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. 1990 May;172(5):2814–2816. doi: 10.1128/jb.172.5.2814-2816.1990

Mutagenesis of dimeric plasmids by the transposon gamma delta (Tn1000).

L Liu 1, C M Berg 1
PMCID: PMC208937  PMID: 2158982

Abstract

The Escherichia coli F factor mediates conjugal transfer of a plasmid such as pBR322 primarily by replicative transposition of transposon gamma delta (Tn1000) from F to that plasmid to form a cointegrate intermediate. Although resolution of this cointegrate always yields a plasmid containing a single gamma delta insertion, the occasional recovery of transposon-free plasmids after conjugal transfer has led to alternative hypotheses for F mobilization. We show here that gamma delta-free plasmids are found after F-mediated conjugal transfer only when the donor plasmid is a dimer and the recipient is Rec+.

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Selected References

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