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. 1983 Oct;156(1):30–35. doi: 10.1128/jb.156.1.30-35.1983

Evidence for an active role of donor cells in natural transformation of Pseudomonas stutzeri.

G J Stewart, C A Carlson, J L Ingraham
PMCID: PMC215047  PMID: 6194148

Abstract

The transfer of chromosomal genes in a cell mat of Pseudomonas stutzeri was ca. 10(3) times more efficient per microgram of DNA if DNA was added as a constituent of intact donor cells rather than as a solution. Such intact cell-mediated transfer appears to depend on cell contact. It is independent of the presence of plasmids in donor strains and is DNase I sensitive, thus fitting the usual definition of transformation. It is bidirectional: cells of either strain in a transformation mixture served as the donor and recipients. The donor function in cell contact transformation was inhibited by nalidixic acid but was unaffected by rifampin and streptomycin at growth-inhibiting concentrations. Concentrations of nalidixic acid sufficient to inhibit donor function completely had no effect on the ability of nalidixic acid-resistant recipients to take up DNA from solution. These experiments suggest that certain cells donate DNA to others in the cell mat: they argue against the hypothesis that the function of donor cells is merely cell lysis.

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Selected References

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

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