Detection of Sex Pheromone Production in Isolates of Enterococcus faecalis that Increases Conjugation Frequency

Rayan M Faisal

doi:10.33899/rjs.2012.59657

Abstract

Detection of Sex Pheromone Production in Isolates of Enterococcus faecalis that Increases Conjugation Frequency

Highlights

Enterococci are common inhabitants of the human intestinal microflora and the genitourinary tract of men and women and is present in most animals ( Dahlen et al, 2012 )
Resistance factors are often associated with mobile genetic elements, such as transposons or conjugative plasmids, these plasmids are capable of mobilizing smaller plasmids and this fact may explain the dissemination of smaller plasmids carrying antibiotic resistance genes among gram positive bacteria (Borgo et al, 2009)
Pheromone responsive transmissible plasmids are common among strains of Enterococcus faecalis conjugative transfer of these plasmids is induced by peptide sex pheromones elaborated by potential recipient cells

Summary

Introduction

Enterococci are common inhabitants of the human intestinal microflora and the genitourinary tract of men and women and is present in most animals ( Dahlen et al, 2012 ). Because of their presence in these habitants, the enterococci enter the human food chain, where they can play different and in many cases controversial roles (Borgo et al, 2009). Pheromone responsive transmissible plasmids are common among strains of Enterococcus faecalis conjugative transfer of these plasmids is induced by peptide sex pheromones elaborated by potential recipient cells. Pheromone - induced conjugation allows plasmid transfer at high frequencies in broth (100 to 10-4 per donor cell ), whereas non-

Objectives

Methods

Results