Transfer of the genes for the StyLTI restriction-modification system of Salmonella typhimurium to strains lacking modification ability results in death of the recipient cells and degradation of their DNA.
The genes encoding the restriction-modification system StyLTI of Salmonella typhimurium were inserted in vivo into the conjugative plasmid pULB21. This allowed us to transfer the StyLTI genes at a very high frequency and to monitor the fate of recipient cells after mating. Transfer of the StyLTI restriction and modification genes into a modificationless recipient was lethal and resulted in degradation of the cell's DNA. This indicates that, in contrast to any other known restriction-modification systems, StyLTI cannot be established after horizontal transfer into a naive host.
De Backer
O
O
Département de Biologie, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
Colson
C
C
D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D015263:Deoxyribonucleases, Type III Site-Specific / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D007700:Kinetics; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D015265:Site-Specific DNA-Methyltransferase (Adenine-Specific) / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases; C067137:DNA modification methylase StyLTI; D015265:Site-Specific DNA-Methyltransferase (Adenine-Specific); D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; C067136:endodeoxyribonuclease StyLTI; D015263:Deoxyribonucleases, Type III Site-Specific