Skip to main content
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1987 Feb;53(2):352–357. doi: 10.1128/aem.53.2.352-357.1987

Conjugal transfer of nisin plasmid genes from Streptococcus lactis 7962 to Leuconostoc dextranicum 181.

H J Tsai, W E Sandine
PMCID: PMC203664  PMID: 3105456

Abstract

Acriflavine-generated mutants of Streptococcus lactis 7962 with various combinations of plasmid molecular masses were screened for nisin production. Nisin was produced by both the wild type and mutants that contained a 17.5-megadalton plasmid, which was obscured by chromosomal fragments. No nisin was produced by plasmid-free mutants. Sucrose fermentation and nisin production were simultaneously expressed. A transconjugant obtained from nisin-producing donor S. lactis 7962 and recipient Leuconostoc dextranicum 181 was a "supernisin" producer. The L. dextranicum Nis+ transconjugant was resistant to S. lactis 7962 phage and vancomycin (greater than 1,000 micrograms/ml), and it contained an extra 17.5-megadalton plasmid.

Full text

PDF
353

Images in this article

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. Simple and rapid method for isolating large plasmid DNA from lactic streptococci. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 Sep;46(3):549–552. doi: 10.1128/aem.46.3.549-552.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Fuchs P. G., Zajdel J., Dobrzański W. T. Possible plasmid nature of the determinant for production of the antibiotic nisin in some strains of Streptococcus lactis. J Gen Microbiol. 1975 May;88(1):189–192. doi: 10.1099/00221287-88-1-189. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Gonzalez C. F., Kunka B. S. Transfer of Sucrose-Fermenting Ability and Nisin Production Phenotype among Lactic Streptococci. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1985 Mar;49(3):627–633. doi: 10.1128/aem.49.3.627-633.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Grushina V. A., Baranova I. P., Egorov N. S. Dinamika nakopleniia nizina v kul'ture Streptococcus lactis. Prikl Biokhim Mikrobiol. 1979 May-Jun;15(3):472–474. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Hurst A. Biosynthesis of the antibiotic nisin by whole Streptococcus lactus organisms. J Gen Microbiol. 1966 Aug;44(2):209–220. doi: 10.1099/00221287-44-2-209. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Kado C. I., Liu S. T. Rapid procedure for detection and isolation of large and small plasmids. J Bacteriol. 1981 Mar;145(3):1365–1373. doi: 10.1128/jb.145.3.1365-1373.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Klaenhammer T. R., McKay L. L., Baldwin K. A. Improved lysis of group N streptococci for isolation and rapid characterization of plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1978 Mar;35(3):592–600. doi: 10.1128/aem.35.3.592-600.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. 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]
  9. Kozar W., Rajchert-Trzpil M., Dobrzański W. T. The effect of proflavin, ethidium bromide and an elevated temperature on the appearance of nisin-negative clones in nisin-producing strains of Streptococcus lactis. J Gen Microbiol. 1974 Aug;83(2):295–302. doi: 10.1099/00221287-83-2-295. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Kékessy D. A., Piguet J. D. New method for detecting bacteriocin production. Appl Microbiol. 1970 Aug;20(2):282–283. doi: 10.1128/am.20.2.282-283.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [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., Zottola E. A. Loss of lactose metabolism in lactic streptococci. Appl Microbiol. 1972 Jun;23(6):1090–1096. doi: 10.1128/am.23.6.1090-1096.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. McKay L., Miller A., 3rd, Sandine W. E., Elliker P. R. Mechanisms of lactose utilization by lactic acid streptococci: enzymatic and genetic analyses. J Bacteriol. 1970 Jun;102(3):804–809. doi: 10.1128/jb.102.3.804-809.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Orberg P. K., Sandine W. E. Common occurrence of plasmid DNA and vancomycin resistance in Leuconostoc spp. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1984 Dec;48(6):1129–1133. doi: 10.1128/aem.48.6.1129-1133.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Orberg P. K., Sandine W. E. Microscale method for rapid isolation of covalently closed circular plasmid DNA from group N streptococci. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1984 Apr;47(4):677–680. doi: 10.1128/aem.47.4.677-680.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Rayman K., Malik N., Hurst A. Failure of nisin to inhibit outgrowth of Clostridium botulinum in a model cured meat system. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 Dec;46(6):1450–1452. doi: 10.1128/aem.46.6.1450-1452.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Rayman M. K., Aris B., Hurst A. Nisin: a possible alternative or adjunct to nitrite in the preservation of meats. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1981 Feb;41(2):375–380. doi: 10.1128/aem.41.2.375-380.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Steele J. L., McKay L. L. Partial characterization of the genetic basis for sucrose metabolism and nisin production in Streptococcus lactis. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1986 Jan;51(1):57–64. doi: 10.1128/aem.51.1.57-64.1986. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. 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]
  20. White R. J., Hurst A. The location of nisin in the producer organism, Streptococcus lactis. J Gen Microbiol. 1968 Sep;53(2):171–179. doi: 10.1099/00221287-53-2-171. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES