Analysis of Sporulation in Biovar Which Contains an Insertion in the Gene for the Sporulation Factor σ.

biovar () is an untypical pathogen causing a fatal anthrax-like disease in a variety of wildlife species in African rainforest areas. In contrast to and most species of the group, all strains of the cluster contain a 22 kb insertion in the gene which encodes the essential late sporulation sigma factor σ. This insertion is excised during sporulation in a site-specific recombination process resulting in an intact gene and a circular molecule.