  Characteristics Although ICEs exhibit various mechanisms promoting their integration, transfer and regulation, they share many common characteristics. ICEs comprise all mobile genetic elements with self-replication, integration, and conjugation, including, but not limited to conjugative transposons, regardless of their particular conjugation and integration mechanisms. Some immobile genomic Pathogenicity islands are also believed to be defective ICEs that have lost their ability to conjugate. ICEs possess the structure organized into three gene modules that are responsible for their integration with the chromosome, excision from the genome and conjugation, as well as regulatory genes. All integrative and conjugative elements encode integrases that are a key factor for controlling the excision, transfer and integration of an ICE. The representative example of ICE integrases is the integrase encoded by lambda phage. The transfer of an integrated ICE element from the donor to recipient bacterium must be preceded by its excision from the chromosome that is co-promoted by small DNA-binding proteins, the so-called recombination directionality factors. The dynamics of the integration and excision processes are specific to each integrative and conjugative element . Prevalence Due to their physical association with chromosomes, identifying integrative and conjugative elements has proven challenging, but computer-based analyses of bacterial genomes indicate they are widespread among many microorganisms.%DIFDELCMD < %DIFDELCMD < %%% ICEs have been detected in Proteobacteria (e.g., Pseudomonas spp., Aeromonas spp., E. coli, Haemophilus spp.), Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. Among many other virulence determinants, ICEs spread antibiotics and metal ions resistance genes across multiple prokaryotic lineages. ICE elements may also facilitate the mobilisation of other DNA modules, e.g. genomic islands .
Due to their physical association with chromosomes, identifying integrative and conjugative elements has proven challenging, but computer-based analyses of bacterial genomes indicate they are widespread among many microorganisms. ICEs have been detected in Proteobacteria (e.g., Pseudomonas spp., Aeromonas spp., E. coli, Haemophilus spp.), Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. Among many other virulence determinants, ICEs spread antibiotics and metal ions resistance genes across multiple prokaryotic lineages. ICE elements may also facilitate the mobilisation of other DNA modules, e.g. genomic islands. Characteristics Although ICEs exhibit various mechanisms promoting their integration, transfer and regulation, they share many common characteristics. ICEs comprise all mobile genetic elements with self-replication, integration, and conjugation, including, but not limited to conjugative transposons, regardless of their particular conjugation and integration mechanisms. Some immobile genomic Pathogenicity islands are also believed to be defective ICEs that have lost their ability to conjugate. ICEs possess the structure organized into three gene modules that are responsible for their integration with the chromosome, excision from the genome and conjugation, as well as regulatory genes. All integrative and conjugative elements encode integrases that are a key factor for controlling the excision, transfer and integration of an ICE. The representative example of ICE integrases is the integrase encoded by lambda phage. The transfer of an integrated ICE element from the donor to recipient bacterium must be preceded by its excision from the chromosome that is co-promoted by small DNA-binding proteins, the so-called recombination directionality factors. The dynamics of the integration and excision processes are specific to each integrative and conjugative element %DIFDELCMD < %DIFDELCMD < %%% .
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Due to their physical association with chromosomes, identifying integrative and conjugative elements has proven challenging, but computer-based analyses of bacterial genomes indicate they are widespread among many microorganisms.
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ICEs have been detected in Proteobacteria (e.g., Pseudomonas spp., Aeromonas spp., E. coli, Haemophilus spp.), Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. Among many other virulence determinants, ICEs spread antibiotics and metal ions resistance genes across multiple prokaryotic lineages. ICE elements may also facilitate the mobilisation of other DNA modules, e.g. genomic islands.
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Prevalence Due to their physical association with chromosomes, identifying integrative and conjugative elements has proven challenging, but computer-based analyses of bacterial genomes indicate they are widespread among many microorganisms.
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ICEs have been detected in Proteobacteria (e.g., Pseudomonas spp., Aeromonas spp., E. coli, Haemophilus spp.), Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. Among many other virulence determinants, ICEs spread antibiotics and metal ions resistance genes across multiple prokaryotic lineages. ICE elements may also facilitate the mobilisation of other DNA modules, e.g. genomic islands