Sequence similarities between large subunit ribosomal RNA gene intervening sequences from different Helicobacter species.

When the 23S rRNA genes from several Helicobacter species were amplified by PCR and compared with similar amplicons derived from H. pylori, they were seen to be enlarged in size. Sequencing of these enlarged genes from H. mustelae, H. canis (two strains) and H. muridarum identified insertions of novel sequence (intervening sequences, IVSs) sized between 93 and 377 bp located at nt 545, in place of an 8-nt sequence in the conventionally sized H. pylori gene. These IVSs were not present elsewhere in the genome. All strains with such IVSs lacked intact 23S rRNA which was replaced by two fragment whose sizes were consistent with cleavage at either side of the particular IVS. The predicted secondary structures of the four IVSs were characterised by base pairing at the 5' and 3' ends to form a stem. The four IVSs exhibited significant sequence inter-relationships. Further relationships were also observed between them and similar elements in both small and large subunit rRNA genes of other Helicobacter and Campylobacter species. Alignment of each IVS with the other such elements identified blocks of related sequence consistent with insertion/deletion events, indicating possible evolutionary relationships.