ISRm10: a new insertion sequence of Sinorhizobium meliloti: nucleotide sequence and geographic distribution

In this study the description of a new insertion sequence of Sinorhizobium meliloti, ISRm10, is reported. ISRm10 was found in the intergenic region be tween nodJ and node of a natural isolated strain. ISRm10 was 1047 bp long a nd showed the typical features of the ISs belonging to the IS630-Tc1/IS3 su perfamily. In particular the ISRm10 nucleotide sequence showed the highest homology (62%) with a Sphingomonas aromaticivorans IS. ISRm10 was present i n 32% of the analyzed S. meliloti strains while it was not found in the ref erence strains of other Rhizobium species. (C) 1999 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights re served.