Completion of the nucleotide sequence of the Enterococcus faecalis conjugative virulence plasmid pAD1 and identification of a second transfer origin

pAD1 is a 59.3-kb plasmid in Enterococcus faecalis that has been the subjec t of intense investigation with regard to its pheromone-inducible conjugati on behavior as well as its contribution to virulence. Approximately two-thi rds of the pAD1 nucleotide sequence has been previously reported. Here we r eport on an analysis of the final similar to 22 kb, a significant portion o f which is believed to encode structural genes associated with conjugation. The conjugation-regulated region was also found to contain a new (second) origin of conjugative transfer (oriT). A list of open reading frames coveri ng the entire plasmid is presented. (C) 2001 Academic Press.