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Full-Text Articles in Molecular Genetics
Characterization Of Transfer Of The Mobile Genomic Island Encoding Methicillin Resistance Among Staphylococci, Melissa D. Ray
Characterization Of Transfer Of The Mobile Genomic Island Encoding Methicillin Resistance Among Staphylococci, Melissa D. Ray
Theses and Dissertations
The gene encoding methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is carried in the chromosome on a large genomic island called SCCmec and is always inserted at the att site within orfX. SCCmec has been designated a mobile genetic element but a mechanism by which it moves among different strains and species of staphylococci has never been demonstrated. This work shows that bacteriophage 80α is capable of transducing SCCmec into a recipient cell, after which it can integrate into the bacterial chromosome via homologous recombination. More importantly, this work characterizes a conjugative mechanism of SCCmec transfer. …
Characterization Of The Interactions Between Staphylococcal Phage 80 Alpha Scaffold And Capsid Proteins, Laura Klenow
Characterization Of The Interactions Between Staphylococcal Phage 80 Alpha Scaffold And Capsid Proteins, Laura Klenow
Theses and Dissertations
Staphylococcal phage 80α can serve as a helper bacteriophage for a family of mobile genetic elements called Staphylococcus aureus pathogenicity islands (SaPIs). The prototype island, SaPI1, is able to hijack the 80α capsid assembly process and redirect capsid formation to yield smaller, phage-like transducing particles carrying SaPI DNA. Capsid size redirection is accomplished through two SaPI1-encoded gene products, CpmA and an alternate scaffold protein, CpmB. The normal 80α scaffold and the SaPI1 CpmB scaffold share a small block of conserved residues at their C-termini, several of which had been shown to be essential for CpmB function. This led to the …