Cloning and molecular analysis of genes affecting expression of binding substance, the recipient-encoded receptor(s) mediating mating aggregate formation in Enterococcus faecalis

Transfer of the conjugative plasmid pCF10 in Enterococcus faecalis strains involves production of a plasmid-encoded aggregation substance on the surface of donor cells in response to stimulation by a pheromone secreted by recipient cells. Aggregation substance then facilitates attachment to recipient cells via a chromosomally encoded receptor, termed binding substance (BS). A BS mutant, strain INY3000, generated by random Tn916 insertions, was previously found to carry copies of the transposon at four unique sites (K. M. Trotter and G. M. Dunny, Plasmid 24:57-67, 1990). In the present study, DNA flanking the Tn916 insertions was used to complement the BS mutation of INY3000 following Tn916 excision from cloned chromosomal fragments. Complementation results showed that three of the four regions mutated in INY3000 play some role in BS expression. Tn5 mutagenesis and DNA sequence analysis of the complementing fragment from one of these regions indicated the presence of three genes (ebsA, ebsB, and ebsC) that affect BS expression. The ebsA and ebsB genes encode peptides likely to function in cell wall metabolism, whereas ebsC may encode a product that suppresses the function or expression of EbsB.