Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1983 May;45(5):1506–1512. doi: 10.1128/aem.45.5.1506-1512.1983

Plasmid linkage of a bacteriocin-like substance in Streptococcus lactis subsp. diacetylactis strain WM4: transferability to Streptococcus lactis.

K M Scherwitz, K A Baldwin, L L McKay
PMCID: PMC242492  PMID: 6408984

Abstract

Streptococcus lactis subsp. diacetylactis strain WM4 transferred lactose-fermenting and bacteriocin-producing (Bac+) abilities to S. lactis LM2301, a lactose-negative, streptomycin-resistant (Lac- Strr), plasmid-cured derivative of S. lactis C2. Three types of transconjugants were obtained: Lac+ Bac+, Lac+ Bac-, and Lac-Bac+.S. diacetylactis WM4 possessed plasmids of 88, 33, 30, 5.5, 4.8, and 3.8 megadaltons (Mdal). In Lac+ Bac+ transconjugants, lactose-fermenting ability was linked to the 33-Mdal plasmid and bacteriocin-producing ability to the 88-Mdal plasmid. Curing the 33-Mdal plasmid from Lac+ Bac+ transconjugants resulted in loss of lactose-fermenting ability but not bacteriocin-producing ability (Lac- Bac+). These strains retained the 88-Mdal plasmid. Curing of both plasmids resulted in a Lac- Bac- phenotype. The Lac+ Bac- transconjugant phenotype was associated with a recombinant plasmid of 55 or 65 Mdal. When these transconjugants were used as donors in subsequent matings, the frequency of Lac transfer was about 2.0 X 10(-2) per recipient plated, whereas when Lac+ Bac+ transconjugants served as donors, the frequency of Lac transfer was about 2.0 X 10(-5) per recipient plated. Also, Lac- Bac+ transconjugants were found to contain the 88-Mdal plasmid. The data indicate that the ability of WM4 to produce bacteriocin is linked to an 88-Mdal conjugative plasmid and that lactose-fermenting ability resides on a 33-Mdal plasmid.

Full text

PDF
1506

Images in this article

1509Image
on p.1509
1509Image
on p.1509
1510Image
on p.1510

Selected References

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

  1. Currier T. C., Nester E. W. Isolation of covalently closed circular DNA of high molecular weight from bacteria. Anal Biochem. 1976 Dec;76(2):431–441. doi: 10.1016/0003-2697(76)90338-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Davey G. P., Richardson B. C. Purification and Some Properties of Diplococcin from Streptococcus cremoris 346. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1981 Jan;41(1):84–89. doi: 10.1128/aem.41.1.84-89.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Davies F. L., Gasson M. J. Reviews of the progress of dairy science: genetics of lactic acid bacteria. J Dairy Res. 1981 Jun;48(2):363–376. doi: 10.1017/s0022029900021798. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. 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]
  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. Geis A., Singh J., Teuber M. Potential of lactic streptococci to produce bacteriocin. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 Jan;45(1):205–211. doi: 10.1128/aem.45.1.205-211.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hurst A. Nisin: its preservative effect and function in the growth cycle of the producer organism. Soc Appl Bacteriol Symp Ser. 1978;7:297–314. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. 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]
  9. Kozak W., Bardowski J., Dobrzański W. T. Lactostrepcins--acid bacteriocins produced by lactic streptococci. J Dairy Res. 1978 Jun;45(2):247–257. doi: 10.1017/s0022029900016423. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. 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]
  11. 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]
  12. McHugh G. L., Swartz M. N. Elimination of plasmids from several bacterial species by novobiocin. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1977 Sep;12(3):423–426. doi: 10.1128/aac.12.3.423. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. McKay L. L., Baldwin K. A. Induction of prophage in Streptococcus lactis C2 by ultraviolet irradiation. Appl Microbiol. 1973 Apr;25(4):682–684. doi: 10.1128/am.25.4.682-684.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. 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]
  15. McKay L. L., Cords B. R., Baldwin K. A. Transduction of lactose metabolism in Streptococcus lactis C2. J Bacteriol. 1973 Sep;115(3):810–815. doi: 10.1128/jb.115.3.810-815.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. 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]
  17. 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]

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

RESOURCES