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Identification of host genes that affect acquisition of an integrative and conjugative element in B acillus subtilis
Author(s) -
Johnson Christopher M.,
Grossman Alan D.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
molecular microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.857
H-Index - 247
eISSN - 1365-2958
pISSN - 0950-382X
DOI - 10.1111/mmi.12736
Subject(s) - biology , gene , genetics , bacillus subtilis , bacterial conjugation , mutation , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , escherichia coli
Summary Conjugation, a major type of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria, involves transfer of DNA from a donor to a recipient using donor‐encoded conjugation machinery. Using a high‐throughput screen ( Tn ‐seq), we identified genes in recipients that contribute to acquisition of the integrative and conjugative element ICE Bs1 by B acillus subtilis . We found that null mutations in some genes caused an increase, and others a decrease in conjugation efficiency. Some mutations affected conjugation only when present in recipients. Other mutations affected conjugation when present in donors or recipients. Most of the genes identified are known or predicted to affect the cell envelope. Several encode enzymes involved in phospholipid biosynthesis and one encodes a homologue of penicillin‐binding proteins. Two of the genes identified also affected conjugation of Tn 916 , indicating that their roles in conjugation may be general. We did not identify any genes in recipients that were essential for ICE Bs1 conjugation, indicating that if there are such genes, then these are either essential for cell growth or redundant. Our results indicate that acquisition of ICE Bs1 , and perhaps other conjugative elements, is robust and not easily avoided by mutation and that several membrane‐related functions affect the efficiency of conjugation.