Natural Transformation in Gram-Positive Bacteria and Its Biotechnological Relevance to Lactic Acid Bacteria.

Competence refers to the specialized physiological state in which bacteria undergo transformation through the internalization of exogenous DNA in a controlled and genetically encoded process that leads to genotypic and, in many cases, phenotypic changes. Natural transformation was first described in and has since been demonstrated in numerous species, including and . Homologs of the genes encoding the DNA uptake machinery for natural transformation have been reported to be present in several lactic acid bacteria, including spp., , and spp. In this review, we collate current knowledge of the phenomenon of natural transformation in Gram-positive bacteria. Furthermore, we describe the mechanism of competence development and its regulation in model bacterial species. We highlight the importance and opportunities for the application of these findings in the context of bacterial starter cultures associated with food fermentations as well as current limitations in this area of research.