Molecular Genetic Tools for Mollicutes
Joël Renaudin, Marc Breton and Christine Citti
from: Mollicutes: Molecular Biology and Pathogenesis (Edited by: Glenn F. Browning and Christine Citti). Caister Academic Press, U.K. (2014)
Abstract
The class Mollicutes represents a group of wall-less bacteria with small genome size and thus possesses limited metabolic capabilities. As a result of series of genome reduction and gene acquisition through horizontal gene transfer, Mollicutes have evolved a parasitic life style with the ability to colonize a wide diversity of hosts, suggesting that these organisms may use a variety of virulence mechanisms. Along with the rapid accumulation of genome sequence data, significant advances have been made in the last decade in designing new genetic tools for mollicutes. These include new selective markers, new inducible gene expression systems, and new replicative vectors for plant pathogenic spiroplasmas as well as improved Tn4001 derivatives for random mutagenesis or gene delivery, extended oriC plasmid-based strategies for new mycoplasma species for gene expression or targeted gene disruption, the production of unmarked mutations and the use of fluorescent protein genes as reporters,. Beyond the description of these new genetic tools, this review also highlights their input to the concomitant advances that have been made in understanding the intricate and complex mollicute-host interactions read more ...
