Protein Domain : Gene transfer agent, major tail protein IPR022344

Type	Family
Description	Gene transfer agents belong to a group of unusual genetic exchange elements [ ]. GTAs are unusual in the sense they have the structure of a small tailed phage, which do not possess typical phage traits such as host cell lysis and infectious transmission of the GTA genes. In the Rhodobacter capsulatus GTA the GTA particles contain random 4.5 kb DNA fragments of the R.capsulatus genome. These DNA fragments can be transmitted to other cells where allelic conversion may occur via homologous recombination. The genes coding for the GTA particles are of two distinct types: the first is a cluster of genes reminiscent of a cryptyic prophage, where a number of the genes have similarity to known phage structural genes; the second type consists of two genes coding for a cellular two-component signal transduction system, which regulates the transcription of the GTA structural gene cluster in a growth phase dependent manner [ ].This entry is represented by ORFg9 (RCAP_rcc01691) of the Gene Transfer Agent (GTA) of Rhodobacter capsulatus [see Fig.1, in ]. ORFg9 has sequence homology to the major tail protein of bacteriophage TP901-1 (lactococcus phage TP901-1).
Short Name	GTA_major-tail