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The complete genome sequence of the murine respiratory pathogen Mycoplasma pulmonis
Nucleic Acids Res. 2001 May 15;29(10):2145-53
 
I. Chambaud, R. Heilig, S. Ferris, V. Barbe, D. Samson, F. Galisson, I. Moser, K. Dybvig, H. Wroblewski, A. Viari, E. Rocha, A. Blanchard
 

Mycoplasma pulmonis is a wall-less eubacterium belonging to the Mollicutes (trivial name, mycoplasmas) and responsible for murine respiratory diseases. The genome of strain UAB CTIP is composed of a single circular 963 879 bp chromosome with a G + C content of 26.6 mol%, i.e. the lowest reported among bacteria, Ureaplasma urealyticum apart. This genome contains 782 putative coding sequences (CDSs) covering 91.4% of its length and a function could be assigned to 486 CDSs whilst 92 matched the gene sequences of hypothetical proteins, leaving 204 CDSs without significant database match. The genome contains a single set of rRNA genes and only 29 tRNAs genes. The replication origin oriC was localized by sequence analysis and by using the G + C skew method. Sequence polymorphisms within stretches of repeated nucleotides generate phase-variable protein antigens whilst a recombinase gene is likely to catalyse the site-specific DNA inversions in major M. pulmonis surface antigens. Furthermore, a hemolysin, secreted nucleases and a glyco-protease are predicted virulence factors. Surprisingly, several of the genes previously reported to be essential for a self-replicating minimal cell are missing in the M. pulmonis genome although this one is larger than the other mycoplasma genomes fully sequenced until now.

PMID: 11353084]

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