Regulation of conjugal transfer by Lrp and Dam methylation in plasmid R100

Authors

  • Eva M. Camacho Eva M. Camacho Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
  • Ana Serna Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
  • Josep Casadesús Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain

Keywords:

Dam methylation, fertility inhibition, FinP

Abstract

Conjugal transfer of the F-like plasmid R100 occurs at higher frequencies in the absence of DNA adenine methylation. Lower levels of R100-encoded FinP RNA were found in a Dam– host, suggesting that Dam methylation regulates FinP RNA synthesis. Lack of the leucine-responsive regulatory protein (Lrp) causes a decrease in R100 plasmid transfer, indicating that Lrp is an activator of R100- mediated conjugation. Hence, host-encoded regulators previously described for the Salmonella virulence plasmid (pSLT) seem to play analogous roles in R100. Repression of conjugal transfer in rich medium is an additional trait shared by R100 and pSLT. DNA sequence comparisons in regulatory loci support the view that R100 and pSLT are closely related. [Int Microbiol 2005; 8(4):279-285]

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Published

2010-02-26

Issue

Section

Research Articles