Occurrence of a class II restriction endonuclease in Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

The occurrence of class II restriction endonucleases (enzymes that both recognize and cleave a specific nucleotide sequence in deoxyribonucleic acid [DNA]) in Staphylococcus aureus has been investigated by analysis of crude extracts obtained from different propagating strains of the International Phage Typing System. Of the four main groups of strains in the International System, only extracts of group II strains were found to contain class II restriction endonucleases. The identical cleavage patterns obtained by incubation of different DNAs with cell extracts of group II strains suggest that these enzymes all recognize and cleave the same nucleotide sequence. This recognition site has been determined to be 5-G-AT -C-3' for the prototype of these enzymes, Sau3AI (J. S. 3'-C-T-A-G-5'fothprttpofteeezmsSuAI(.. Sussenbach et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 3:3192-3202, 1976). Evidence is presented that the classification of group II strains is based on restriction modification and is correlated with the presence of a class II restriction endonuclease that recognizes and cleaves the above sequence.

Identification of a Novel GeneargJinvolved in Arginine Biosynthesis Critical for Persister Formation inStaphylococcus aureus

“…In fact, in virtually all S. aureus complementation studies, none could achieve full complementation. S. aureus possesses different restriction modification systems that may destroy exogenous plasmids, 20 has endonucleases targeting specific sequences 21 and can methylate exogenous DNA 22 causing inactivation of exogenous DNA. These could serve as possible explanations for the partial complementation of ArgJ mutant in this study.…”

Antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus aureus: genetic basis.

“…The four major phage groups of human S. aureus strains are groups I, II, III, and a miscellaneous group, the members of which respond to one or more distinctive phages; more complex patterns, such as reaction to both lytic group I and III phages, are commonly reported (367). This grouping of strains is considered to result, at least in part, from differences in restriction-modification systems (483, 524); for example, all phage group II strains tested, but no strain from phage group I or III, produced an enzyme with Sau3AI endonuclease activity (482). Many recent isolates of multiresistant S. aureus were nontypable by a routine test dilution of phage of the International Basic Set, often due to the presence of restriction nucleases, and although some strains demonstrated a weak response to phage at concentrations lOx or lOOx the routine test dilution, others could only by lysed by "experimental" phage not formally included in the International Basic Set (12,27,63,64,264,293,438,526).…”

Host-mediated modification of Sau3AI restriction in Listeria monocytogenes: prevalence in epidemic-associated strains

“…In contrast, the modification of adenine at GATC sites was observed only among strains of serovar 1/2b, possibly representing one clonal lineage. Although strain-dependent modifications of DNA at GATC sites have previously been described for other bacteria (7,10,27), the modification described here is remarkable in that it is associated, almost exclusively, with strains of unique importance in the epidemiology of this pathogen. We found that, without exception, strains with the RFLP which is characteristic of the epidemic clone lineage also appeared to have cytosine modification at GATC sites.…”