FIG 1.

Late com genes in the complete genomes of L. lactis subsp. cremoris strains MG1363, A76, SK11, UC509.9, and KW2. The strain origin is indicated above each name. The essential late genes for DNA transformation identified in S. pneumoniae (17) are highlighted in blue. Two genes of the comG operon, which are potentially essential for DNA transformation, are highlighted in gray. Gene-associated function in DNA transformation is indicated on the left. Reg., regulation. The complete and incomplete status of late genes is based on blastp and tblastn similarity searches using orthologues of S. pneumoniae TIGR4 and S. thermophilus LMD-9 and default parameters. Symbols and abbreviations: + (green), presence of a complete gene; * (yellow), incomplete gene due to nucleotide change, insertion, or deletion resulting in a premature stop codon; Tn (red), gene disrupted by the insertion of at least one transposon.