Skip to main content
PMC home page
Infection and Immunity logoLink to Infection and Immunity
. 1977 Jul;17(1):215–226. doi: 10.1128/iai.17.1.215-226.1977

Survey of the extrachromosomal gene pool of Streptococcus mutans.

F L Macrina, J L Reider, S S Virgili, D J Kopecko
PMCID: PMC421103  PMID: 885614

Abstract

Fifty strains of Streptococcus mutans independently isolated from human dental plaque were examined for the presence of covalently closed circular plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Cesium chloride-ethidium bromide centrifugation of [3H]thymidine-labeled, Sarkosyl-lysed cells revealed that 2 of the 50 strains contained plasmid DNA. The plasmid DNA from these strains was characterized by velocity and equilibrium centrifugation and by electron microscopy. The plasmids in these strains were virtually identical in size, with molecular weights of 3.6 X 10(6) and 3.7 X 10(6), Both were present to the extent of approximately 20 molecules per genome equivalent. Interlocked catenated dimeric molecules of each plasmid were readily detected by velocity sedimentation and electron microscopy. These plasmid-containing strains were compared with representative plasmid-free S. mutans strains by using such criteria as bacteriocin production, antibiotic susceptibility, and hemolysis of mammalian erythrocytes. Although no correlation of phenotype to plasmid content could be made, production of bacteriocin-like activity differed significantly between the two plasmid-containing S. mutans isolates. Thus, although the plasmids in these two isolates appeared identical by the criteria of molecular weight, presence of dimers, and copy number, they appeared to be harbored by two distinct S. mutans strains.

Full text

PDF
215

Images in this article

221Image
on p.221

Selected References

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

  1. Bak A. L., Christiansen C., Stenderup A. Bacterial genome sizes determined by DNA renaturation studies. J Gen Microbiol. 1970 Dec;64(3):377–380. doi: 10.1099/00221287-64-3-377. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bradley S. G. Relationships among mycobacteria and nocardiae based upon deoxyribonucleic acid reassociation. J Bacteriol. 1973 Feb;113(2):645–651. doi: 10.1128/jb.113.2.645-651.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bratthall D. Demonstration of five serological groups of streptococcal strains resembling Streptococcus mutans. Odontol Revy. 1970;21(2):143–152. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Clewell D. B., Franke A. E. Characterization of a plasmid determining resistance to erythromycin, lincomycin, and vernamycin Balpha in a strain Streptococcus pyogenes. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1974 May;5(5):534–537. doi: 10.1128/aac.5.5.534. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Clewell D. B., Yagi Y., Bauer B. Plasmid-determined tetracycline resistance in Streptococcus faecalis: evidence for gene amplification during growth in presence of tetracycline. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1975 May;72(5):1720–1724. doi: 10.1073/pnas.72.5.1720. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Courvalin P. M., Carlier C., Chabbert Y. A. Plasmid-linked tetracycline and erythromycin resistance in group D "streptococcus". Ann Inst Pasteur (Paris) 1972 Dec;123(6):755–759. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Coykendall A. L. Four types of Streptococcus mutans based on their genetic, antigenic and biochemical characteristics. J Gen Microbiol. 1974 Aug;83(2):327–338. doi: 10.1099/00221287-83-2-327. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Coykendall A. L., Specht P. A., Samol H. H. Streptococcus mutans in a wild, sucrose-eating rat population. Infect Immun. 1974 Jul;10(1):216–219. doi: 10.1128/iai.10.1.216-219.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Delisle A. L. Production of bacteriocins in a liquid medium by Streptococcus mutans. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1975 Dec;8(6):707–712. doi: 10.1128/aac.8.6.707. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Dunny G. M., Birch N., Hascall G., Clewell D. B. Isolation and characterization of plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid from Streptococcus mutans. J Bacteriol. 1973 Jun;114(3):1362–1364. doi: 10.1128/jb.114.3.1362-1364.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Dunny G. M., Clewell D. B. Transmissible toxin (hemolysin) plasmid in Streptococcus faecalis and its mobilization of a noninfectious drug resistance plasmid. J Bacteriol. 1975 Nov;124(2):784–790. doi: 10.1128/jb.124.2.784-790.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Efstathiou J. D., McKay L. L. Plasmids in Streptococcus lactis: evidence that lactose metabolism and proteinase activity are plasmid linked. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1976 Jul;32(1):38–44. doi: 10.1128/aem.32.1.38-44.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Gibbons R. J., Houte J. V. Bacterial adherence in oral microbial ecology. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1975;29:19–44. doi: 10.1146/annurev.mi.29.100175.000315. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Gibbons R. J., van Houte J. Dental caries. Annu Rev Med. 1975;26:121–136. doi: 10.1146/annurev.me.26.020175.001005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Gillis M., De Ley J., De Cleene M. The determination of molecular weight of bacterial genome DNA from renaturation rates. Eur J Biochem. 1970 Jan;12(1):143–153. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1970.tb00831.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Hamada S., Ooshima T. Production and properties of bacteriocins (mutacins) from Streptococcus mutans. Arch Oral Biol. 1975 Oct;20(10):641–648. doi: 10.1016/0003-9969(75)90131-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Horodniceanu T., Bouanchaud D. H., Bieth G., Chabbert Y. A. R plasmids in Streptococcus agalactiae (group B). Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1976 Nov;10(5):795–801. doi: 10.1128/aac.10.5.795. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Jacob A. E., Hobbs S. J. Conjugal transfer of plasmid-borne multiple antibiotic resistance in Streptococcus faecalis var. zymogenes. J Bacteriol. 1974 Feb;117(2):360–372. doi: 10.1128/jb.117.2.360-372.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. KLEINSCHMIDT A. K., LANG D., JACHERTS D., ZAHN R. K. [Preparation and length measurements of the total desoxyribonucleic acid content of T2 bacteriophages]. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1962 Dec 31;61:857–864. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Kontomichalou P., Mitani M., Clowes R. C. Circular R-factor molecules controlling penicillinase synthesis, replicating in Escherichia coli under either relaxed or stringent control. J Bacteriol. 1970 Oct;104(1):34–44. doi: 10.1128/jb.104.1.34-44.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Kopecko D. J., Brevet J., Cohen S. N. Involvement of multiple translocating DNA segments and recombinational hotspots in the structural evolution of bacterial plasmids. J Mol Biol. 1976 Dec;108(2):333–360. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(76)80124-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Kupersztoch Y. M., Helinski D. R. A catenated DNA molecule as an intermediate in the replication of the resistance transfer factor R6K in Escherichia coli. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1973 Oct 15;54(4):1451–1459. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(73)91149-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Macrina F. L., Weatherly G. G., Curtiss R., 3rd R6K plasmid replication: influence of chromosomal genotype in minicell-producing strains of Escherichia coli K-12. J Bacteriol. 1974 Dec;120(3):1387–1400. doi: 10.1128/jb.120.3.1387-1400.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Novick R. P., Clowes R. C., Cohen S. N., Curtiss R., 3rd, Datta N., Falkow S. Uniform nomenclature for bacterial plasmids: a proposal. Bacteriol Rev. 1976 Mar;40(1):168–189. doi: 10.1128/br.40.1.168-189.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Rogers A. H. Bacteriocin patterns of strains belonging to various serotypes of Streptococcus mutans. Arch Oral Biol. 1976;21(4):243–249. doi: 10.1016/0003-9969(76)90042-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Shklair I. L., Keene H. J. A biochemical scheme for the separation of the five varieties of Streptococcus mutans. Arch Oral Biol. 1974 Nov;19(11):1079–1081. doi: 10.1016/0003-9969(74)90099-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Tinnell W. H., Macrina F. L. Extrachromosomal elements in a variety of strains representing the Bacteroides fragilis group of organisms. Infect Immun. 1976 Oct;14(4):955–964. doi: 10.1128/iai.14.4.955-964.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Yagi Y., Clewell D. B. Plasmid-determined tetracycline resistance in Streptococcus faecalis: tandemly repeated resistance determinants in amplified forms of pAMalpha1 DNA. J Mol Biol. 1976 Apr 15;102(3):583–600. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(76)90336-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infection and Immunity are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES