Identification of site-specific recombination genes int and xis of the Rhizobium temperate phage 16-3

作者：Semsey S; Papp I; Buzas Z; Patthy A; Orosz L; Papp PP^*

来源：Journal of Bacteriology, 1999, 181(14): 4185-4192.

Phage 16-3 is a temperate phage of Rhizobium meliloti 41 which integrates its genome with high efficiency into the host chromosome by site-specific recombination through DNA sequences of attB and attP. Here we report the identification of two phage-encoded genes required far recombinations at these sites: int (phage integration) and xis (prophage excision). We concluded that Int protein of phage 16-3 belongs to the integrase family of tyrosine recombinases. Despite similarities to the cognate systems of the lambdoid phages, the 16-3 int xis aff system is not active in Escherichia coli, probably due to requirements for host factors that differ in Rhizobium meliloti and E. coli. The application of the 16-3 site-specific recombination system in biotechnology is discussed.

• 出版日期1999-7