Type IV pili-related natural transformation systems: DNA transport in mesophilic and thermophilic bacteria.
Horizontal gene flow is a driving force for bacterial adaptation. Among the three distinct mechanisms of gene transfer in bacteria, conjugation, transduction, and transformation, the latter, which includes competence induction, DNA binding, and DNA uptake, is perhaps the most versatile mechanism and allows the incorporation of free DNA from diverse bacterial species. Here we review DNA transport machineries mediating uptake of naked DNA in gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Different putative models of transformation machineries comprising components similar to proteins of type IV pili are presented. Emphasis is placed on a comparative discussion of the underlying mechanisms of DNA transfer in mesophilic and extremely thermophilic bacteria, highlighting conserved and distinctive features of these transformation machineries.
Department Biologie I, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Maria-Ward-Strasse 1a, Bereich Genetik, 80638 Munich, Germany. B.Averhoff@lrz.uni-muenchen.de
Beate
B
Averhoff
Alexandra
A
Friedrich
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics*; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D001692:Biological Transport; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D014169:Transformation, Bacterial
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins