Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1977 Feb;129(2):778–788. doi: 10.1128/jb.129.2.778-788.1977

Transformation in Staphylococcus aureus: role of bacteriophage and incidence of competence among strains.

N E Thompson, P A Pattee
PMCID: PMC235011  PMID: 138674

Abstract

When used in a helper phage capacity, phages 29, 52, 52A, 79, 80, 55, 71, 53, 83A, 85, 95, 96, phi11, and 80 alpha, all serological group B Staphylococcus phages, conferred competence for transformation to S. aureus 8325-4, a strain that does not normally become competent. Of the serological group A phages tested, only phage 3A showed significant competence-conferring activity. Phages 29, 55, 53, 83A, .85, 95, phi11, and 80 alpha showed an enhancement of competence-conferring activity if exposure to the cells occurred in the presence of nromal rabbit serum. All of the propagating strains for the Staphylococcus reference typing phages were rendered competent for transformation by exposure to at least one of these helper phages. The use of a helper phage to confer competence to S. aureus did not result in distortion of the genetic linkages observed in an inherently competent strain. Lysogenization by phages phi11 or 83A is shown not to be required for the expression of competence, and evidence is presented which indicates that competence in the inherently competent 8325 strain is due to a helper phage effect initiated by the adsorption to cells of phi11 virion parts [or phi11 particles in the case of the single lysogen 8325-4(phi11)] that have been liberated by prophage induction.

Full text

PDF
778

Selected References

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

  1. BURTON K. A study of the conditions and mechanism of the diphenylamine reaction for the colorimetric estimation of deoxyribonucleic acid. Biochem J. 1956 Feb;62(2):315–323. doi: 10.1042/bj0620315. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Cohen S. N., Chang A. C., Hsu L. Nonchromosomal antibiotic resistance in bacteria: genetic transformation of Escherichia coli by R-factor DNA. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1972 Aug;69(8):2110–2114. doi: 10.1073/pnas.69.8.2110. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cosloy S. D., Oishi M. Genetic transformation in Escherichia coli K12. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1973 Jan;70(1):84–87. doi: 10.1073/pnas.70.1.84. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Epstein H. T., Mahler I. Mechanisms of enhancement of SP82 transfection. J Virol. 1968 Jul;2(7):710–715. doi: 10.1128/jvi.2.7.710-715.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. GREEN D. M. INFECTIVITY OF DNA ISOLATED FROM BACILLUS SUBTILIS BACTERIOPHAGE, SP82. J Mol Biol. 1964 Dec;10:438–451. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(64)80065-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Higa A., Mandel M. Factors influencing competence of Escherichia coli for lambda-phage deoxyribonucleic acid infection. Jpn J Microbiol. 1972 Jul;16(4):251–257. doi: 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1972.tb00657.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Jazwinski S. M., Lindberg A. A., Kornberg A. The gene H spike protein of bacteriophages phiX174 and S13. I. Functions in phage-receptor recognition and in transfection. Virology. 1975 Jul;66(1):283–293. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(75)90198-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. KAISER A. D., HOGNESS D. S. The transformation of Escherichia coli with deoxyribonucleic acid isolated from bacteriophage lambda-dg. J Mol Biol. 1960 Dec;2:392–415. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(60)80050-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Kaiser A. D., Inman R. B. Cohesion and the biological activity of bacteriophage lambda DNA. J Mol Biol. 1965 Aug;13(1):78–91. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80081-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Kondorosi A., Orosz L., Sváb Z., Sik T. Genetic studies on rhizobiophage 16-3. II. Helper-induced transfection. Mol Gen Genet. 1974;132(2):153–163. doi: 10.1007/BF00272181. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Lindberg M., Novick R. P. Plasmid-specific transformation in Staphylococcus aureus. J Bacteriol. 1973 Jul;115(1):139–145. doi: 10.1128/jb.115.1.139-145.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Mandel M., Higa A. Calcium-dependent bacteriophage DNA infection. J Mol Biol. 1970 Oct 14;53(1):159–162. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(70)90051-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Mandel M. Infectivity of phage P2 DNA in presence of helper phage. Mol Gen Genet. 1967;99(1):88–96. doi: 10.1007/BF00306461. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. NOVICK R. P. ANALYSIS BY TRANSDUCTION OF MUTATIONS AFFECTING PENICILLINASE FORMATION IN STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS. J Gen Microbiol. 1963 Oct;33:121–136. doi: 10.1099/00221287-33-1-121. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Novick R. Properties of a cryptic high-frequency transducing phage in Staphylococcus aureus. Virology. 1967 Sep;33(1):155–166. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(67)90105-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. OKADA T., YANAGISAWA K., RYAN F. J. Elective production of thymine-less mutants. Nature. 1960 Oct 22;188:340–341. doi: 10.1038/188340a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. PATTEE P. A., BALDWIN J. N. Transduction of resistance to some macrolide antibiotics in Staphylococcus aureus. J Bacteriol. 1962 Nov;84:1049–1055. doi: 10.1128/jb.84.5.1049-1055.1962. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Pattee P. A. Genetic linkage of chromosomal tetracycline resistance and pigmentation to a purine auxotrophic marker and the isoleucine-valine-leucine structural genes in Staphylococcus aureus. J Bacteriol. 1976 Sep;127(3):1167–1172. doi: 10.1128/jb.127.3.1167-1172.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Pattee P. A., Kloos W. E., Bodensteiner J. B., Zara A. Homogeneity in a Staphylococcus aureus transducing fragment. J Virol. 1968 Jun;2(6):652–654. doi: 10.1128/jvi.2.6.652-654.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Pattee P. A., Neveln D. S. Transformation analysis of three linkage groups in Staphylococcus aureus. J Bacteriol. 1975 Oct;124(1):201–211. doi: 10.1128/jb.124.1.201-211.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. ROMIG W. R. Infection of Bacillus subtilis with phenol-extracted bacteriophages. Virology. 1962 Apr;16:452–459. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(62)90226-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Riva S., Polsinelli M. Relationship between competence for transfection and for transformation. J Virol. 1968 Jun;2(6):587–593. doi: 10.1128/jvi.2.6.587-593.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Rudin L., Lindberg M. Thymineless bacteriophage induction in Staphylococcus aureus. I. High-frequency transduction with lysates containing a bacteriophage related to bacteriophage phi 11. J Virol. 1975 Dec;16(6):1357–1366. doi: 10.1128/jvi.16.6.1357-1366.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Rudin L., Sjöström J. E., Lindberg M., Philipson L. Factors affecting competence for transformation in Staphylococcus aureus. J Bacteriol. 1974 Apr;118(1):155–164. doi: 10.1128/jb.118.1.155-164.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. STRACK H. B., KAISER A. D. ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE ENDS OF LAMBADA DNA. J Mol Biol. 1965 May;12:36–49. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80280-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Sjöström J. E., Lindberg M., Philipson L. Competence for transfection in Staphylococcus aureus. J Bacteriol. 1973 Feb;113(2):576–585. doi: 10.1128/jb.113.2.576-585.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Sjöström J. E., Lindberg M., Philipson L. Transfection of Staphylococcus aureus with bacteriophage deoxyribonucleic acid. J Bacteriol. 1972 Jan;109(1):285–291. doi: 10.1128/jb.109.1.285-291.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Sjöström J. E., Philipson L. Role of the phi 11 phage genome in competence of Staphylococcus aureus. J Bacteriol. 1974 Jul;119(1):19–32. doi: 10.1128/jb.119.1.19-32.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Stewart C. R., Pagel M. F. Relationship between transformation in Bacillus subtilis and infection by bacteriophage SP02. J Bacteriol. 1973 Nov;116(2):1082–1083. doi: 10.1128/jb.116.2.1082-1083.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. THOMAS R. Recherches sur la cinétique des transformations bactériennes. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1955 Dec;18(4):467–481. doi: 10.1016/0006-3002(55)90137-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. WENTWORTH B. B. BACTERIOPHAGE TYPING OF THE STAPHYLOCOCCI. Bacteriol Rev. 1963 Sep;27:253–272. doi: 10.1128/br.27.3.253-272.1963. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES