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Gene content and organization of an 85-kb DNA segment from the genome of the phytopathogenic mollicute Spiroplasma kunkelii

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Abstract

Spiroplasma kunkelii, the causative agent of corn stunt disease in maize ( Zea mays L.), is a helical, cell wall-less prokaryote assigned to the class Mollicutes. As part of a project to sequence the entire S. kunkelii genome, we analyzed an 85-kb DNA segment from the pathogenic strain CR2-3x. This genome segment contains 101 ORFs and two tRNA genes. The majority of the ORFs code for predicted proteins that can be assigned to respective clusters of orthologous groups (COGs). These COGs cover diverse functional categories including genetic information storage and processing, cellular processes, and metabolism. The most notable gene cluster in this genome segment is a super-operon capable of encoding 24 ribosomal proteins. The organization of genes in this operon reflects the unique evolutionary position of the spiroplasma. Gene duplications, domain rearrangements, and frameshift mutations in the segment are interpreted as indicators of phase variation in the spiroplasma. To our knowledge, this is the first analysis of a large genome segment from a plant pathogenic spiroplasma.

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Acknowledgements

This project was supported in part by a Specific Cooperative Agreement (1275-2-2000-144-02) between the University of Oklahoma and the USDA-Agricultural Research Service. For the latest S. kunkelii genome sequencing data, visit ACGT's website at http://www.genome.ou.edu/spiro.html. The work has been carried out in compliance with the current laws governing genetic experimentation in the U.S.A. We thank C. Rivera, University of Costa Rica, San Jose, for kindly supplying spiroplasma infected leaf tissue

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Room 118, Bldg 004, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA

    Y. Zhao, R. W. Hammond, R. Jomantiene, E. L. Dally, I.-M. Lee & R. E. Davis

  2. Microbial Molecular Biology Group, Phytovirus Laboratory, Institute of Botany, 2021, Vilnius, Lithuania

    R. Jomantiene

  3. Advanced Center for Genome Technology, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA

    H. Jia, H. Wu, S. Lin, P. Zhang, S. Kenton, F. Z. Najar, A. Hua & B. A. Roe

  4. Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA

    J. Fletcher

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  1. Y. Zhao
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  2. R. W. Hammond
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  14. J. Fletcher
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  15. R. E. Davis
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Correspondence to R. E. Davis.

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Communicated by W. Goebel

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Zhao, Y., Hammond, R.W., Jomantiene, R. et al. Gene content and organization of an 85-kb DNA segment from the genome of the phytopathogenic mollicute Spiroplasma kunkelii . Mol Gen Genomics 269, 592–602 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00438-003-0878-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00438-003-0878-3

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