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. 1997 Apr;179(7):2382–2388. doi: 10.1128/jb.179.7.2382-2388.1997

Inversion of Moraxella lacunata type 4 pilin gene sequences by a Neisseria gonorrhoeae site-specific recombinase.

F W Rozsa 1, T F Meyer 1, M Fussenegger 1
PMCID: PMC178977  PMID: 9079926

Abstract

A plasmid library of Neisseria gonorrhoeae sequences was screened for the ability to mediate recombinations on a sequence containing the Moraxella lacunata type 4 pilin gene invertible region in Escherichia coli. A plasmid containing the N. gonorrhoeae sequence encoding the putative recombinase (gcr) was identified and sequenced. Plasmids containing gcr were able to mediate site-specific recombinations despite a weak amino acid homology to Piv, the native M. lacunata pilin gene invertase. The gcr gene is present only in pathogenic strains of Neisseria tested; however, in our assays gene knockouts of gcr did not alter the variation of surface features that play a role in the pathogenesis of N. gonorrhoeae.

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Selected References

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