Heterospecific transformation in Bacillus subtilis: protein composition of a membrane-DNA complex containing unstable heterologous donor-recipient complex.

Previously it was demonstrated that, in contrast to the homologous donor-recipient complex, the unstable heterologous donor-recipient complex remains bound to the cellular membrane. To examine whether proteins known to be involved in the processing of transforming DNA in Bacillus subtilis are associated with membrane fragments which carry chromosomal DNA, a crude membrane-DNA complex was subjected to electrophoresis through a sucrose gradient. This resulted in the separation of membrane fragments associated with DNA and free membrane fragments. By means of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis several proteins, either uniquely present or considerably enriched in the purified membrane-DNA complex, were detected. Among these proteins we identified the 45 kD recE gene product, required for recombination, the 18 kD binding protein involved in the binding of transforming DNA and a 17 kD nuclease involved in the entry of transforming DNA. These results suggest that the membrane sites at which donor DNA integrates into the recipient chromosome are in the vicinity of the sites of entry of donor DNA through the membrane.