Version 1
: Received: 12 June 2020 / Approved: 14 June 2020 / Online: 14 June 2020 (03:51:54 CEST)
Version 2
: Received: 9 July 2020 / Approved: 10 July 2020 / Online: 10 July 2020 (02:10:07 CEST)
Lin, D.L.; Traglia, G.M.; Baker, R.; Sherratt, D.J.; Ramirez, M.S.; Tolmasky, M.E. Functional Analysis of the Acinetobacter baumannii XerC and XerD Site-Specific Recombinases: Potential Role in Dissemination of Resistance Genes. Antibiotics2020, 9, 405.
Lin, D.L.; Traglia, G.M.; Baker, R.; Sherratt, D.J.; Ramirez, M.S.; Tolmasky, M.E. Functional Analysis of the Acinetobacter baumannii XerC and XerD Site-Specific Recombinases: Potential Role in Dissemination of Resistance Genes. Antibiotics 2020, 9, 405.
Lin, D.L.; Traglia, G.M.; Baker, R.; Sherratt, D.J.; Ramirez, M.S.; Tolmasky, M.E. Functional Analysis of the Acinetobacter baumannii XerC and XerD Site-Specific Recombinases: Potential Role in Dissemination of Resistance Genes. Antibiotics2020, 9, 405.
Lin, D.L.; Traglia, G.M.; Baker, R.; Sherratt, D.J.; Ramirez, M.S.; Tolmasky, M.E. Functional Analysis of the Acinetobacter baumannii XerC and XerD Site-Specific Recombinases: Potential Role in Dissemination of Resistance Genes. Antibiotics 2020, 9, 405.
Abstract
Modules composed of a resistance gene flanked by Xer site-specific recombination sites, the vast majority of which were found in Acinetobacter baumannii, are thought to behave as elements that facilitate horizontal dissemination. The xerCAb and xerDAb genes were cloned, and the recombinant clones used to complement the cognate Escherichia coli mutants. The complemented strains supported resolution of plasmid dimers, and, as is the case with E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae plasmids, the activity was enhanced when cells were growing in low osmolarity growth medium. Binding experiments showed that partially purified A. baumannii XerC and XerD proteins (XerCAb and XerDAb) bound synthetic Xer site-specific recombination sites, some of them with a nucleotide sequence deduced from existing A. baumannii plasmids. Incubation with suicide substrates resulted in covalent attachment of DNA to a recombinase, probably XerCAb, indicating that the first step in the recombination reaction took place. The results described show that XerCAb and XerDAb are functional proteins that actively participate in horizontal dissemination of resistant genes among bacteria.
Biology and Life Sciences, Immunology and Microbiology
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