CRISPR elements in Yersinia pestis acquire new repeats by preferential uptake of bacteriophage DNA, and provide additional tools for evolutionary studies

• DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.27437-0
• Publication Date: 2005-03-10T10:44:29Z
• Authors: C. Pourcel; G. Salvignol; G. Vergnaud
• Keywords: Yersinia pestis; Prophage; Direct repeat; Yersinia pseudotuberculosis; Insertion sequence

The remarkable repetitive elements called CRISPRs (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) consist of repeats with non-repetitive or ‘spacers’. are present in both archaea and bacteria, association genes involved DNA recombination repair. In the Yersinia pestis genome, three such found at distinct loci, one them being highly polymorphic. authors have sequenced a total 109 alleles Y. they describe 29 new spacers, most specific to isolate. nine strains pseudotuberculosis , 132 spacers were found, which only common isolates. Orientalis biovar investigated detail here, deletion motifs is observed but it appears that addition ancestral element frequent event. This takes place different although higher rate polarized. Interestingly, recently acquired homologue another locus majority these inside an inactive prophage. believed be first time origin CRISPR has been explained. structure provides robust identification tool.