This Article Full Text (PDF) Other Versions of this Article: JB.01012-07v1 189/20/7399    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Jeon, B. Articles by Zhang, Q. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Jeon, B. Articles by Zhang, Q.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J. Bacteriol. doi:10.1128/JB.01012-07
Copyright (c) 2007, American Society for Microbiology and/or the Listed Authors/Institutions. All Rights Reserved.

Cj0011c, a periplasmic single- and double-stranded DNA binding protein, contributes to natural transformation in Campylobacter jejuni

Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: zhang123{at}iastate.edu.

	Abstract

Campylobacter jejuni is an important bacterial pathogen causing gastroenteritis in humans. C. jejuni is capable of natural transformation, which is considered a major mechanism mediating horizontal gene transfer and generating genetic diversity. Despite recent efforts to elucidate the transformation mechanisms of C. jejuni, the process of DNA binding and uptake in this organism is still not well understood. In this study we report a previously unrecognized DNA-binding protein (Cj0011c) in C. jejuni that contributes to natural transformation. Cj0011c is a small protein (79 amino acids) with a partial sequence homology to the C-terminal region of the ComEA in Bacillus subtilis. Cj0011c bound to both single- and double-stranded DNA. The DNA-binding activity of Cj0011c was demonstrated with a variety of DNA prepared from C. jejuni or E. coli, suggesting that DNA-binding of Cj0011c is not sequence-dependent. Deletion of the cj0011c gene from C. jejuni resulted in 10 to 50-fold reduction in the natural transformation frequency. Differently from the B. subtilis ComEA, which is an integral membrane protein, Cj0011c is localized in the periplasmic space of C. jejuni. These results indicate that Cj0011c functions as a periplasmic DNA receptor contributing to natural transformation of C. jejuni.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Jeon, B., Muraoka, W., Sahin, O., Zhang, Q. (2008). Role of Cj1211 in Natural Transformation and Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance Determinants in Campylobacter jejuni. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 52: 2699-2708 [Abstract] [Full Text]