Summary
InStreptococcus challis, similarly as in the other transforming systems, the appearance of competence (i.e. the ability to take up DNA and undergo transformation) is strictly related to the production by the cells of a special competence factor (CF). As we reported previously,S. challis CF or an essential fragment of its seems to be a polypeptide.
In the present work, the method of the purification ofS. challis CF on CM-cellulose is described. Highly purified (O.D. at 280 mμ-0,05–0.1) freeze-dried preparations of this factor were obtained. The results of chromatography on Sephadex and Bio-Gels columns suggest, that the mol. w. of theS. challis CF is about 5,000. Highly purified preparations of the CF, besides the competence inducing activity, contain a factor (s) which inactivates transforming DNAin vitro and appears to include some DNase-like activity.
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Communicated by W. Gajewski and E. Witkin
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Osowiecki, H., Nałecz, J. & Dobrzański, W.T. The mechanism of competence in the transformation ofStreptococci of serological group H. Molec. Gen. Genet. 105, 16–20 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00750310
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00750310