The conjugative DNA-transfer apparatus of Streptomyces.

Lina Thoma, Günther Muth

International journal of medical microbiology : IJMM 2015 Feb

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Conjugation is a major route of horizontal gene transfer, an important driving force in the evolution of bacterial genomes. Since antibiotic producing streptomycetes represent a natural reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes, the Streptomyces conjugation system might have a particular role in the dissemination of the resistance genes. Streptomycetes transfer DNA in a unique process, clearly distinguished from the well-known DNA-transfer by type IV secretion systems. A single plasmid-encoded DNA-translocase, TraB, transfers a double-stranded DNA-molecule to the recipient. Elucidation of the structure, pore forming ability and DNA binding characteristics of TraB indicated that the TraB conjugation system is derived from an FtsK-like ancestor protein suggesting that Streptomyces adapted the FtsK/SpoIIIE chromosome segregation system to transfer DNA between two distinct Streptomyces cells. Following the primary transfer, a multi-protein DNA-translocation apparatus consisting of TraB and several Spd-proteins spreads the newly transferred DNA to the neighbouring mycelial compartments resulting in the rapid colonization of the recipient mycelium by the donor DNA. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Citation

Lina Thoma, Günther Muth. The conjugative DNA-transfer apparatus of Streptomyces. International journal of medical microbiology : IJMM. 2015 Feb;305(2):224-9