TY - JOUR
T1 - The integron/gene cassette system
T2 - an active player in bacterial adaptation
AU - Labbate, Maurizio
AU - Case, Rebecca Josephine
AU - Stokes, Hatch W.
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - The integron includes a site-specific recombination system capable of integrating and expressing genes contained in structures called mobile gene cassettes. Integrons were originally identified on mobile elements from pathogenic bacteria and were found to be a major reservoir of antibiotic-resistance genes. Integrons are now known to be ancient structures that are phylogenetically diverse and, to date, have been found in approximately 9% of sequenced bacterial genomes. Overall, gene diversity in cassettes is extraordinarily high, suggesting that the integron/gene cassette system has a broad role in adaptation rather than being confined to simply conferring resistance to antibiotics. In this chapter, we provide a review of the integron/gene cassette system highlighting characteristics associated with this system, diversity of elements contained within it, and their importance in driving bacterial evolution and consequently adaptation. Ideas on the evolution of gene cassettes and gene cassette arrays are discussed.
AB - The integron includes a site-specific recombination system capable of integrating and expressing genes contained in structures called mobile gene cassettes. Integrons were originally identified on mobile elements from pathogenic bacteria and were found to be a major reservoir of antibiotic-resistance genes. Integrons are now known to be ancient structures that are phylogenetically diverse and, to date, have been found in approximately 9% of sequenced bacterial genomes. Overall, gene diversity in cassettes is extraordinarily high, suggesting that the integron/gene cassette system has a broad role in adaptation rather than being confined to simply conferring resistance to antibiotics. In this chapter, we provide a review of the integron/gene cassette system highlighting characteristics associated with this system, diversity of elements contained within it, and their importance in driving bacterial evolution and consequently adaptation. Ideas on the evolution of gene cassettes and gene cassette arrays are discussed.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=65549153156&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/978-1-60327-853-9_6
DO - 10.1007/978-1-60327-853-9_6
M3 - Review article
C2 - 19271181
AN - SCOPUS:65549153156
SN - 1064-3745
VL - 532
SP - 103
EP - 125
JO - Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)
JF - Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)
ER -