Massive presence of insertion sequences in the genome of SOPE, the primary endosymbiont of the rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae

Authors

  • Rosario Gil Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain
  • Eugeni Belda Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain
  • María J. Gosalbes Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain
  • Luis Delaye Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain Faculty of Science, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
  • Agnès Vallier Functional Biology, Insects and Interactions (BF2I), IFR41, INRA, INSA-Lyon, Villeurbanne, France
  • Carole Vincent-Monégat Functional Biology, Insects and Interactions (BF2I), IFR41, INRA, INSA-Lyon, Villeurbanne, France
  • Abdelaziz Heddi Functional Biology, Insects and Interactions (BF2I), IFR41, INRA, INSA-Lyon, Villeurbanne, France
  • Francisco J. Silva Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain
  • Andrés Moya Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain
  • Amparo Latorre Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain

Keywords:

SOPE (Sitophilus oryzae primary endosymbiont), Sitophilus oryzae (rice weevil), insertion sequences (IS), endosymbiosis

Abstract

Bacteria that establish an obligate intracellular relationship with eukaryotic hosts undergo an evolutionary genomic reductive process. Recent studies have shown an increase in the number of mobile elements in the first stage of the adaptive process towards intracellular life, although these elements are absent in ancient endosymbionts. Here, the genome of SOPE, the obligate mutualistic endosymbiont of rice weevils, was used as a model to analyze the initial events that occur after symbiotic integration. During the first phases of the SOPE genome project, four different types of insertion sequence (IS) elements, belonging to well-characterized IS families from γ-proteobacteria, were identified. In the present study, these elements, which may represent more than 20% of the complete genome, were completely characterized; their relevance as a source of gene inactivation, chromosomal rearrangements, and as participants in the genome reductive process are discussed herein. [Int Microbiol 2008; 11(1): 41-48]

Author Biographies

Rosario Gil, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain

Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain

Eugeni Belda, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain

Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain

María J. Gosalbes, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain

Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain

Luis Delaye, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain Faculty of Science, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico

Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain Faculty of Science, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico

Agnès Vallier, Functional Biology, Insects and Interactions (BF2I), IFR41, INRA, INSA-Lyon, Villeurbanne, France

Functional Biology, Insects and Interactions (BF2I), IFR41, INRA, INSA-Lyon, Villeurbanne, France

Carole Vincent-Monégat, Functional Biology, Insects and Interactions (BF2I), IFR41, INRA, INSA-Lyon, Villeurbanne, France

Functional Biology, Insects and Interactions (BF2I), IFR41, INRA, INSA-Lyon, Villeurbanne, France

Abdelaziz Heddi, Functional Biology, Insects and Interactions (BF2I), IFR41, INRA, INSA-Lyon, Villeurbanne, France

Functional Biology, Insects and Interactions (BF2I), IFR41, INRA, INSA-Lyon, Villeurbanne, France

Francisco J. Silva, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain

Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain

Andrés Moya, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain

Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain

Amparo Latorre, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain

Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, Spain

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Published

2010-01-19

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Research Articles