title: The conjugative DNA-transfer apparatus of Streptomyces.
abstract: Conjugation is a major route of horizontal gene transfer, an important driving force in the evolution of bacterial genomes. Since antibiotic producing streptomycetes represent a natural reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes, the Streptomyces conjugation system might have a particular role in the dissemination of the resistance genes. Streptomycetes transfer DNA in a unique process, clearly distinguished from the well-known DNA-transfer by type IV secretion systems. A single plasmid-encoded DNA-translocase, TraB, transfers a double-stranded DNA-molecule to the recipient. Elucidation of the structure, pore forming ability and DNA binding characteristics of TraB indicated that the TraB conjugation system is derived from an FtsK-like ancestor protein suggesting that Streptomyces adapted the FtsK/SpoIIIE chromosome segregation system to transfer DNA between two distinct Streptomyces cells. Following the primary transfer, a multi-protein DNA-translocation apparatus consisting of TraB and several Spd-proteins spreads the newly transferred DNA to the neighbouring mycelial compartments resulting in the rapid colonization of the recipient mycelium by the donor DNA.
authors.affiliation: Interfakultäres Institut für Mikrobiologie und Infektionsmedizin Tübingen IMIT, Mikrobiologie/Biotechnologie, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thoma
authors.affiliation: Interfakultäres Institut für Mikrobiologie und Infektionsmedizin Tübingen IMIT, Mikrobiologie/Biotechnologie, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076 Tübingen, Germany. Electronic address: gmuth@biotech.uni-tuebingen.de.
authors.forename: Günther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Muth
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001692:Biological Transport; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D010957:Plasmids; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D013302:Streptomyces / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C082576:traB protein, Bacteria
keywords: Conjugation; FtsK/SpoIIIE; Plasmid transfer; TraB; Type IV secretion