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Journal of Bacteriology, August 1999, p. 4711-4718, Vol. 181, No. 15
0021-9193/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Serotype 1a O-Antigen Modification: Molecular
Characterization of the Genes Involved and Their Novel
Organization in the Shigella flexneri
Chromosome
Pradip
Adhikari,
Gwen
Allison,
Belinda
Whittle, and
Naresh K.
Verma*
Division of Biochemistry and Molecular
Biology, Faculty of Science, The Australian National University,
Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
Received 15 March 1999/Accepted 7 May 1999
The factors responsible for serotype 1a O-antigen modification in
Shigella flexneri were localized to a 5.8-kb chromosomal HindIII fragment of serotype 1a strain Y53. The entire
5.8-kb fragment and regions up- and downstream of it (10.6-kb total) were sequenced. A putative three-gene operon, which showed homology with other serotype conversion genes, was identified and shown to
confer serotype 1a O-antigen modification. The serotype conversion genes were flanked on either side by phage DNA. Multiple insertion sequence (IS) elements were located within and upstream of the phage
DNA in a composite transposon-like structure. Host DNA homologous to
the dsdC and the thrW proA genes was located
upstream of the IS elements and downstream of the phage DNA,
respectively. The sequence analysis indicates that the organization of
the 10.6-kb region of the Y53 chromosome is unique and suggests that
the serotype conversion genes were originally brought into the host by
a bacteriophage. Several features of this region are also
characteristic of pathogenicity islands.
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Division of
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia. Phone: 61 2 6249 2666. Fax: 61 2 6249 0313. E-mail:
Naresh.Verma{at}anu.edu.au.

Present address: Immunobiology Section, Therapeutic Goods
Administration Laboratories, Woden, ACT,
Australia.
Journal of Bacteriology, August 1999, p. 4711-4718, Vol. 181, No. 15
0021-9193/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
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