Conserved Gene Cluster at Replication Origins of the α-Proteobacteria Caulobacter crescentus and Rickettsia prowazekii

Abstract

ABSTRACT A 30-kb region surrounding the replication origin in Caulobacter crescentus was analyzed. Comparison to the genome sequence of another α-proteobacterium, Rickettsia prowazekii , revealed a conserved cluster of genes (RP001, hemE, hemH , and RP883) that overlaps the established origin of replication in C. crescentus and the putative origin of replication in R. prowazekii . The genes flanking this cluster differ between these two organisms. We therefore propose that this conserved gene cluster can be used to identify the origin of replication in other α-proteobacteria.