title: Conjugative transfer of the Lactococcus lactis sex factor and pRS01 plasmid to Enterococcus faecalis.
abstract: The low G+C gram-positive bacterium Lactococcus lactis harbours two highly similar conjugative elements: an integrative and conjugative element called sex factor and the pRS01 plasmid. Originally, it was believed that the host range of the sex factor was limited to L. lactis subspecies. Here, it is reported that pTRK28 cointegrates of a spectinomycin-marked L. lactis sex factor and of the pRS01 conjugative plasmid can be transferred from L. lactis to Enterococcus faecalis. These results demonstrate the conjugative transfer of these elements to other bacterial species. Furthermore, it is reported that Ll.LtrB, a mobile group II intron carried by both elements, can invade its recognition site upon pRS01 conjugative transfer to E. faecalis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Kamila
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Belhocine
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mandilaras
authors.forename: Bonnie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cousineau
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000235:genetics*; D005144:F Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D013294:Lactococcus lactis / Q000235:genetics*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; C099786:LtrB protein, Lactococcus lactis