THE CPS GENE-CLUSTER OF SALMONELLA STRAIN LT2 INCLUDES A 2ND MANNOSE PATHWAY - SEQUENCE OF 2 GENES AND RELATIONSHIP TO GENES IN THE RFB GENE-CLUSTER

We report the presence in Salmonella enterica strain LT2 (serovar thyphimurium) of duplicate genes for two steps in the synthesis of GDP-mannose. The previously known genes, rfbK (phosphomannomutase) and rfbM (mannose-1-phosphate guanyltransferase), are part of the gene cluster for the O antigen. The two new genes, cpsB and cpsG, respectively, are thought to be part of the gene cluster for the M antigen capsular polysaccharide, present in many Enterobacteriaceae. The two genes have been sequenced and have a GC content of 0.61, suggesting an origin outside of Salmonella. Comparison of the inferred protein sequences for cpsB and rfbM shows 57% identity of amino acids whereas for cpsG and rfbK there is only 19% identity. It is suggested that the greater divergence between cpsG and rfbK may be due to a period of accelerated evolution, perhaps precipitated by transfer of the genes from another species.