A comparative study of transformable and nontransformable isolates derived from two strains of streptococci

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Abstract
From cultures of two strains of streptococci which were transformable to drug resistance with a very low yield of about 0.001%, efficiently transformable as well as totally nontransformable isolates were selected. Both kinds of isolates produced the competence factor and extracellular deoxyribonuclease. The nontransformable strains were lysogenic and produced bacteriophage after treatment with mitomycin C. The transformable ones were not lysogenic. Treatment of the latter strains with respective bacteriophages resulted in a loss of transformability. Determinations of deoxyribonuclease activity of all strains did not provide conclusive evidence as to the requirement for a deoxyribonuclease in transformation.