Identification and characterization of ComE and ComF, two novel pilin-like competence factors involved in natural transformation of Acinetobacter sp. strain BD413.

Although the high level of competence for natural transformation of Acinetobacter sp. strain BD413 has been the subject of numerous studies, only two competence genes, comC and comP, have been identified to date. By chromosomal walking analysis we found two overlapping open reading frames, designated comE and comF, starting 61 bp downstream of comC. comE and comF are expressed as stable proteins in Escherichia coli, thus proving that they are indeed coding regions, but expression was successful only with 5'-deleted genes. ComE and ComF are similar to pilins and pilin-like components. Both genes were mutated, and the phenotypes of the mutants were analyzed. Natural transformation in comF mutants is 1,000-fold reduced, whereas comE mutants exhibit 10-fold-reduced transformation frequencies. This is clear evidence that comE and comF are involved in natural transformation. However, ComE and ComF are specific for DNA translocation, since comE and comF defects affected neither piliation nor lipase secretion. These results suggest that the type IV pili, the general protein secretion pathway, and the DNA translocation machinery in Acinetobacter sp. strain BD413 are evolutionary related but functionally distinct systems.