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A non-specific deoxyribonuclease with restriction function in Streptomyces glaucescens
J F Aparicio1, C G De los Reyes-Gavilán, C Barbés
1Departamento de Biología Funcional, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain.
Journal of General Microbiology
|August 1, 1988
Summary
Streptomyces glaucescens produces a deoxyribonuclease enzyme that restricts actinophages. Phage escape from this restriction is linked to adsorption during earlier growth phases before enzyme synthesis.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Streptomyces glaucescens harbors defense mechanisms against bacteriophages (actinophages).
- A deoxyribonuclease enzyme may play a role in restricting actinophage infection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detect and characterize a deoxyribonuclease in Streptomyces glaucescens ETHZ 22794.
- To investigate the enzyme's role in actinophage restriction and the mechanisms of phage escape.
Main Methods:
- Enzyme activity detection in Streptomyces glaucescens.
- Analysis of enzyme production influenced by medium composition.
- Phage adsorption and efficiency of plating assays in different media.
- Characterization of a mutant lacking exonucleolytic activity.
Main Results:
- A non-specific deoxyribonuclease was detected in Streptomyces glaucescens.
- Enzyme production was regulated by medium composition, indicating nutritional control.
- The deoxyribonuclease was confirmed to restrict actinophages.
- Phages escaped restriction in enzyme-producing media by adsorbing during earlier growth phases.
Conclusions:
- Streptomyces glaucescens possesses a deoxyribonuclease involved in actinophage restriction.
- Nutritional factors control the synthesis of this restriction enzyme.
- Phage survival involves temporal escape from host defense mechanisms through differential adsorption timing.