Integron

Integrons are genetic mechanisms that allow bacteria to adapt and evolve rapidly through the stockpiling and expression of new genes.[1] These genes are embedded in a specific genetic structure called gene cassette (a term that is lately changing to integron cassette) that generally carries one promoterless open reading frame (ORF) together with a recombination site (attC). Integron cassettes are incorporated to the attI site of the integron platform by site-specific recombination reactions mediated by the integrase.

  1. ^ Antonio Escudero, José; Mazel, Didier; Nivina, Aleksandra; Loot, Céline (2015). "ASMscience | The Integron: Adaptation On Demand". Microbiology Spectrum. 3 (2): MDNA3–0019–2014. doi:10.1128/microbiolspec.mdna3-0019-2014. PMID 26104695.