Inteins in mycobacterial GyrA are a taxonomic character

Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany Département de Medicine Interne, Division des Maladies Infectieuses, CHUV-1011 Lausanne, Switzerland Bacteriological and Virological Laboratory, Careggi Hospital, 50139 Firenze, Italy ABSTRACT The A subunit of DNA gyrase in mycobacteria is frequently subjected to splicing events as its gene, gyrA , harbours an insertion encoding an intein. Investigation of a number of different isolates of Mycobacterium kansasii, Mycobacterium malmoense, Mycobacterium marinum, Mycobacterium ulcerans and Mycobacterium xenopi demonstrated that the presence of GyrA inteins is not random but a taxonomic character specific for a given taxon at a species or subspecies level. Peter Sander. Tel: +49 511 532 4361. Fax: +49 511 532 4366. e-mail: Sander.peter@mh-hannover.de Keywords: Mycobacterium kansasii, mycobacteria, intein, GyrA