Abstract
We evaluated the effect of restriction and modification genes expressed in Campylobacter jejuni, a naturally competent organism, on transformation efficiency. Fourteen strains of C. jejuni were tested for sensitivity to 29 restriction enzymes. Strains that showed the same susceptibility pattern by either agarose gel electrophoresis or PFGE were grouped together. Natural transformation between strains within and between groups was assessed using two chromosomal markers, one an artificially introduced gene and the other a selected point mutation. However, no correlation was found between transformation efficiency and sensitivity to the restriction enzymes tested. The activity of the restriction and modification system alone could not explain the failure of transformation to occur or the generation of stable clones in a population of C. jejuni with other abilities. It is likely that other factors influence horizontal gene flow in this organism. We suggested that the rule that the restriction and modification system affect horizontal gene flow, based on studies of transfection with E. coli, may not apply to the exchange of chromosomal DNA in C. jejuni.
Highlights
Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of acute bacterial enteritis in humans worldwide [1]
We evaluated the effect of restriction and modification genes expressed in Campylobacter jejuni, a naturally competent organism, on transformation efficiency
No correlation was found between transformation efficiency and sensitivity to the restriction enzymes tested
Summary
Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of acute bacterial enteritis in humans worldwide [1]. Epidemiological studies have shown a high degree of phenotypic and genotypic diversity among isolates of C. jejuni [2]. The population structure of C. jejuni is considered to be weakly clonal, indicating that DNA exchange between strains is frequent but limited [3, 4]. Natural transformation is a potential mechanism of horizontal gene transfer leading to genetic diversity within a population. Natural competence is a physiological state that allows for the uptake of macromolecular DNA from the environment [5]. It is widely present in bacterial species [6]. Competent bacteria can bind DNA and transport it to the cytoplasm, where it can rejoin chromosomes or, in the case of plasmid DNA, replicate freely
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