Determination of a 15437 bp nucleotide sequence around the inhA gene of Mycobacterium avium and similarity analysis of the products of putative ORFs.

A 15437 bp region encompassing the inhA locus from the Mycobacterium avium chromosome was cloned and sequenced. From the sequencing data generated and the results of homology searches, the primary structure of this region was determined. This region contains four known genes (acnA, fabG, inhA and hemH) and two genes, invA and invB, whose products display homology with p60 invasion protein of Listeria monocytogenes. Six proteins encoded by putative ORFs contained an RGD motif (often involved in binding to macrophage integrins), while ORF1 and MoxR are probably transcriptional regulators. The rest of the putative products encoded by ORFs in the sequenced region showed little homology with the proteins contained in the databases and were considered to be unknown proteins.