DNA rearrangements at the extremities of the Streptomyces ambofaciens linear chromosome: Evidence for developmental control

In Streptomyces, a genomic instability results from frequent recombination events which occur at the ends of the linear chromosomal DNA. These events are believed to be responsible for the variability observed in these region s among Streptomyces species and strains. In order to identify functions ab le to control this type of genome plasticity, mutators as well as mutants p roduced at different stages of development have been characterized in S. am bofaciens. Their characterization suggests the existence of a relationship between genomic instability and colony development. (C) 2000 Societe franca ise de biochimie et biologie moleculaire/ Editions scientifiques et medical es Elsevier SAS.