| Title: |
Inteins at Eleven Distinct Insertion Sites in Archaeal Helicase Subunit MCM Exhibit Varied Architectures and Activity Levels Across Archaeal Groups |
| Authors: |
Danielle Arsenault; Gabrielle F. Stack; Johann Peter Gogarten |
| Source: |
DNA ; Volume 5 ; Issue 3 ; Pages: 39 |
| Publisher Information: |
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute |
| Publication Year: |
2025 |
| Collection: |
MDPI Open Access Publishing |
| Subject Terms: |
inteins; multi-intein genes; archaea; replicative DNA helicase |
| Description: |
Background/Objectives: Inteins are mobile genetic elements invading highly conserved genes across all domains of life and viruses. Five active intein insertion sites (MCM-a through e) had previously been identified and studied in the archaeal replicative helicase minichromosome maintenance (MCM) subunit gene mcm, making MCM an ideal system for dissecting the dynamics of multi-intein genes. However, work in this system thus far has been limited to particular archaeal groups. To better understand the dynamics and diversity of these inteins, MCM homologs spanning all archaeal groups were extracted from NCBI’s non-redundant protein sequence database, and the distribution and structural architectures of their inteins were characterized. Methods: The amino acid sequences of 4243 archaeal MCM homologs were retrieved from NCBI’s non-redundant protein sequence database. These sequences were systematically assessed for their intein content through within-group multiple sequence alignments. To characterize the inteins present at each site, extensive intein structure predictions and comparisons were performed. Phylogenetic analyses were used to investigate intein relatedness between and within sites, as well as the distribution of different MCM inteins in geographically overlapping populations of archaea. Results: In total, 11 active MCM intein insertion sites were identified, expanding on the previously known five. The insertion sites have varied invasion activity levels across archaeal groups, with Nanobdellati (DPANN) being the only group with all 11 sites active. In all but two (Methanonatronarchaeia and Hadarchaeota) of the archaeal groups studied where inteins were present, at least one MCM homolog was invaded by more than one intein. With respect to intein structure, within-intein insertions bearing semblance to DNA-binding domains were identified, with varied presence between inteins. Additionally, a study of archaeal MCM sequences of samples collected from the Atacama Desert in June 2013 revealed high MCM intein ... |
| Document Type: |
text |
| File Description: |
application/pdf |
| Language: |
English |
| Relation: |
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/dna5030039 |
| DOI: |
10.3390/dna5030039 |
| Availability: |
https://doi.org/10.3390/dna5030039 |
| Rights: |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.DE6F2FE7 |
| Database: |
BASE |