Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1973 Aug;115(2):607–614. doi: 10.1128/jb.115.2.607-614.1973

Autolytic Activity and Its Association with the Development of Competence in Group H Streptococci

Jon M Ranhand 1
PMCID: PMC246289  PMID: 4725616

Abstract

Seventeen strains of group H streptococci were tested for their ability to develop competence for genetic transformation, either spontaneously or with the addition of competence factor derived from strain Challis supernatant fluids, and for their ability to autolyze. Autolysis was measured as a decline in optical density after washed cells were placed in a buffer at pH 9. Kinetic experiments showed that, in strains Challis, SBE I/II, WE4, SR 30, and a strain (FW 227) cured of its bacteriophage, competence and the ability to autolyze occurred simultaneously. Since autolysis was observed only in (i) competent cells, (ii) cells that passed their peak of competence, and (iii) those cells that exhibit a potential for developing competence but never go on to transform (i.e., lysogenized Challis cells), it is concluded that, in the group H streptococci, autolytic events are associated with the competent state. Strains that transformed but did not autolyze were not found.

Full text

PDF
607

Selected References

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

  1. GOODGAL S. H., HERRIOTT R. M. Studies on transformations of Hemophilus influenzae. I. Competence. J Gen Physiol. 1961 Jul;44:1201–1227. doi: 10.1085/jgp.44.6.1201. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Pakula R. Production of competence-provoking factor and development of competence of a transformable streptococcus in serum-free media. Can J Microbiol. 1965 Oct;11(5):811–822. doi: 10.1139/m65-110. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Pakula R., Spencer L. R., Goldstein P. A. Deoxyribonuclease and competence factor activities of transformable and nontransformable group H streptococci. Can J Microbiol. 1972 Feb;18(2):111–119. doi: 10.1139/m72-020. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Pakula R., Spencer L. R., Goldstein P. A. Streptococci deficient in genetic transformation. Can J Microbiol. 1971 Oct;17(10):1251–1257. doi: 10.1139/m71-201. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Parsons C. L., Colon A. E., Leonard C. G., Cole R. M. Isolation of bacteriophages from group H streptococci. J Virol. 1972 May;9(5):876–878. doi: 10.1128/jvi.9.5.876-878.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Parsons L. C., Ranhand J. M., Leonard C. G., Colon A. E., Cole R. M. Inhibition of transformation in group H streptococci by lysogeny. J Bacteriol. 1973 Mar;113(3):1217–1222. doi: 10.1128/jb.113.3.1217-1222.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. 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]
  8. Ranhand J. M., Cole R. M., Leonard C. G. A comparison of streptococcal competence factors produced by strain Challis in chemically defined and complex media. J Gen Microbiol. 1971 Feb;65(2):131–138. doi: 10.1099/00221287-65-2-131. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Ranhand J. M., Cole R. M. Lysis of streptococci by an extracellular lysin produced by competent group H streptococcus strain CHALLIS. J Gen Microbiol. 1972 Jun;71(1):199–202. doi: 10.1099/00221287-71-1-199. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. 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]
  11. Ranhand J. M., Theodore T. S., Cole R. M. Protein difference between competent and noncompetent cultures of a group H Streptococcus. J Bacteriol. 1970 Oct;104(1):360–362. doi: 10.1128/jb.104.1.360-362.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. 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]
  13. Spencer H. T., Herriott R. M. Development of competence of Haemophilus influenzae. J Bacteriol. 1965 Oct;90(4):911–920. doi: 10.1128/jb.90.4.911-920.1965. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Taylor A. G. Lymphocyte-transforming activity of streptococci belonging to various Lancefield groups. J Med Microbiol. 1972 Feb;5(1):61–65. doi: 10.1099/00222615-5-1-61. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. 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]
  16. 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