Molecular cloning of the gene encoding RecF, a DNA repair enzyme, from Streptococcus pyogenes.

RecF is a component of one of the bacterial DNA repair systems. The start codon of the recF gene of Streptococcus pyogenes resides about 4.4 kb downstream from the end of hasA, the hyaluronan synthase-encoding gene, which is transcribed in the opposite orientation. The deduced 368-amino-acid RecF protein is 43.5% identical to its homolog from Bacillus subtilis. When cloned on a plasmid, recF could complement a S. pyogenes deletion mutant that was sensitive to ultraviolet irradiation and chemical mutagens. This is the first report of a recF sequence from a Gram+ pathogen.