Study of a DNA transposon in the lyme disease spirochete

DNA转座子是普遍存在的移动的遗传元件。它们通过改变染色体的物理结构以及影响基因表达在塑造基因组进化中发挥重要作用。伯氏疏螺旋体具有通过单链DNA转座的IS 605/IS 200类的单类转座子。因此，转座酶与折叠成DNA发夹的转座子末端结合并进行转座。B。burgdorferi基因组还具有与两类脂蛋白基因的3 '-末端物理连接的转座子末端，在3'-UTR中构成保守的RNA发夹元件。我们将研究转座子是否是可移动的，以及转座酶是否已经被增选来控制脂蛋白基因的信使RNA的RNA稳定性，所述信使RNA在其3 '-UTR中具有转座子末端。

DNA transposons are ubiquitous mobile genetic elements. They play important roles in shaping genome evolution by changing the physical structure of chromosomes as well as affecting gene expression. Borrelia burgdorferi possess a single class of transposon of the IS605/IS200 class that transposes via single stranded DNA. Accordingly, the transposase binds to and performs transposition with the transposon ends folded into DNA hairpins. B. burgdorferi genomes also have a transposon end physically linked to the 3'-ends of two classes of lipoprotein genes, constituting a conserved RNA hairpin element in the 3'-UTR. We will study if the transposon is mobilizable and if the transposase has been co-opted to control RNA stability of the lipoproteins genes' messenger RNAs that possess a transposon end in their 3'-UTRs.