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Related Concept Videos

Bacterial Transformation01:33

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In 1928, bacteriologist Frederick Griffith worked on a vaccine for pneumonia, which is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Griffith studied two pneumonia strains in mice: one pathogenic and one non-pathogenic. Only the pathogenic strain killed host mice.
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Spirochetes, unique bacteria in the phylum Spirochaetes, are gram-negative, motile, tightly coiled, slender, and flexible. They inhabit aquatic sediments and animals, with some causing diseases like syphilis. Spirochetes are classified into eight genera based on habitat, pathogenicity, phylogeny, and characteristics.Their distinctive motility arises from endoflagella, located within the cell’s periplasm. These endoflagella anchor at the cell poles and extend along the cell length, encased...
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Transformation01:26

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Microbial communities are dynamic environments where cell lysis releases free DNA into the surroundings. Other cells can take up this extracellular DNA through a process known as transformation.When a cell incorporates this foreign DNA into its genome, resulting in genetic modification, the process is known as transformation. Cells capable of this process are termed competent. Competence can be natural, as observed in certain bacteria and archaea, or artificially induced in the...
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Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and...
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A toxin/antitoxin system targeting the replication sliding-clamp induces competence in Streptococcus pneumoniae.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 3, 2026

Constructing Mutants in Serotype 1 Streptococcus pneumoniae strain 519/43
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Constructing Mutants in Serotype 1 Streptococcus pneumoniae strain 519/43

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Streptococcus pneumoniae, le transformiste.

Calum Johnston1, Nathalie Campo1, Matthieu J Bergé1

  • 1Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, LMGM-UMR5100, F-31000 Toulouse, France; Université de Toulouse, UPS, Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Génétique Moléculaires, F-31000 Toulouse, France.

Trends in Microbiology
|February 11, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Streptococcus pneumoniae uses natural genetic transformation to adapt and survive. This process allows the bacterium to acquire new traits, like antibiotic resistance, enhancing its role as a pathogen.

Keywords:
DNA uptakeStreptococcus pneumoniaecompetencegenetic exchangenatural transformation

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Bacterial genetics
  • Pathogen evolution

Background:

  • Streptococcus pneumoniae is a significant human pathogen.
  • Natural genetic transformation, discovered in this species, involves DNA uptake and chromosomal integration.
  • Transformation facilitates the acquisition of virulence factors and antibiotic resistance, and aids vaccine escape.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss recent advances in understanding pneumococcal transformation.
  • To support the view that transformation maximizes plasticity in Streptococcus pneumoniae.
  • To highlight the evolutionary advantage gained by this pathogen through transformation.

Main Methods:

  • This is an opinion article, not based on primary experimental data.
  • It synthesizes recent findings on various aspects of pneumococcal transformation.
  • Discussion focuses on the implications of these findings for bacterial evolution.

Main Results:

  • Recent advances reinforce the concept of Streptococcus pneumoniae as a highly transformable bacterium.
  • The process is viewed as evolved to maximize genetic plasticity.
  • This plasticity provides a significant advantage in host-pathogen interactions.

Conclusions:

  • Streptococcus pneumoniae exhibits exceptional genetic plasticity due to natural transformation.
  • This adaptability is crucial for its success as a human pathogen.
  • The bacterium's capacity for transformation offers a distinct evolutionary advantage.