Involvement of the response regulator CtrA in the extracellular DNA production of the marine bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum

[摘要] The marine bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum is a nonsulfur phototrophic bacterium, which is known to produce extracellular nucleic acids in soluble form in culture medium. In the present paper, constructing the response regulator ctrA-deficient mutant of R. sulfidophilum, we found that this mutation causes a significant decrease in the extracellular DNA production. However, by the introduction of a plasmid containing the wild type ctrA gene into the mutant, the amount of extracellular DNA produced was recovered. This is the first and clear evidence that the extracellular DNA production is actively controlled by the CtrA in R. sulfidophilum.

[学科分类] 微生物学和免疫学

[关键词] ctrA;extracellular DNA;gene transfer agent;marine phototrophic bacterium;Rhodovulum sulfidophilum