Electrotransformation of Enterococci

Abstract

Species of the genus Enterococcus, first of all Enterococcus faecalis, are becoming more and more important as a major cause of nosocomial infections; they can cause severe diseases of the urinary tract, septicemia, and endocarditis. Another reason for the high interest in the latter species is the unique feature of the so-called “sex pheromone system”, obviously restricted to E. faecalis. Other Enterococci are by far less investigated, though many of them represent ecologically and veterinarily relevant species.