Characterization of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis insertion sequence belonging to the IS3 family

Abstract

A repetitive element (IS986), previously isolated from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and shown to detect multiple restriction fragment-length polymorphisms (RFLPs), has been sequenced. It consists of a potential insertion sequence of 1358bp, with 30-bp inverted repeat ends. IS986 has four potentially significant open reading frames (ORFs): ORFa1, ORFa2 and ORFb on one strand and ORFc on the complementary strand. The sequences of the potential translated products identify IS986 as a member of the IS3 family, with an apparent frameshift between ORFa1 and ORFa2. IS986 has potential as a highly specific probe for detection and typing of M. tuberculosis, as well as for transposon mutagenesis of mycobacteria. The sequence of IS986 is virtually identical to that of another recently described element, IS6110 (Thierry et al., 1990).

Characterization of an IS-like element from Mycobacterium tuberculosis

“…tuberculosis (Cave et al, Several IS and transposable elements have been described in various mycobacterial species, e.g. IS900, IS901, IS902,IS1096, IS6110, TN6lO and others (Cave et al, 1991;Cirillo et al, 1991;Green et al, 1989;Kunze et al, 1991;Martin et al, 1990;McAdam et al, 1990;Moss et al, 1992;Thierry et al, 1990). By computer analysis, no homology between them and the sequence described here could be found, at either the DNA or protein level.…”

“…During the recent genetic analysis of several mycobacterial species, various repetitive DNA elements have been found; many of them have features in common with typical IS elements (Cirillo et al, 1991;Eisenach et al, 1990;Green et al, 1989;Kunze et al, 1991 ;Martin et al, 1990;McAdam et al, 1990;Moss et al, 1992;Patel et al, 1990;Thierry et al, 1990;Woods & Cole, 1990). Transposable elements can be of value as genetic tools.…”

Characterization of a major polymorphic tandem repeat in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and its potential use in the epidemiology of Mycobacterium kansasii and Mycobacterium gordonae

“…9) (7, 8) (6,14,27). In addition, M. tuberculosis usually contains various copies of an IS3-like insertion element (16,22,37,40). This element is the only well-characterized repetitive sequence in M. tuberculosis.…”

“…The insertion elements IS900 from Mycobacterium paratuberculosis (4,12), IS901 from Mycobacterium avium (19), IS1096 from Mycobacterium smegmatis (2), IS1081 from Mycobacterium bovis, and the IS3 family of insertion elements present in the species of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (15,22,37) are present in multiple copies in the mycobacterial chromosome (16,40). Additionally, unidentified repeated sequences, or repeats which do not share characteristics with other sequences, have been found in Mycobacterium leprae (3,13,43) and M. tuberculosis (6,14,15,27).…”

Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Analysis of Epidemiologically Related Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates

“…Two such elements, IS986 and IS 6110, have revealed themselves to be virtually identical (11,16,17), where the occurrence of the element is restricted to strains belonging to the M. tuberculosis complex strains. These IS elements are suitable tools for the diagnosis and epidemiology of tuberculosis because of the highly variable copy number and variability of insertion sites in the chromosome.…”