Investigation published in Science

May 22^nd, 2009

Integrons are found in the genome of hundreds of environmental bacteria but are mainly known for their role in the capture and spread of antibiotic resistance determinants among Gram-negative pathogens. We report a direct link between this system and the ubiquitous SOS response. We found that LexA controlled expression of most integron integrases and consequently regulated cassette recombination. This regulatory coupling enhanced the potential for cassette swapping and capture in cells under stress, while minimizing cassette rearrangements or loss in constant environments. This finding exposes integrons as integrated adaptive systems and has implications for antibiotic treatment policies

Guerin E., Cambray G., Sanchez-Alberola N., Campoy S., Erill I., Da Re S., Gonzalez-Zorn B., Barbe J., Ploy MC. and Mazel D.

The SOS Response Controls Integron Recombination

The SOS Response Controls Integron Recombination

	Servicio de Zoonosis de Transmisión Alimentaria y Resistencia a Antimicrobianos (ZTA). Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET). Universidad Complutense (UCM).
	Departamento de Sanidad Animal. Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad Complutense (UCM).
	Faculté de Médecine. Université de Limoges (UL).
	Bacterial Genome Plasticity (BGP). Department of Genomes and Genetics. Institut Pasteur.
	Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB).
	Instituto de Microelectrónica de Barcelona (IMB). Centro Nacional de Microelectrónica (CNM). Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC).