Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1975 Mar;121(3):1014–1021. doi: 10.1128/jb.121.3.1014-1021.1975

Relationship of macromolecular synthesis to competence induction in a group H streptococcus.

D S Horne, D Perry
PMCID: PMC246031  PMID: 1116993

Abstract

Group H streptococcus strain Wicky, which was induced to competence for genetic transformation with competence factor (CF) derived from a related strain, displayed reduced rates of ribonucleic acid (RNA) and peptidoglycan synthesis. Pulse-labeling studies revealed that the inhibition of both RNA and peptidoglycan synthesis was maximal at the peak of competence and decreased as competence declined. These studies indicated that competence induction had only a slight effect on the rate of protein synthesis. Trypsin inactivation of CF prevented the reductions in synthesis normally elicited by CF preparations. If the addition of trypsin was delayed until 5 min after the addition of CF, competence induction and decreased synthesis of RNA and peptidoglycan were again apparent. Thus, the alterations in the synthesis of these macromolecules appeared to be related to the induction of competence. Further studies indicated that the apparent reductions in biosynthesis were not caused by decreased uptake of the labeled precursors by intact Wicky cells. In addition, these effects were probably not the result of turnover of macromolecules induced by CF. The lack of turnover of labeled peptidoglycan suggested that competence induction may not involve an autolysin.

Full text

PDF
1014

Selected References

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

  1. Boothby D., Daneo-Moore L., Higgins M. L., Coyette J., Shockman G. D. Turnover of bacterial cell wall peptidoglycans. J Biol Chem. 1973 Mar 25;248(6):2161–2169. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Boothby D., Daneo-Moore L., Shockman G. D. A rapid, guantitative, and selective estimation of radioactively labeled peptidoglycan in gram-positive bacteria. Anal Biochem. 1971 Dec;44(2):645–653. doi: 10.1016/0003-2697(71)90255-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Ephrussi-Taylor H., Freed B. A. Incorporation of thymidine and amino acids into deoxyribonucleic acid and acid-insoluble cell structures in pneumococcal cultures synchronized for competence to transform. J Bacteriol. 1964 May;87(5):1211–1215. doi: 10.1128/jb.87.5.1211-1215.1964. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Horne D. S., Perry D. Effect of competence induction on macromolecular synthesis in a group H streptococcus. J Bacteriol. 1974 Jun;118(3):830–836. doi: 10.1128/jb.118.3.830-836.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Leonard C. G., Cole R. M. Purification and properties of Streptococcal competence factor isolated from chemically defined medium. J Bacteriol. 1972 Apr;110(1):273–280. doi: 10.1128/jb.110.1.273-280.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Leonard C. G. Early events in development of streptococcal competence. J Bacteriol. 1973 Jun;114(3):1198–1205. doi: 10.1128/jb.114.3.1198-1205.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Mauck J., Chan L., Glaser L. Turnover of the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria. J Biol Chem. 1971 Mar 25;246(6):1820–1827. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. NESTER E. W. PENICILLIN RESISTANCE OF COMPETENT CELLS IN DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID TRANSFORMATION OF BACILLUS SUBTILIS. J Bacteriol. 1964 Apr;87:867–875. doi: 10.1128/jb.87.4.867-875.1964. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. NESTER E. W., STOCKER B. A. BIOSYNTHETIC LATENCY IN EARLY STAGES OF DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACIDTRANSFORMATION IN BACILLUS SUBTILIS. J Bacteriol. 1963 Oct;86:785–796. doi: 10.1128/jb.86.4.785-796.1963. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Osborn M. J. Structure and biosynthesis of the bacterial cell wall. Annu Rev Biochem. 1969;38:501–538. doi: 10.1146/annurev.bi.38.070169.002441. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. PAKULA R., WALCZAK W. On the nature of competence of transformable streptococci. J Gen Microbiol. 1963 Apr;31:125–133. doi: 10.1099/00221287-31-1-125. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. PARK J. T., HANCOCK R. A fractionation procedure for studies of the synthesis of cell-wall mucopeptide and of other polymers in cells of Staphylococcus aureus. J Gen Microbiol. 1960 Feb;22:249–258. doi: 10.1099/00221287-22-1-249. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Pakula R., Spencer L. R. Some features of competent streptococci. Can J Microbiol. 1972 Apr;18(4):487–491. doi: 10.1139/m72-075. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Perry D. Binding of streptococcal competence factor by the spheroplast membrane of a group H streptococcus. J Bacteriol. 1974 Feb;117(2):702–707. doi: 10.1128/jb.117.2.702-707.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Perry D. Effect of D-cycloserine on transformation in group H streptococcus, strain Challis. J Bacteriol. 1972 Mar;109(3):1014–1019. doi: 10.1128/jb.109.3.1014-1019.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Perry D., Slade H. D. Effect of filtrates from transformable and nontransformable streptococci on the transformation of streptococci. J Bacteriol. 1966 Jun;91(6):2216–2222. doi: 10.1128/jb.91.6.2216-2222.1966. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Perry D. Transformability of streptomycin-resistant group H streptococci. J Bacteriol. 1968 Jan;95(1):132–138. doi: 10.1128/jb.95.1.132-138.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Ranhand J. M. Autolytic activity and its association with the development of competence in group H streptococci. J Bacteriol. 1973 Aug;115(2):607–614. doi: 10.1128/jb.115.2.607-614.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Ranhand J. M., Leonard C. G., Cole R. M. Autolytic activity associated with competent group H streptococci. J Bacteriol. 1971 Apr;106(1):257–268. doi: 10.1128/jb.106.1.257-268.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Schlegel R., Slade H. D. Bacteriocin production by transformable group H streptococci. J Bacteriol. 1972 Nov;112(2):824–829. doi: 10.1128/jb.112.2.824-829.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Schlegel R., Slade H. D. Properties of a Streptococcus sanguis (group H) bacteriocin and its separation from the competence factor of transformation. J Bacteriol. 1973 Aug;115(2):655–661. doi: 10.1128/jb.115.2.655-661.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Tichy P., Landman O. E. Transformation in quasi spheroplasts of Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol. 1969 Jan;97(1):42–51. doi: 10.1128/jb.97.1.42-51.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Tomasz A. Biological consequences of the replacement of choline by ethanolamine in the cell wall of Pneumococcus: chanin formation, loss of transformability, and loss of autolysis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1968 Jan;59(1):86–93. doi: 10.1073/pnas.59.1.86. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Tomasz A. Cellular metabolism in genetic transformation of pneumococci: requirement for protein synthesis during induction of competence. J Bacteriol. 1970 Mar;101(3):860–871. doi: 10.1128/jb.101.3.860-871.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Tomasz A., Mosser J. L. On the nature of the pneumococcal activator substance. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1966 Jan;55(1):58–66. doi: 10.1073/pnas.55.1.58. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Tomasz A., Zanati E., Ziegler R. DNA uptake during genetic transformation and the growing zone of the cell envelope. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1971 Aug;68(8):1848–1852. doi: 10.1073/pnas.68.8.1848. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Wilson G. A., Bott K. F. Effects of lysozyme on competence for Bacillus subtilis transfection. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1970 Feb 18;199(2):464–475. doi: 10.1016/0005-2787(70)90089-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. YOUNG F. E., SPIZIZEN J. BIOCHEMICAL ASPECTS OF COMPETENCE IN THE BACILLUS SUBTILIS TRANSFORMATION SYSTEM. II. AUTOLYTIC ENZYME ACTIVITY OF CELL WALLS. J Biol Chem. 1963 Sep;238:3126–3130. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES