Restriction/modification systems and restriction endonucleases are more effective on lactococcal bacteriophages that have emerged recently in the dairy industry

• Published in: Applied and Environmental Microbiology Vol. 59; no. 1; pp. 197 - 202
• Main Authors: Moineau, S. (North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC), Pandian, S, Klaenhammer, T.R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for Microbiology 01.01.1993
• Subjects: ACTIVIDAD ENZIMATICA; ACTIVITE ENZYMATIQUE; ADN; BACTERIOFAGOS; Bacteriology; BACTERIOPHAGE; Biological and medical sciences; CULTIVOS INICIADORES; CULTURE STARTER; Dairy products; Food industries; Food Microbiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GENOMAS; GENOME; INFECCION; INFECTION; LACTOCOCCUS LACTIS; Milk and cheese industries. Ice creams; North America; America; Lactococcus lactis; Cheesemaking; Enzyme; Homology; Virus; Restriction modification; Site specificity; Streptococcaceae; Sensitivity; DNA; Classification; Dairy industry; Restriction endonuclease; Enzymatic digestion; Bacteria; Micrococcales; Genome; Comparative study; Phage
• ISSN: 0099-2240; 1098-5336
• DOI: 10.1128/AEM.59.1.197-202.1993

Recently, eight lytic small isometric-headed bacteriophages were isolated from cheese-manufacturing plants throughout North America. The eight phages were different, but all propagated on one strain, Lactococcus lactis NCK203. On the basis of DNA homology, they were classified in the P335 species. Digestion of their genomes in vitro with restriction enzymes resulted in an unusually high number of type II endonuclease sites compared with the more common lytic phages of the 936 (small isometric-headed) and c2 (prolate-headed) species. In vivo, the P335 phages were more sensitive to four distinct lactococcal restriction and modification (R/M) systems than phages belonging to the 936 and c2 species. A significant correlation was found between the number of restriction sites for endonucleases (purified from other bacterial genera) and the relative susceptibility of phages to lactococcal R/M systems. Comparisons among these three phage species indicate that the P335 species may have emerged most recently in the dairy industry