Analysis of the urease gene complex of members of the genus Yersinia

The urease gene complex of Yersinia enterocolitica is relatively conserved within the species, although this conservation may not extend to other members of the genus. Spontaneous urease-negative isolates of Y. enterocolitica appear to have arisen as a result of large deletions within this complex, while Y. pestis shows no significant deletions within the complex, despite being urease negative.