Homopolymeric tracts (HPTs) can lead to phase variation and DNA replication slippage, driving adaptation to environmental changes and evolution of genes and genomes. However, there is limited information on HPTs in Escherichia; therefore, we conducted a comprehensive cross-strain search for HPTs in Escherichia genomes. We determined the HPT genomic distribution and identified a pattern of high-frequency HPT localization in pathogenic Escherichia lineages. Notably, HPTs localized near transcriptional regulatory genes. Additionally, excessive repeats accumulated in toxin-coding genes. Moreover, the genomic localization of some HPTs might be derived from exogenous DNA, such as that of bacteriophages. Altogether, our findings may prove useful for understanding the role of HPTs in Escherichia genomes.
Keywords: Escherichia; comparative genomics; homopolymeric tracts; pathogenic lineages; single-nucleotide repeats; transcriptional regulation.