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Maria Piknova

Publications and source records attributed to Maria Piknova.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Multiple restriction-modification systems are present in rumen treponemes.

Type II restriction endonucleases were purified by heparin-sepharose followed by ion chromatography from Treponema strains. The results indicate that in addition to frequently cutting GATC-specific restriction enzymes, the tested strains also possess rarely cutting endonucleases. The purified restriction endonucleases represent four different sequence specificities, comprising isoschizomers of DrdI, AflII, Tth111I and NdeI. The data presented show that three rumen Treponema strains possess altogether seven type II restriction-modification systems. Thus, individual Treponema strains may be considered an interesting source of multiple type II restriction enzymes.

Animals↗

A unique pair of GATC specific DNA methyltransferases in Mitsuokella multiacida.

Two GATC specific methylases together with Sau3AI isoschizomeric restriction endonuclease were partially characterized in Mitsuokella multiacida 46/5. This is the first report on the presence of solitary Dam methyltransferase alongside GATC specific restriction-modification system resulting in the unusual two-fold methylation of the GATC motifs.

Bacteroidaceae↗

Underrepresentation of short palindromes in Selenomonas ruminantium DNA: evidence for horizontal gene transfer of restriction and modification systems?

Molecular analysis of isolates of the rumen bacterium Selenomonas ruminantium revealed a high variety and frequency of site-specific (restriction) endonucleases. While all known S. ruminantium restriction and modification systems recognize hexanucleotide sequences only, consistently low counts of both 6-bp and 4-bp palindromes were found in DNA sequences of S. ruminantium. Statistical analysis indicated that there is some correlation between the degree of underrepresentation of tetranucleotide words and the number of known restriction endonucleases for a given sequence. Control analysis showed the same correlation in lambda DNA but not in human adenovirus DNA. Based on the data presented, it could be proposed that there is a much higher historical occurrence of restriction and modification systems in S. ruminantium and (or) frequent horizontal gene transfer of restriction and modification gene complexes.

Animals↗

Different restriction and modification phenotypes in ruminal lactate-utilizing bacteria.

Analysis of restriction and modification activities in lactate-utilizing bacteria belonging to the Megasphaera elsdenii and Mitsuokella multiacida species revealed the presence of GATC-specific, MboI isospecific, restriction-modification (R-M) systems in all strains tested. While restriction endonucleases isolated from M. elsdenii strains were found to be sensitive to Dam methylation, enzymes from M. multiacida cleaved DNA irrespective of Dam methylation. The comparison of type II R-M systems specificities in three closely related lactate-utilizing ruminal bacterial species indicated complete lack of restriction and/or modification enzymes previously characterized from Selenomonas ruminantium in tested M. elsdenii and M. multiacida strains. R-M systems are believed to represent the main defense tool against phage infection. Based on the results of our experiments it could be assumed that M. elsdenii and M. multiacida use the different strategy for bacteriophage protection compared to S. ruminantium.

Animals↗