Homologous recombination in mycobacteria

Abstract

In recent years, considerable effort and resources have been expended to develop targeted gene delivery methods, and generation of auxotrophic mutants of mycobacteria. The results of these studies suggest that mycobacteria exhibit a wide range of recombination rates, which vary from loci to loci. Here we review the methods developed for allele exchange and targeted gene disruption as well as the mechanistic aspects of homologous recombination in mycobacteria. The results of whole genome, functional and structural analyses of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium smegmatis RecA and SSB proteins provide insights into variations of the prototypic Escherichia coli paradigm. This variation of a common theme might allow mycobacteria to function in their natural but complex physiological environments.