Genetic transformation in Streptococcus sanguis. Distribution of competence and competence factors in a collection of strains.

Forty-one strains of Streptococcus sanguis (37 of serogroup H and four of the newly-described serogroup W) were examined semiquantitatively for genetic transformation with streptomycin as marker. The material comprised eight reference laboratory strains and 33 recent isolates. Eighteen strains (16 of serogroup H and two of W) showed spontaneous competence in genetic transformation (without added competence factor, i.e. culture filtrate.). Individual culture filtrates from 19 spontaneously competent and ten incompetent strains were tested for competence-inducing effect on 23 spontaneously incompetent strains. Competence was induced in 16 of the strains, and 20 of the culture filtrates were active. There was considerable variation with respect to the number of recipient strains which were induced to competence by individual filtrates. Furthermore the recipients varied as regards the number of filtrates that were able to induce that particular strain. There was some relationship, but no complete association, between competence, competence-inducing ability and the occurrence of spreading zones around the colonies assumed to correspond generally to fimbriation. Thus, three incompetent strains had an active culture filtrate and one spontaneously competent strain had an inactive filtrate. Most, but not all, strains with spontaneous or inducible competence showed spreading, as did most of the strains from which broadly inducing filtrates could be produced.