A novel conjugal donor strain for improved DNA transfer into Clostridium spp

Clostridium encompasses species which are relevant to human and animal disease as well as species which have industrial potential, for instance, as producers of chemicals and fuels or as tumour delivery vehicles. Genetic manipulation of these target organisms is critical for advances in these fields. DNA transfer efficiencies, however, vary between species. Low efficiencies can impede the progress of research efforts. A novel conjugal donor strain of Escherichia coli has been created which exhibits a greater than 10-fold increases in conjugation efficiency compared to the traditionally used CA434 strain in the three species tested; C. autoethanogenum DSM 10061, C. sporogenes NCIMB 10696 and C. difficile R20291. The novel strain, designated 'sExpress', does not methylate DNA at Dcm sites (CCWGG) which allows circumvention of cytosine-specific Type IV restriction systems. A robust protocol for conjugation is presented which routinely produces in the order of 10⁵ transconjugants per millilitre of donor cells for C. autoethanogenum, 10⁶ for C. sporogenes and 10² for C. difficile R20291. The novel strain created is predicted to be a superior conjugal donor in a wide range of species which possess Type IV restriction systems.