Open AccessTransmissible Substrate-utilizing Ability in Enterobacteria
Author(s) -
Heather A. Smith,
Z Parsell
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
journal of general microbiology/journal of general microbiology
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2059-9323
pISSN - 0022-1287
DOI - 10.1099/00221287-87-1-129
Subject(s) - raffinose , salicin , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , strain (injury) , escherichia coli , salmonella , enterobacteriaceae , lactose , pilus , bacteria , sucrose , food science , biochemistry , genetics , gene , anatomy
Three of 152 strains of Escherichia coli transmitted their ability to utilize sucrose (Sac+) to other strains by conjugation. The transfer factor of one of them and of a Sac+ Salmonella thompson strain was thermosensitive. The raffinose-utilizing ability of 27 of 163 E. coli strains was also transmissible. Transmissible raffinose-utilizing ability was a feature of porcine enterpathogenic strains possessing the K88 antigen. The determinants controlling raffinose utilization (Raf) and K88 antigen production were commonly transmitted together from these strains; so also was the determinant controlling enterotoxin production, but to a lesser extent. It was not possible to transfer lactose-utilizing ability from 320 strains of E. coli, salicin-utilizing ability from 12 strains of E. coli or dulcitol-utilizing ability from 99 strains of E. coli and 88 strains of salmonellae. Sucrose- and raffinose-utilizing ability were transmitted separately to several Salmonella sp., including Salm. typhi, to Shigella flexneri and Sh. sonnei and to a variety of strains of E. coli. A strain of Salm. typhimurium in which Sac had been established and a strain of E. coli in which Raf had been established survived less well in the alimentary tract of chickens than their Sac minus or Raf minus parent strains.