Skip to main content
PMC home page
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1991 Jan;57(1):201–206. doi: 10.1128/aem.57.1.201-206.1991

Identification of a new genetic determinant for cell aggregation associated with lactose plasmid transfer in Lactococcus lactis.

D van der Lelie 1, F Chavarri 1, G Venema 1, M J Gasson 1
PMCID: PMC182685  PMID: 1903626

Abstract

Derivatives of the lactose miniplasmid pMG820 were constructed in which a staphylococcal erm gene was inserted and in which this was accompanied by subsequent deletion of the lactose genes. The resulting plasmids were thus marked with both erythromycin resistance and lactose utilization genes in pF1132 or solely erythromycin resistance in pF1133. These plasmids retained the normal conjugation properties characteristic of lactose plasmid pLP712, including the generation by intermolecular rearrangement of high-frequency-transfer Clu+ derivatives which exhibited cell aggregation. The use of such Clu+ plasmids in a variety of mating experiments between different lactococcal strains and the observation of cell aggregation when particular mating mixtures were made led to the discovery of a new component of this conjugation system named Agg. A chromosomal gene agg was postulated to be present in some but not all strains of lactococci. High-frequency conjugation and cell aggregation thus depend on the presence of both Agg and Clu, although in a mating pair these components can be in the same or in separate strains. The Agg and Clu components may be analogous to the binding substance and aggregation substance that are involved in the hemolysin plasmid transfer system of Enterococcus faecalis, although control of their expression is different.

Full text

PDF
206

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Anderson D. G., McKay L. L. Genetic and physical characterization of recombinant plasmids associated with cell aggregation and high-frequency conjugal transfer in Streptococcus lactis ML3. J Bacteriol. 1984 Jun;158(3):954–962. doi: 10.1128/jb.158.3.954-962.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Chopin A., Chopin M. C., Moillo-Batt A., Langella P. Two plasmid-determined restriction and modification systems in Streptococcus lactis. Plasmid. 1984 May;11(3):260–263. doi: 10.1016/0147-619x(84)90033-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Clewell D. B. Plasmids, drug resistance, and gene transfer in the genus Streptococcus. Microbiol Rev. 1981 Sep;45(3):409–436. doi: 10.1128/mr.45.3.409-436.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Fitzgerald G. F., Gasson M. J. In vivo gene transfer systems and transposons. Biochimie. 1988 Apr;70(4):489–502. doi: 10.1016/0300-9084(88)90085-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Gasson M. J., Davies F. L. High-frequency conjugation associated with Streptococcus lactis donor cell aggregation. J Bacteriol. 1980 Sep;143(3):1260–1264. doi: 10.1128/jb.143.3.1260-1264.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Gasson M. J. Plasmid complements of Streptococcus lactis NCDO 712 and other lactic streptococci after protoplast-induced curing. J Bacteriol. 1983 Apr;154(1):1–9. doi: 10.1128/jb.154.1.1-9.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hill C., Daly C., Fitzgerald G. F. Development of High-Frequency Delivery System for Transposon Tn919 in Lactic Streptococci: Random Insertion in Streptococcus lactis subsp. diacetylactis 18-16. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1987 Jan;53(1):74–78. doi: 10.1128/aem.53.1.74-78.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Ish-Horowicz D., Burke J. F. Rapid and efficient cosmid cloning. Nucleic Acids Res. 1981 Jul 10;9(13):2989–2998. doi: 10.1093/nar/9.13.2989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Kempler G. M., McKay L. L. Genetic Evidence for Plasmid-Linked Lactose Metabolism in Streptococcus lactis subsp. diacetylactis. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1979 May;37(5):1041–1043. doi: 10.1128/aem.37.5.1041-1043.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Klaenhammer T. R., Sanozky R. B. Conjugal transfer from Streptococcus lactis ME2 of plasmids encoding phage resistance, nisin resistance and lactose-fermenting ability: evidence for a high-frequency conjugative plasmid responsible for abortive infection of virulent bacteriophage. J Gen Microbiol. 1985 Jun;131(6):1531–1541. doi: 10.1099/00221287-131-6-1531. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. McKay L. L., Baldwin K. A. Conjugative 40-megadalton plasmid in Streptococcus lactis subsp. diacetylactis DRC3 is associated with resistance to nisin and bacteriophage. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1984 Jan;47(1):68–74. doi: 10.1128/aem.47.1.68-74.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. McKay L. L., Baldwin K. A., Walsh P. M. Conjugal transfer of genetic information in group N streptococci. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1980 Jul;40(1):84–89. doi: 10.1128/aem.40.1.84-91.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Neve H., Geis A., Teuber M. Conjugal transfer and characterization of bacteriocin plasmids in group N (lactic acid) streptococci. J Bacteriol. 1984 Mar;157(3):833–838. doi: 10.1128/jb.157.3.833-838.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Polzin K. M., Shimizu-Kadota M. Identification of a new insertion element, similar to gram-negative IS26, on the lactose plasmid of Streptococcus lactis ML3. J Bacteriol. 1987 Dec;169(12):5481–5488. doi: 10.1128/jb.169.12.5481-5488.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. ROGOSA M., MITCHELL J. A., WISEMAN R. F. A selective medium for the isolation and enumeration of oral and fecal lactobacilli. J Bacteriol. 1951 Jul;62(1):132–133. doi: 10.1128/jb.62.1.132-133.1951. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Rottländer E., Trautner T. A. Genetic and transfection studies with B, subtilis phage SP 50. I. Phage mutants with restricted growth on B. subtilis strain 168. Mol Gen Genet. 1970;108(1):47–60. doi: 10.1007/BF00343184. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Scherwitz K. M., Baldwin K. A., McKay L. L. Plasmid linkage of a bacteriocin-like substance in Streptococcus lactis subsp. diacetylactis strain WM4: transferability to Streptococcus lactis. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 May;45(5):1506–1512. doi: 10.1128/aem.45.5.1506-1512.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Snook R. J., McKay L. L. Conjugal Transfer of Lactose-Fermenting Ability Among Streptococcus cremoris and Streptococcus lactis Strains. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1981 Nov;42(5):904–911. doi: 10.1128/aem.42.5.904-911.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Tautz D., Renz M. An optimized freeze-squeeze method for the recovery of DNA fragments from agarose gels. Anal Biochem. 1983 Jul 1;132(1):14–19. doi: 10.1016/0003-2697(83)90419-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Terzaghi B. E., Sandine W. E. Improved medium for lactic streptococci and their bacteriophages. Appl Microbiol. 1975 Jun;29(6):807–813. doi: 10.1128/am.29.6.807-813.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Walsh P. M., McKay L. L. Recombinant plasmid associated cell aggregation and high-frequency conjugation of Streptococcus lactis ML3. J Bacteriol. 1981 Jun;146(3):937–944. doi: 10.1128/jb.146.3.937-944.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Walsh P. M., McKay L. L. Restriction endonuclease analysis of the lactose plasmid in Streptococcus lactis ML3 and two recombinant lactose plasmids. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1982 May;43(5):1006–1010. doi: 10.1128/aem.43.5.1006-1010.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. van der Lelie D., Venema G. Bacillus subtilis generates a major specific deletion in pAM beta 1. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1987 Oct;53(10):2458–2463. doi: 10.1128/aem.53.10.2458-2463.1987. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. van der Lelie D., van der Vossen J. M., Venema G. Effect of Plasmid Incompatibility on DNA Transfer to Streptococcus cremoris. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1988 Apr;54(4):865–871. doi: 10.1128/aem.54.4.865-871.1988. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied and Environmental Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES