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Uptake-sequence-independent DNA transformation exists in Neisseria gonorrhoeae

¹Northwestern University Medical School, Department of Microbiology-Immunology, 303 E Chicago Ave, W213, Searle 6-467, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
²University of Chicago, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, MC 6054, Chicago, IL 60637, USA

³Author for correspondence: H. S. Seifert. Tel: +1 312 503 9788. Fax: +1 312 503 1339. e-mail: h-seifert@nwu.edu

ABSTRACT

A DNA transformation dose-response curve of piliated (P⁺) gonococci with the use of cloned DNA containing a pilE2-cat fusion showed saturation at high and low levels of transforming DNA. At low DNA concentrations, transformation of the P⁺ strain MS11-A was effectively inhibited by a 1000-fold molar excess of the gonococcal transformation uptake sequence (GCUS). The same molar excess of the GCUS did not inhibit transformation of MS11-A at high DNA concentrations. In MS11-B2, a nonpiliated (P^-), pilin-nonproducing, isogenic variant of MS11-A, the GCUS did not inhibit transformation at any level of transforming DNA. These data suggest that two mechanisms of transformation exist in P⁺ cells: one which utilizes the GCUS and one which does not. In MS11-B2 P^- cells, no evidence was found for the presence of the GCUS-dependent mechanism, suggesting that transformation in this background occurs solely by the GCUS-independent mechanism.

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