Genetic rearrangement of the atzAB atrazine-degrading gene cassette from pADP1::Tn5 to the chromosome of Variovorax sp. MD1 and MD2

We report the characterization of the rearrangement phenomena responsible for the movement of the atrazine-degrading atzA and B genes from pADP1::Tn5 to the chromosome of Variovorax sp. MD1 and MD2. Long PCRs and Southern blot analyses revealed that the two genes forming a gene cassette moved in a unique rearrangement event. It also revealed that the boundaries of the plasmid sequence inserted in the chromosome correspond to IS1071or to sequences close to IS1071. It suggests that this genetic rearrangement could result from the transposition of the composite transposon delimited by IS1071 insertion sequences and containing atzA and atzB genes. In addition, for MD1 and MD2 strains the sequencing of the remaining sequence on pADP1::Tn5 indicated that the deletion of the atzA and B genes from the plasmid might be the result of a recombination event that occurred between the IS1071 insertion sequences surrounding the atzAB gene cassette.