative analysis of SSB genes from Phytoplasma genomes and their potential role in genome instability

Autori
Šeruga Musić, Martina ; Slović, Anamarija ; Pinterić, Marija

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
Book of Abstracts of the Congress of the Croatian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular biology "The Interplay of Biomolecules" (HDBMB2014) / Katalinić, Maja ; Kovarik, Zrinka - Zagreb : Hrvatsko Društvo za Biotehnologiju, 2014, 127-127

ISBN
978-953-95551-5-1

Skup
Congress of the Croatian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular biology "The Interplay of Biomolecules"

Mjesto i datum
Zadar, Hrvatska, 24.09.2014. - 27.09.2014

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Poster

Vrsta recenzije
Domaća recenzija

Ključne riječi
bacteria; 'Candidatus Phytoplasma'; phylogenomics; SSB proteins

Sažetak
Phytoplasmas (genus 'Candidatus Phytoplasma') are wall-less bacteria belonging to the class Mollicutes together with mycoplasmas, spiroplasmas and acholeplasmas which are all believed to share a common Bacillus/Clostridium-like ancestor. These endocellular pathogens have a unique life-style as they have hosts from two kingdoms – Plantae (plants) and Animalia (insects), and need both for their survival and dispersal in nature. Numerous plant species worldwide, including a range of economically important crops, are affected by phytoplasmoses resulting in serious yield losses. Axenic cultivation of these bacteria is still challenging and not common. However, a number of genome drafts as well as four fully sequenced and annotated phytoplasma genomes are available so far which started a new era in functional and comparative genomics research. Phytoplasmas possess relatively small genomes that experienced specific gene losses and gains through their dynamic co-evolution with plant and insect hosts. In spite of being small and reduced, their genomes are repeat- rich and often contain multicopy genes. One of those multicopy genes is the ssb gene. SSB proteins, essential for cell survival, are found in all domains of life as well as in viruses. In phytoplasma genomes, the number of SSB protein genes is variable among different species with only one ssb gene of different evolutionary origin located in a specific genomic neighbourhood. In this comparative study, all ssb gene sequences available from sequenced phytoplasma genomes were analyzed together with the “original” ssb gene amplified and sequenced from a number of new 'Ca. P. asteris' and 'Ca. P. solani' isolates. Phylogenetic analyses have shown that all the “original” ssb genes from different phytoplasma species clustered together. Unlike the other, shorter ssb gene copies of undetermined functionality, the single ssb gene copy from 'Ca. P. mali' genome was phylogenetically closer to the “original” ones which was in accordance with its' different genome organization and stability. Southern blot analyses have confirmed the presence of one “original” ssb gene in the genomes of ‘Ca. P. asteris’ isolates. Surprisingly, in the genome of ‘Ca. P. solani’ isolate, another copy of the “original” ssb gene was repeatedly detected suggesting that it could be a part of extrachromosomal element characteristic of the species which is known to possess the largest and supposedly the most unstable genome among all phytoplasmas.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Biologija

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