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Journal of Bacteriology, June 2006, p. 3902-3910, Vol. 188, No. 11
0021-9193/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JB.01974-05
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Escherichia coli Competence Gene Homologs Are Essential for Competitive Fitness and the Use of DNA as a Nutrient

Vyacheslav Palchevskiy and Steven E. Finkel*

Molecular and Computational Biology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-2910

Received 23 December 2005/ Accepted 1 March 2006

Natural genetic competence is the ability of cells to take up extracellular DNA and is an important mechanism for horizontal gene transfer. Another potential benefit of natural competence is that exogenous DNA can serve as a nutrient source for starving bacteria because the ability to "eat" DNA is necessary for competitive survival in environments containing limited nutrients. We show here that eight Escherichia coli genes, identified as homologs of com genes in Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, are necessary for the use of extracellular DNA as the sole source of carbon and energy. These genes also confer a competitive advantage to E. coli during long-term stationary-phase incubation. We also show that homologs of these genes are found throughout the proteobacteria, suggesting that the use of DNA as a nutrient may be a widespread phenomenon.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Molecular and Computational Biology Program, MCB 201B, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2910. Phone: (213) 821-1498. Fax: (213) 740-8631. E-mail: sfinkel{at}usc.edu.

Journal of Bacteriology, June 2006, p. 3902-3910, Vol. 188, No. 11
0021-9193/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JB.01974-05
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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