Abstract
The addition of double-stranded circular or linear DNA encoding EGFP (the Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein) to a Listeria -containing infection medium resulted in up to 8.6% COS-1 cells expressing the reporter protein. The transfer of naked DNA into host cells upon infection by Listeria was found to be dependent on the ability of the bacteria to synthesize internalins and listeriolysin. Since no binding of DNA to the bacterial cells was detected, DNA uptake seems to be the consequence of the simultaneous entry of infection medium, and thus of naked DNA, via the phagosomes induced by the bacterium to facilitate its own entry into the host cells.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank B. Joseph, C. Schoen and A. A. Szalay for discussion and critical reading of the manuscript and J. Kreft and S. Fregin for providing the L. monocytogenes Δhly strain. This work was supported by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (GO168/27-1) awarded to W.G.
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Communicated by A. Kondorosi
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Stritzker, J., Goebel, W. Listeria monocytogenes infection-dependent transfer of exogenously added DNA to fibroblast COS-1 cells. Mol Genet Genomics 272, 497–503 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00438-004-1080-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00438-004-1080-y