title: First evidence for a restriction-modification system in Leptospira sp.
abstract: The LE1 leptophage exhibited a host range restricted to the saprophytic Leptospira biflexa [Saint Girons et al., Res. Microbiol. 141 (1990) 1131-1133] and mainly to the Patoc 1 strain (hereafter called PFRA) kept in the Paris, France collection. Results of titration of LE1 lysates indicated the presence of a host-controlled modification and restriction system within PUSA (Patoc 1 strain maintained in the Morgantown, WV, USA collection) that was absent in PFRA. Because genomic DNA of PITAL (Patoc 1 strain maintained in Trieste, Italy) appeared smeared in pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), this strain is likely to contain nucleases that are activated upon DNA isolation. Moreover, comparative NotI digestions of PUSA and PFRA DNAs, as visualized by PFGE, indicated that PUSA belonged to a different serovar than PFRA. Finally, 16S ribosomal sequence analysis indicated that PUSA belonged to the saprophytic Leptospira meyeri species, while PITAL and PFRA appertained to L. biflexa. The evolutionary significance and the importance of the restriction and modification enzymes or non-specific nucleases within strains for genetic experiments are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Bactériologie Moléculaire et Médicale, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brenot
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Werts
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ottone
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sertour
authors.forename: N W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Charon
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Postic
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Baranton
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Saint Girons
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D001483:Base Sequence; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005602:France; D007558:Italy; D007919:Leptospira / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013045:Species Specificity; D014481:United States; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes