Figure 1

Examples of vsp genes with tandem repeats. Three examples of vsp genes with tandem repeats are shown. The ORFs are divided into 3 or 4 sections, numbered 1 through 4 on the diagrams. For these 3 genes, the first section consists of 66 to 99 bp beginning with the start codon and encoded leader peptide, and extending to the tandem repeats. The second section consists of multiple tandem repeats, which for two of the vsp genes (B and C), extends up to the conserved 3' region. The third section (A only) is nonrepetitive DNA extending from the tandem repeats to the conserved 3' region. (1) Vsp 67 (also CRP170, vsp A6) has approximately 22 copies of a 195 bp tandem repeat [10]. (2) vsp 122 has three copies of a 516 bp repeat, by far the largest repeat found. (3) vsp 90 (vsp C5) has approximately 25 copies of a 105 bp tandem repeat [11].