Open AccesssacA and nisA genes are not always linked in Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis strains
Author(s) -
Moschetti Giancarlo,
Blaiotta Giuseppe,
Villani Francesco,
Mauriello Gianluigi,
Coppola Salvatore
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1999.tb13397.x
Subject(s) - lactococcus lactis , nisin , gene , biology , hydrolase , structural gene , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , bacteria , genetics , enzyme , escherichia coli , lactic acid
Sixty‐seven lactococcal strains arising from dairy habitat were screened for the presence of the sucrose 6‐phosphate hydrolase gene by polymerase chain reaction. Of the strains tested, 35.8% were able to ferment sucrose as well as to harbour the sucrose‐6‐phosphate hydrolase gene, even though they were unable to produce nisin as well as to show the nisin structural gene. After pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis and hybridisation all Suc + Nis − strains exhibited physical linkage between sacA gene and the left end of lactococcal transposons (Tn 5276 or Tn 5301 ) without linkage to nisin genes. However, we were unable to transfer the sacA gene as well as to detect Suc − derivatives from Suc + Nis − strains after conjugation and curing experiments.