Isolation and Characterization of a Streptococcus thermophilus Plasmid Closely Related to the pMV158 Family

Twenty-two Streptococcus thermophilus strains used for milk fermentations were analyzed for their plasmid content and 13 of them (59%) were found to contain one or two plasmids. Fifteen S. thermophilus plasmids were divided into four groups using DNA homology. Ten plasmids were classified within group A and they shared homologies with all the previously sequenced S. thermophilus plasmids. Three plasmids (group B) hybridized with each other and two plasmids only hybridized with themselves (groups C and D). Single-stranded DNA was detected within strains containing plasmids of groups A, C, and D, indicating that they replicate via a rolling-circle mode. The only plasmid of group C, named pSMQ172, was further characterized. This 4230-bp plasmid replicates in Escherichia coli, Lactococcus lactis, and Streptococcus salivarius and does not confer phage resistance. Comparisons with databases showed that pSMQ172 was related to pMV158 of Streptococcus agalactiae and to pSSU1 of Streptococcus suis. These results suggest that genetic exchanges may have occurred between pathogenic and nonpathogenic streptococci.