Characterization of Several Transformation-deficient Mutants of Streptococcus pneumoniae in DNA Damage

Seventeen transformation-deficient mutants of streptococcus pneumoniae, which are defective in competence induction (com), DNA uptake(ent) of recombination(rec), were investigated to determine sensitivity to ethylmethane sulfonate(EMS), methylmethane sulfonate(MMS), UV and mitomycin C. In ethylmethane sulfonate assay, the viability of most $com^-, \; rec^-\; and ent^-$ mutants was decreased about 2-10 times and the viability of ent-9 and ent-13 mutant was decreased about 33 and 25 times, respectively. On the other hand only half of the transformation-deficient mutants tested was sensitive to methylmethane sulfonate about 2 times and ent-12 mutant was sensitive to 2.0% MMS about 8 times. After UV and mitomycin C treatment, most of the mutants are not sensitive to UV and mitomycin C, although the viability of some transformation-deficient mutants was decreased slightly. Especially none of the com mutants were sensitive to DNA damage suggesting that competence is not involved in DNA repair. Also DNA uptake and recombination gane might be related to DNA repair function.