Archaeal integrases facilitate the formation of two distinctive types of integrated element within archaeal chromosomes: the SSV type and pNOB8 type. The former carries a smaller N-terminal and a larger C-terminal integrase gene fragment, and the latter an intact integrase gene. All integrated elements overlap tRNA genes that were target sites for integration. It has been demonstrated that SSV (Sulfolobus spindle virus) viruses, carrying an SSV-type integrase gene, and conjugative plasmids, carrying a pNOB8-type integrase, are integrative elements. Two mechanisms have been proposed for stably maintaining an integrated element within archaeal chromosomes. There is also evidence for changes having occurred in the captured integrated elements present in archaeal genomes. Thus we infer that site-specific integration constitutes an important mechanism for horizontal gene transfer and genome evolution.
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April 2004
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Conference Article|
April 01 2004
Archaeal integrases and mechanisms of gene capture
Q. She;
Q. She
1
Danish Archaea Centre, Institute of Molecular Biology, Copenhagen University, Sølvgade 83H, DK-1307 Copenhagen K, Denmark
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (e-mail qunxin@mermaid.molbio.ku.dk).
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B. Shen;
B. Shen
2
Danish Archaea Centre, Institute of Molecular Biology, Copenhagen University, Sølvgade 83H, DK-1307 Copenhagen K, Denmark
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L. Chen
L. Chen
Danish Archaea Centre, Institute of Molecular Biology, Copenhagen University, Sølvgade 83H, DK-1307 Copenhagen K, Denmark
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© 2004 Biochemical Society
2004
Biochem Soc Trans (2004) 32 (2): 222–226.
Citation
Q. She, B. Shen, L. Chen; Archaeal integrases and mechanisms of gene capture. Biochem Soc Trans 1 April 2004; 32 (2): 222–226. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/bst0320222
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