Biological characteristics of a type I restriction-modification system in Staphylococcus aureus.

Two restriction-modification systems, S1 and S2, are present in Staphylococcus aureus RN450 (S. Iordanescu and M. Surdeanu, J. Gen. Microbiol., 96:277-281, 1976). System S2 affects phage multiplication after both infection and transfection. Unmodified plasmid and chromosomal DNAs are also not expressed following transduction and transformation into a restrictive host. Restricted phages are, however, capable of conferring phage-mediated competence, although the state of competence does not affect the restriction-modification system. The restricting activity of system S2 is inactivated by heat treatment of the cells. An enzymatic activity that restricts unmodified phage DNA in the presence of ATP, Mg2+, and S-adenosylmethionine was recovered from cell-free extracts of a strain RN450 derivative.