Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1990 Dec;172(12):6818–6825. doi: 10.1128/jb.172.12.6818-6825.1990

Comparative genetic organization of incompatibility group P degradative plasmids.

R S Burlage 1, L A Bemis 1, A C Layton 1, G S Sayler 1, F Larimer 1
PMCID: PMC210798  PMID: 2254257

Abstract

Plasmids that encode genes for the degradation of recalcitrant compounds are often examined only for characteristics of the degradative pathways and ignore regions that are necessary for plasmid replication, incompatibility, and conjugation. If these characteristics were known, then the mobility of the catabolic genes between species could be predicted and different catabolic pathways might be combined to alter substrate range. Two catabolic plasmids, pSS50 and pSS60, isolated from chlorobiphenyl-degrading strains and a 3-chlorobenzoate-degrading plasmid, pBR60, were compared with the previously described IncP group (Pseudomonas group P-1) plasmids pJP4 and R751. All three of the former plasmids were also members of the IncP group, although pBR60 is apparently more distantly related. DNA probes specific for known genetic loci were used to determine the order of homologous loci on the plasmids. In all of these plasmids the order is invariant, demonstrating the conservation of this "backbone" region. In addition, all five plasmids display at least some homology with the mercury resistance transposon, Tn501, which has been suggested to be characteristic of the beta subgroup of the IncP plasmids. Plasmids pSS50 and pSS60 have been mapped in detail, and repeat sequences that surround the suspected degradation genes are described.

Full text

PDF
6818

Images in this article

6822Image
on p.6822

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Anderson D. G., McKay L. L. Simple and rapid method for isolating large plasmid DNA from lactic streptococci. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1983 Sep;46(3):549–552. doi: 10.1128/aem.46.3.549-552.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Burlage R. S., Hooper S. W., Sayler G. S. The TOL (pWW0) catabolic plasmid. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 Jun;55(6):1323–1328. doi: 10.1128/aem.55.6.1323-1328.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cross M. A., Warne S. R., Thomas C. M. Analysis of the vegetative replication origin of broad-host-range plasmid RK2 by transposon mutagenesis. Plasmid. 1986 Mar;15(2):132–146. doi: 10.1016/0147-619x(86)90049-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Datta N., Hedges R. W., Shaw E. J., Sykes R. B., Richmond M. H. Properties of an R factor from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol. 1971 Dec;108(3):1244–1249. doi: 10.1128/jb.108.3.1244-1249.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Davey R. B., Bird P. I., Nikoletti S. M., Praszkier J., Pittard J. The use of mini-Gal plasmids for rapid incompatibility grouping of conjugative R plasmids. Plasmid. 1984 May;11(3):234–242. doi: 10.1016/0147-619x(84)90029-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Don R. H., Pemberton J. M. Genetic and physical map of the 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid-degradative plasmid pJP4. J Bacteriol. 1985 Jan;161(1):466–468. doi: 10.1128/jb.161.1.466-468.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Figurski D. H., Pohlman R. F., Bechhofer D. H., Prince A. S., Kelton C. A. Broad host range plasmid RK2 encodes multiple kil genes potentially lethal to Escherichia coli host cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1982 Mar;79(6):1935–1939. doi: 10.1073/pnas.79.6.1935. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Grinsted J., Bennett P. M., Higginson S., Richmond M. H. Regional preference of insertion of Tn501 and Tn802 into RP1 and its derivatives. Mol Gen Genet. 1978 Nov 9;166(3):313–320. doi: 10.1007/BF00267624. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hanahan D. Studies on transformation of Escherichia coli with plasmids. J Mol Biol. 1983 Jun 5;166(4):557–580. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(83)80284-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hinchliffe E., Vivian A. Naturally occurring plasmids in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus: a P class R factor of restricted host range. J Gen Microbiol. 1980 Jan;116(1):75–80. doi: 10.1099/00221287-116-1-75. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Holmes D. S., Quigley M. A rapid boiling method for the preparation of bacterial plasmids. Anal Biochem. 1981 Jun;114(1):193–197. doi: 10.1016/0003-2697(81)90473-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Hooper S. W., Dockendorff T. C., Sayler G. S. Characteristics and restriction analysis of the 4-chlorobiphenyl catabolic plasmid, pSS50. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1989 May;55(5):1286–1288. doi: 10.1128/aem.55.5.1286-1288.1989. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Ingram L. C., Richmond M. H., Sykes R. B. Molecular characterization of the R factors implicated in the carbenicillin resistance of a sequence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from burns. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1973 Feb;3(2):279–288. doi: 10.1128/aac.3.2.279. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Jobanputra R. S., Datta N. Trimethoprim R factors in enterobacteria from clinical specimens. J Med Microbiol. 1974 May;7(2):169–177. doi: 10.1099/00222615-7-2-169. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Krishnapillai V. Molecular genetic analysis of bacterial plasmid promiscuity. FEMS Microbiol Rev. 1988 Sep;4(3):223–237. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1988.tb02744.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Loos M. A. Indicator media for microorganisms degrading chlorinated pesticides. Can J Microbiol. 1975 Jan;21(1):104–107. doi: 10.1139/m75-016. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. MONOD J., COHEN-BAZIRE G., COHN M. Sur la biosynthèse de la beta-galactosidase (lactase) chez Escherichia coli; la spécificité de l'induction. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1951 Nov;7(4):585–599. doi: 10.1016/0006-3002(51)90072-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Pettigrew C. A., Breen A., Corcoran C., Sayler G. S. Chlorinated biphenyl mineralization by individual populations and consortia of freshwater bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1990 Jul;56(7):2036–2045. doi: 10.1128/aem.56.7.2036-2045.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Reineke W., Jeenes D. J., Williams P. A., Knackmuss H. J. TOL plasmid pWW0 in constructed halobenzoate-degrading Pseudomonas strains: prevention of meta pathway. J Bacteriol. 1982 Apr;150(1):195–201. doi: 10.1128/jb.150.1.195-201.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Shields M. S., Hooper S. W., Sayler G. S. Plasmid-mediated mineralization of 4-chlorobiphenyl. J Bacteriol. 1985 Sep;163(3):882–889. doi: 10.1128/jb.163.3.882-889.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Shingler V., Thomas C. M. Analysis of the trfA region of broad host-range plasmid RK2 by transposon mutagenesis and identification of polypeptide products. J Mol Biol. 1984 May 25;175(3):229–249. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(84)90346-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Smith C. A., Thomas C. M. Comparison of the organisation of the genomes of phenotypically diverse plasmids of incompatibility group P: members of the IncP beta sub-group are closely related. Mol Gen Genet. 1987 Mar;206(3):419–427. doi: 10.1007/BF00428881. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Smith C. A., Thomas C. M. Deletion mapping of kil and kor functions in the trfA and trfB regions of broad host range plasmid RK2. Mol Gen Genet. 1983;190(2):245–254. doi: 10.1007/BF00330647. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Terakado N., Mitsuhashi S. Properties of R factors from Bordetella bronchiseptica. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1974 Dec;6(6):836–840. doi: 10.1128/aac.6.6.836. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Thomas C. M., Meyer R., Helinski D. R. Regions of broad-host-range plasmid RK2 which are essential for replication and maintenance. J Bacteriol. 1980 Jan;141(1):213–222. doi: 10.1128/jb.141.1.213-222.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Thomas C. M., Smith C. A. Incompatibility group P plasmids: genetics, evolution, and use in genetic manipulation. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1987;41:77–101. doi: 10.1146/annurev.mi.41.100187.000453. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Villarroel R., Hedges R. W., Maenhaut R., Leemans J., Engler G., Van Montagu M., Schell J. Heteroduplex analysis of P-plasmid evolution: the role of insertion and deletion of transposable elements. Mol Gen Genet. 1983;189(3):390–399. doi: 10.1007/BF00325900. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Wyndham R. C., Singh R. K., Straus N. A. Catabolic instability, plasmid gene deletion and recombination in Alcaligenes sp. BR60. Arch Microbiol. 1988;150(3):237–243. doi: 10.1007/BF00407786. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Wyndham R. C., Straus N. A. Chlorobenzoate catabolism and interactions between Alcaligenes and Pseudomonas species from Bloody Run Creek. Arch Microbiol. 1988;150(3):230–236. doi: 10.1007/BF00407785. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Yakobson E., Guiney G. Homology in the transfer origins of broad host range IncP plasmids: definition of two subgroups of P plasmids. Mol Gen Genet. 1983;192(3):436–438. doi: 10.1007/BF00392187. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Yen K. M., Serdar C. M. Genetics of naphthalene catabolism in pseudomonads. Crit Rev Microbiol. 1988;15(3):247–268. doi: 10.3109/10408418809104459. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Bacteriology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES