Molecular characterization of cadmium resistance in Streptococcus thermophilus strain 4134: an example of lateral gene transfer.

ABSTRACT: Two genes (cadC(St) and cadA(St) [subscript St represents Streptococcus thermophilus]), located on the chromosome of S. thermophilus 4134, were shown to constitute a cadmium/zinc resistance cassette. The genes seem to be organized in an operon, and their transcription is cadmium dependent in vivo. The proposed product of the cadA open reading frame (CadA(St)) is highly similar to P-type cadmium efflux ATPases, whereas the predicted protein encoded by cadC(St) (CadC(St)) shows high similarity to ArsR-type regulatory proteins. The observed homologies and G+C content of this cassette and surrounding regions suggest that this DNA was derived from Lactococcus lactis and may have been introduced relatively recently into the S. thermophilus 4134 genome by a lateral gene transfer event. The comple

SUBMITTER: Schirawski J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC129935 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature