Horizontal transfer of chromosomal markers mediated by the large conjugative plasmid pXO16 from Bacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis

Publication date: Available online 20 April 2017 Source:Plasmid Author(s): Lionel Makart, Florian Commans, Annika Gillis, Jacques Mahillon pXO16, a large plasmid originating from Bacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis, displays unique conjugation capacities: besides efficient self-transfer, it is able to mobilize and retro-mobilize non-conjugative plasmids, including those missing an oriT and/or a mob gene, also known as “non-mobilizable” plasmids. In this paper, another peculiar transfer property of pXO16 is described. This element is indeed able to transfer chromosomal loci at frequencies of ca. 10−5–10−6 transconjugants/donor cell. Whereas most other chromosomal transfer systems occur via the integration of the conjugative elements into the chromosome prior to its transfer, pXO16 appears to transfer the chromosomal markers in the absence of physical integration, but rather through a “donation-type” mobilization.

Source: Plasmid - April 21, 2017 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: research