The number and organization of the rRNA genes of several strains of Mycobacterium simiae

• Published in: FEMS microbiology letters Vol. 227; no. 1; pp. 133 - 139
• Main Authors: Rivera-Gutiérrez, Sandra, Montoro-Cardoso, Ernesto, Valdivia, Jose A., Cox, Robert A., Gonzalez-y-Merchand, Jorge A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Elsevier B.V 10.10.2003; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Blackwell
• Subjects: Bacteriology; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; DNA, Intergenic; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genes, rRNA; Genetics; Genome, Bacterial; Microbiology; Molecular Sequence Data; Mycobacterium - classification; Mycobacterium - genetics; Mycobacterium simiae; rRNA Operon; Strain difference; Transcription start point; Central America; Cuba; America; West Indies; Strain difference; Transcription start point; Mycobacterium simiae; rRNA operon; Operon; Sequence alignment; Ribosomal DNA; Translation initiation; Gene organization; Polymerase chain reaction; Mycobacteriales; Mycobacteriaceae; Bacteria; Actinomycetes; Southern blotting; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0378-1097; 1574-6968
• DOI: 10.1016/S0378-1097(03)00656-6

The type strain of Mycobacterium simiae and four Cuban strains, each representing a group of variants sharing a characteristic pattern of glycopeptidolipids, were investigated. Each of the five strains was found to have a single rRNA ( rrn) operon per genome. Each rrn operon was found to be located downstream from murA. Unusually for slow-growing mycobacteria, three transcription start points were identified for each operon. Gene sequences were established extending from near to the 3′-ends of murA, the intergenic regions and the 5′-ends of the 16S rDNAs. Characteristic strain differences were identified.