Competence for genetic transformation in pneumococcus depends on synthesis of a small set of proteins
Abstract
In bacterial genetic transformation the uptake of DNA and its integration into the resident chromosome is dependent on a special cellular state, termed competence. In those species where appearance of competence has been studied, specific (but often poorly defined) growth conditions lead to a simultaneous development of competence in a substantial fraction of the cells in a culture. In Bacillus subtilis1-4, and in Haemophilus species5,6, competence appears in the stationary phase of growth or in certain other growth-limiting conditions5,6. Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is perhaps unusual in that virtually all cells of a culture become competent7,8, for a short period at a specific cell density during logarithmic growth, without perturbing the growth rate9. The synchronous appearance of competence in pneumococcal cultures results from an auto-catalytic effect of a small protein10 released by the cells that induces competence11,12. The response to competence factor has been shown to require protein synthesis13. We report here additional information on the nature of competence in pneumococcus: pulse-labelling studies show that for the brief period of competence protein synthesis is restricted to a few specific polypeptides.
- Publication:
-
Nature
- Pub Date:
- November 1979
- DOI:
- 10.1038/282215a0
- Bibcode:
- 1979Natur.282..215M