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Methods for studying the genetics, molecular biology, physiology, and pathogenesis of the streptococci pp 79–84Cite as

Use of electroporation in genetic analysis of enterococcal virulence

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Abstract

We present two methods for electroporation for the gram positive bacterium Enterococcus faecalis that can also be used as guidelines for work with other gram positive species. We demonstrate the use and the advantages of this technique for investigating genes, both chromosomal and plasmid-linked, encoding surface structures. Electroporation was used to deliver constructs created on shuttle vectors for insertional inactivation of a chromosomal gene involved in binding substance formation as well as for the expression of Aggregation Substance in strains with different chromosomal backgrounds. The influence of defects in lipoteichoic acid synthesis and the expression of Aggregation Substance on virulence was shown in a rabbit endocarditis model.

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Abbreviations

AS:

aggregation substance

EBS:

enterococcal binding substance

References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota, Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

    Helmut Hirt, Yi Chen, Patrick M. Schlievert & Gary M. Dunny

Authors
  1. Helmut Hirt
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  2. Yi Chen
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  3. Patrick M. Schlievert
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  4. Gary M. Dunny
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gary M. Dunny .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont, Stafford Building, 05405, Burlington, Vermont, USA

    Paula M. Fives-Taylor

  2. Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

    Donald J. LeBlanc

  3. Department of Oral Biology, Indiana University School of Dentistry, Indianapolis, IN, USA

    Donald J. LeBlanc

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© 1998 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Hirt, H., Chen, Y., Schlievert, P.M., Dunny, G.M. (1998). Use of electroporation in genetic analysis of enterococcal virulence. In: Fives-Taylor, P.M., LeBlanc, D.J. (eds) Methods for studying the genetics, molecular biology, physiology, and pathogenesis of the streptococci. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2258-2_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-2258-2_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-90-481-5262-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-017-2258-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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