Incompatibility and molecular relationships between small bacteriocinogenic plasmids of Staphylococcus aureus

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Molecular Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Bacteriocinogenic plasmids are crucial for bacterial interactions and antibiotic resistance.
• Understanding plasmid relationships in Staphylococcus aureus is vital for controlling infections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the sequence relationships and incompatibility among small bacteriocinogenic plasmids (pRJ6, pRJ9, pRJ10, pRJ11) in Staphylococcus aureus.
• To compare restriction maps and hybridization patterns to elucidate plasmid relatedness.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of restriction maps for plasmids pRJ6, pRJ9, pRJ10, and pRJ11.
• DNA hybridization to detect regions of homology between plasmids.
• Investigation of incompatibility using plasmid derivatives tagged with transposon Tn551.

Main Results:

• Plasmids pRJ10 and pRJ11 exhibited identical restriction maps, closely resembling pRJ9.
• Plasmid pRJ6 displayed a distinct restriction map compared to pRJ9, pRJ10, and pRJ11.
• A shared region of homology of at least 2.6 kb was identified between both plasmid groups.
• Plasmids pRJ6 and pRJ9 were determined to belong to different incompatibility groups.

Conclusions:

• The study elucidates the sequence relatedness and evolutionary divergence of small bacteriocinogenic plasmids in Staphylococcus aureus.
• Distinct genetic structures and incompatibility define these plasmids, impacting their coexistence and transmission.