Diverse regulatory circuits for transfer of conjugative elements

作者：Singh Praveen K; Meijer Wilfried J J^*

来源：FEMS Microbiology Letters, 2014, 358(2): 119-128.

DOI：10.1111/1574-6968.12526

• horizontal gene transfer
• mobile genetic elements
• quorum sensing

Conjugation systems are present on many plasmids as well as on chromosomally integrated elements. Conjugation, which is a major route by which bacteria exchange genetic material, is a complex and energy-consuming process. Hence, a shared feature of conjugation systems is that expression of the genes involved is strictly controlled in such a way that conjugation is kept in a default OFF' state and that the process is switched on only under conditions that favor the transfer of the conjugative element into a recipient cell. However, there is a remarkable diversity in the way by which conjugation genes present on different transferable elements are regulated. Here, we review these diverse regulatory circuits on the basis of several prototypes with a special focus on the recently discovered regulation of the conjugation genes present on the native Bacillus subtilis plasmid pLS20.

• 出版日期2014-9