Genomic analysis using DNA sequence of random clones coupled with hybridization to electrophoretically separated DNA fragments has recently provided an unusual insight into the physiology, metabolism and evolutionary relationships of Mycoplasma genitalium (this laboratory). Of added significance is the fact that this highly fastidious organism possesses the smallest genome size of any free living species. With the knowledge that this methodology provides a valuable aid to assess phylogeny and taxonomy coupled with a powerful probe for analysis of the minimal essential genes required for independent self-replicating existence, we intend to expand this study to include classical M. fermentans (incognitus) plus other mycoplasmas, with special reference to those species having clinical significance to man. This approach will provide important clues to the metabolic pathways these organisms share, the nutrients a parasitic mode provides (missing biosynthetic pathways), and an aid for evaluation of the importance of various conserved genes and pathogenicity determinants. It will also reveal the chromosomal distribution of genes on the respective genomes and provide a new basis from which to assess the relatedness of mycoplasmas to each other and to higher gram positive prokaryotes. All of these studies can be accomplished with a few micrograms of DNA from each species, eliminating the necessity for repeated laboratory cultivation of these highly fastidious pathogens.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01AI033161-01
Application #
3148282
Study Section
AIDS and Related Research Study Section 2 (ARRB)
Project Start
1992-08-01
Project End
1997-04-30
Budget Start
1992-08-01
Budget End
1993-04-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
1992
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
078861598
City
Chapel Hill
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27599
Peterson, S N; Lucier, T; Heitzman, K et al. (1995) Genetic map of the Mycoplasma genitalium chromosome. J Bacteriol 177:3199-204
Peterson, S N; Bailey, C C; Jensen, J S et al. (1995) Characterization of repetitive DNA in the Mycoplasma genitalium genome: possible role in the generation of antigenic variation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 92:11829-33
Fraser, C M; Gocayne, J D; White, O et al. (1995) The minimal gene complement of Mycoplasma genitalium. Science 270:397-403
Lucier, T S; Hu, P Q; Peterson, S N et al. (1994) Construction of an ordered genomic library of Mycoplasma genitalium. Gene 150:27-34
Bailey, C C; Bott, K F (1994) An unusual gene containing a dnaJ N-terminal box flanks the putative origin of replication of Mycoplasma genitalium. J Bacteriol 176:5814-9
Peterson, S N; Hu, P C; Bott, K F et al. (1993) A survey of the Mycoplasma genitalium genome by using random sequencing. J Bacteriol 175:7918-30