Identification of the first gene transfer agent (GTA) small terminase in Rhodobacter capsulatus and its role in GTA production and packaging of DNA: Identification of the first GTA TerS

David Sherlock; Jia Xuan Leong; Paul Christopher Michael Fogg

doi:10.1128/JVI.01328-19

Identification of the first gene transfer agent (GTA) small terminase in Rhodobacter capsulatus and its role in GTA production and packaging of DNA: Identification of the first GTA TerS

David Sherlock, Jia Xuan Leong, Paul Christopher Michael Fogg

Biology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Genetic exchange mediated by viruses of bacteria (bacteriophages) is the primary driver of rapid bacterial evolution. The priority of viruses is usually to propagate themselves. Most bacteriophages use the small terminase protein to identify their own genome and direct its inclusion into phage capsids. Gene transfer agents (GTAs) are descended from bacteriophages but they instead package fragments of the entire bacterial genome without preference for their own genes. GTAs don’t selectively target specific DNA and no GTA small terminases are known. Here, we identified the small terminase from the model Rhodobacter capsulatus GTA, which then allowed prediction of analogues in other species. We examined the role of the small terminase in GTA production and propose a structural basis for random DNA packaging.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-17
Number of pages	17
Journal	JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
Volume	93
Issue number	23
Early online date	18 Sept 2019
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.01328-19
Publication status	Published - 13 Nov 2019

Bibliographical note

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10.1128/JVI.01328-19

Sherlock et al. JVI Manuscript File
© 2019 Sherlock et al.
Accepted author manuscript, 1.54 MB
Journal of Virology-2019-Sherlock-e01328-19.full
© 2019 Sherlock et al.
Final published version, 1.88 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Identification of the first gene transfer agent (GTA) small terminase in Rhodobacter capsulatus and its role in GTA production and packaging of DNA: Identification of the first GTA TerS",

abstract = "Genetic exchange mediated by viruses of bacteria (bacteriophages) is the primary driver of rapid bacterial evolution. The priority of viruses is usually to propagate themselves. Most bacteriophages use the small terminase protein to identify their own genome and direct its inclusion into phage capsids. Gene transfer agents (GTAs) are descended from bacteriophages but they instead package fragments of the entire bacterial genome without preference for their own genes. GTAs don{\textquoteright}t selectively target specific DNA and no GTA small terminases are known. Here, we identified the small terminase from the model Rhodobacter capsulatus GTA, which then allowed prediction of analogues in other species. We examined the role of the small terminase in GTA production and propose a structural basis for random DNA packaging.",

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Identification of the first gene transfer agent (GTA) small terminase in Rhodobacter capsulatus and its role in GTA production and packaging of DNA: Identification of the first GTA TerS. / Sherlock, David; Leong, Jia Xuan; Fogg, Paul Christopher Michael.
In: JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY, Vol. 93, No. 23, 13.11.2019, p. 1-17.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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