Methylome-dependent transformation of 1 group A streptococci.

Genetic intractability presents a fundamental barrier to the manipulation of bacteria, hindering advancements in microbiological research. Group A (GAS), a lethal human pathogen currently associated with an unprecedented surge of infections worldwide, exhibits poor genetic tractability attributed to the activity of a conserved type 1 restriction modification system (RMS). RMS detect and cleave specific target sequences in foreign DNA that are protected in host DNA by sequence-specific methylation.