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PMID: 16407165 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Essential genes of a minimal bacterium.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America ·Vol. 103 ·No. 2 ·2006-01-10 ·Pages 425-30

Glass JI, Assad-Garcia N, Alperovich N, Yooseph S, Lewis MR, Maruf M, Hutchison CA, Smith HO, Venter JC

Abstract

Mycoplasma genitalium has the smallest genome of any organism that can be grown in pure culture. It has a minimal metabolism and little genomic redundancy. Consequently, its genome is expected to be a close approximation to the minimal set of genes needed to sustain bacterial life. Using global transposon mutagenesis, we isolated and characterized gene disruption mutants for 100 different nonessential protein-coding genes. None of the 43 RNA-coding genes were disrupted. Herein, we identify 382 of the 482 M. genitalium protein-coding genes as essential, plus five sets of disrupted genes that encode proteins with potentially redundant essential functions, such as phosphate transport. Genes encoding proteins of unknown function constitute 28% of the essential protein-coding genes set. Disruption of some genes accelerated M. genitalium growth.

MeSH Terms

Genes, Bacterial/genetics Genes, Essential/genetics Genome, Bacterial/genetics Molecular Sequence Data Mutation/genetics Mycoplasma genitalium/genetics

Authors & Affiliations

9 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID

Glass John I

Synthetic Biology Group, J. Craig Venter Institute, 9704 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA.

Assad-Garcia Nacyra

Alperovich Nina

Yooseph Shibu

Lewis Matthew R

Maruf Mahir

Hutchison Clyde A

Smith Hamilton O

Venter J Craig

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Article Info

Journal

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Abbr.

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

ISSN

0027-8424

DOI

10.1073/pnas.0510013103

Published

2006-01-10

Epub

2006-00-03

Pages

425-30

Language

English

Region

United States

NLM ID

7505876

PMCID

PMC1324956

Subset

Databases

GENBANK

L43967

External Links

PubMed source DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0510013103 PMC Full Text View journal details

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