Strains and plasmids used in this study.

<p>Strains and plasmids used in this study.</p

Schematic representation of the pilus gene cluster on pSH74 and the suggested functions of its constituting genes (not to scale).

<p>The internal deletion of 1451 bases in <i>spaCB</i> is indicated in red.</p

Scanning electron microscopy of <i>spaCB</i>-<i>spaA</i>-<i>srtC1</i>-<i>srtC2</i> over-expressing <i>L</i>. <i>lactis</i> strains.

<p>A—NCDO712(pIL253<i>pil</i>), B—NCDO712, C—MG1363(pIL253<i>pil</i>), D—MG1363(pIL253), E—IL1403(pIL253<i>pil</i>), F- MG1363(pIL253<i>pilΔ1)</i>. Black bars: 1 μm in all panels.</p

Pilin gene overexpression in <i>L</i>. <i>lactis</i> MG1363 leads to increased chain length.

<p>A—MG1363(pIL253), B—MG1363(pIL253<i>pil</i>), C—MG1363(pIL253<i>pil</i>Δ<i>1</i>).</p

Plasmid maps of pSH73, pSH74, and pNZ712.

<p>Plasmid pNZ712 includes genes encoding functional nisin immunity (<i>nisCIP</i>) and copper resistance (<i>lcoRSABC</i>). The 16-kb plasmid pSH74 contains a novel 8-kb pilus gene cluster <i>spaCB-spaA-srtC1-srtC2</i>. Plasmid pSH73 harbors <i>repX</i>, <i>repB</i> and <i>cadCA</i> genes. The latter genes were annotated as a cadmium resistance regulatory protein and a cadmium efflux ATPase.</p

Scanning electron microscopy at 50.000 x magnification of <i>L</i>. <i>lactis</i> strains over-expressing <i>spaCB</i>-<i>spaA</i>-<i>srtC1</i>-<i>srtC2</i>.

<p>A—NCDO712, B—IL1403, C—IL1403(pIL253<i>pil</i>), D—MG1363(pIL253), E—MG1363(pIL253<i>pil</i>), F—MG1363(pIL253<i>pil</i>Δ<i>1</i>). White arrows indicate pili in panel C. Black bars: 2 μm in all panels.</p

Cell aggregation after pilus gene over-expression.

<p>A—<i>L</i>. <i>lactis</i> NCDO712, B—empty vector control MG1363(pIL253), C—MG1363(pIL253<i>pilΔ1</i>), D—MG1363(pIL253<i>pil</i>). The images were taken 3 min after re-suspension of cells from an overnight culture.</p

Comparison of NCDO712 plasmids with earlier studies.

<p>Comparison of NCDO712 plasmids with earlier studies.</p