Plasmid-mediated bacteriocin production by Shigella flexneri isolated from dysenteric diarrhoea and their transformation into Escherichia coli.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the production of bacteriocin by Shigella flexneri strains, to relate their production to the presence of dysenteric diarrhoea and to asses the genetic determination of the bacteriocin.


RESULTS
One hundred and sixteen strains of Sh. flexneri were isolated from patients with diarrhoea and 49 of them produced bacteriocin active against several Escherichia coli and abacteriocinogenic Sh. flexneri strains. The extrachromosomal DNA isolated from bacteriocinogenic Sh. flexneri strains were used as a substrate to transform E. coli HB-101 cells by means of electroporation.


CONCLUSIONS
Only the Sh. flexneri strains isolated from dysenteric diarrhoea produced bacteriocin. It was demonstrated that a plasmid of approx. 3 kb was responsible for the genetic determination of these anti-bacterial substances.


CONCLUSIONS
A 3-kb plasmid that harboured information for the production of bacteriocin by Sh. flexneri strains was described. The production of this bacteriocin may be related to dysenteric diarrhoea produced by these bacterial strains.
Laboratorio de Investigación Microbiológica, Universidad de Talca, Chile. cpadilla@utalca.cl
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Padilla
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Lobos
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Brevis
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Abaca
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Hubert
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001430:Bacteriocins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004405:Dysentery, Bacillary / Q000382:microbiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010957:Plasmids / Q000737:chemistry; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012763:Shigella flexneri / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014169:Transformation, Bacterial
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001430:Bacteriocins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins