Induction of normal levels of genetic transformation in a class of endonuclease-defective mutants of Pneumococci

Effects of Neurospora nuclease halo (nuh) mutants on secretion of two phosphate-repressible alkaline deoxyribonucleases

Various recently isolated nuh mutants of Neurospora crassa (i.e., mutants which show reduced nuclease haloes on DNA-sorbose plates flooded with HCl) were mapped in several new genes or gene clusters and checked for effects on DNA repair and nuclease secretion. Some of them were found to be sensitive to MMS (methylmethane sulfonate) and sterile in meiosis. Release of nuclease activities into filtrates of liquid cultures was analyzed by DEAE-Sepharose chromatography. In the wild type, three alkaline deoxyribonuclease activities (A, B, and C) can be separated after growth in sorbose minimal media [Fraser, M. J. (1979). Nucleic Acids Res. 6: 231]. When strains were grown in phosphate-free DNA sucrose media, high (200-fold derepressed) DNase levels were found, and crude dialyzed filtrates could be chromatographed. Only two peaks were found, namely, those of DNase A, a Ca2+-dependent strand-nonspecific endonuclease, and DNase B, a ss-DNA-specific Mg2+-dependent exonuclease. Of the nuh mutants analyzed by one or both of these methods, many resembled the wild type. A few showed poor derepression, since their sorbose filtrates were normal, while profiles from DNA media lacked all peaks. These grew variably in liquid media with organic phosphates and probably produced suppressors, as was regularly found for nuc-2. Other mutants, which lacked specific peaks, gave the same results with both methods. One of these, nuh-7, produced no peaks at all but secreted unusually high amounts of protein.

Enhancement of pneumococcal transfection by protamine sulfate

Protamine sulfate enhanced transfection of Streptococcus pneumoniae by DNA of omega 3 phage by factors as large as 10(5)-fold, provided it was present at the time the cells were added to the DNA. For DNA concentrations well below 1 microgram/ml, the optimum amount of protamine sulfate was near 1 microgram/ml of cells. Higher DNA concentrations required more protamine for maximum effect, and in all cases transfection fell when protamine was in excess. Transformation was not enhanced by low protamine levels and was inhibited by higher levels. A recipient strain with low but finite endonuclease activity and normal transformability showed higher transfection than did the wild type at low DNA concentrations but less than did the wild type at high DNA concentrations. Protamine sulfate enhanced its transfection at low, but not high, DNA concentrations. The behavior of this strain and the enhancement of transfection by protamine sulfate of wild-type cells were each consistent with less cutting of the donor DNA at the cell surface, which is part of the normal entry process in naturally competent gram-positive bacteria. Less cutting would lead to entry of fewer but longer strands that would be more efficient in reconstruction of the 33-megadalton phage replicon. We suggest that in this system protamine enhances transfection by inhibition of the surface nuclease action that is part of the normal entry process.

Genetic transformation of Streptococcus pneumoniae by heterologous plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid

A number of heterologous plasmid deoxyribonucleic acids (DNAs) coding for erythromycin, tylosin, lincomycin, tetracycline, or chloramphenicol resistance have been introduced into Streptococcus pneumoniae via genetic transformation with frequencies that varied between 10(-5) to as high as 5 x 10(-1) per colony-forming unit. Transformation with plasmid DNA required pneumococcal competence, was competed by chromosomal DNA, and showed a saturation at about 0.5 micrograms/ml (with a recipient population of 3 x 10(7) colony-forming units of competent cells per ml). Plasmid transformation did not occur with a recipient strain, 410, defective in endonuclease I activity and in chromosomal genetic transformation. All erythromycin-resistant transformants examined contained covalently closed circular DNA with the same electrophoretic mobility on agarose gels as the donor DNAs, and when examined in detail the plasmid reisolated from the transformants had the same restriction patterns and the same specific transforming activity as the donor DNA. In the cases of two plasmids examined in detail--pAM77 and pSA5700 Lc9--most of the transforming activity was associated with DNA monomers; DNA multimers present in pSA5700 Lc9 also had biological activity. An unexpected finding was the demonstration of transformation (2 x 10(-5) per colony-forming unit) with plasmid DNAs linearized by treatment with S1 nuclease or with restriction endonucleases.

Inhibition of transformation in Streptococcus pneumoniae by lysogeny

Streptococcus pneumoniae R6X was lysogenized with bacteriophage 304 isolated after mitomycin induction of an ungrouped alpha-hemolytic streptococcus. Lysogenized pneumococci lost their capacity to undergo genetic transformation: transformability was restored after cells were spontaneously cured of their prophage. Both lysogens and nonlysogens produced activator substance (competence factor), and both bound deoxyribonucleic acid in a deoxyribonuclease-resistant form. However, nonlysogens retained deoxyribonucleic acid after washing, whereas lysogens did not. The latter did not liberate phage nor (unlike nonlysogens) degrade transforming deoxyribonucleic acid and contained normal levels of endonuclease.