Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Bacteriology logoLink to Journal of Bacteriology
. 1976 Feb;125(2):398–403. doi: 10.1128/jb.125.2.398-403.1976

Extrachromosomal deoxyribonucleic acid in R factor-harboring Enterobacteriaceae.

J K Moller, A L Bak, C Christiansen, G Christiansen, A Stenderup
PMCID: PMC236095  PMID: 1107322

Abstract

Extrachromosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from 24 different R factor-harboring Enterobacteriaceae was isolated and characterized by analytical ultracentrifugation and electron microscopy. The R factors represented 15 different patterns of transferable drug resistance found in enterobacteria from an enclosed geographic area. All of the strains contained extrachromosomal, circular DNA molecules within the range of 0.4 to 52 mum. More than one size class of circular DNA molecules was observed in the majority of the extrachromosomal DNA preparations. The buoyant density of the extrachromosomal DNA ranged from 1.700 to 1.720 g/cm3. The majority of the bacteria contained extrachromosomal DNAs of various densities. Three-fourths of the R factors were classified as fi+. The investigation illustrates the extensive variability in the physical characteristics of plasmid DNA from R factor-harboring strains.

Full text

PDF
398

Images in this article

402Image
on p.402

Selected References

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

  1. Bak A. L., Christiansen G., Christiansen C., Stenderup A., Orskov I., Orskov F. Circular DNA molecules controlling synthesis and transfer of the surface antigen (K88) in Escherichia coli. J Gen Microbiol. 1972 Nov;73(2):373–385. doi: 10.1099/00221287-73-2-373. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Barth P. T., Grinter N. J. Comparison of the deoxyribonucleic acid molecular weights and homologies of plasmids conferring linked resistance to streptomycin and sulfonamides. J Bacteriol. 1974 Nov;120(2):618–630. doi: 10.1128/jb.120.2.618-630.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bazaral M., Helinski D. R. Characterization of multiple circular DNA forms of colicinogenic factor E-1 from Proteus mirabilis. Biochemistry. 1968 Oct;7(10):3513–3520. doi: 10.1021/bi00850a028. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bazaral M., Helinski D. R. Circular DNA forms of colicinogenic factors E1, E2 and E3 from Escherichia coli. J Mol Biol. 1968 Sep 14;36(2):185–194. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(68)90374-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Christiansen C., Christiansen G., Bak A. L., Stenderup A. Extrachromosomal deoxyribonucleic acid in different enterobacteria. J Bacteriol. 1973 Apr;114(1):367–377. doi: 10.1128/jb.114.1.367-377.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Cohen S. N., Miller C. A. Multiple molecular species of circular R-factor DNA isolated from Escherichia coli. Nature. 1969 Dec 27;224(5226):1273–1277. doi: 10.1038/2241273a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Cohen S. N., Miller C. A. Non-chromosomal antibiotic resistance in bacteria. 3. Isolation of the discrete transfer unit of the R-factor R1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1970 Oct;67(2):510–516. doi: 10.1073/pnas.67.2.510. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Cohen S. N., Miller C. A. Non-chromosomal antibiotic resistance in bacteria. II. Molecular nature of R-factors isolated from Proteus mirabilis and Escherichia coli. J Mol Biol. 1970 Jun 28;50(3):671–687. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(70)90092-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Davey R. B., Pittard J. Genetic and biophysical study of R plasmids conferring sulfonamide resistance in Shigella strains isolated in 1952 and 1956. J Bacteriol. 1974 Dec;120(3):1186–1195. doi: 10.1128/jb.120.3.1186-1195.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Falkow S., Citarella R. V., Wohlhieter J. A. The molecular nature of R-factors. J Mol Biol. 1966 May;17(1):102–116. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(66)80097-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Goebel W., Schrempf H. Isolation and characterization of supercoiled circular deoxyribonucleic acid from beta-hemolytic strains of Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1971 May;106(2):311–317. doi: 10.1128/jb.106.2.311-317.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Goto N., Yoshida Y., Terawaki Y., Nakaya R., Suzuki K. Base composition of deoxyribonucleic acid of the temperature-sensitive kanamycin-resistant R factor, Rts1. J Bacteriol. 1970 Mar;101(3):856–859. doi: 10.1128/jb.101.3.856-859.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Grindley N. D., Humphreys G. O., Anderson E. S. Molecular studies of R factor compatibility groups. J Bacteriol. 1973 Jul;115(1):387–398. doi: 10.1128/jb.115.1.387-398.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Guerry P., van Embden J., Falkow S. Molecular nature of two nonconjugative plasmids carrying drug resistance genes. J Bacteriol. 1974 Feb;117(2):619–630. doi: 10.1128/jb.117.2.619-630.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Helinski D. R. Plasmid determined resistance to antibiotics: molecular properties of R factors. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1973;27:437–470. doi: 10.1146/annurev.mi.27.100173.002253. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Kontomichalou P., Mitani M., Clowes R. C. Circular R-factor molecules controlling penicillinase synthesis, replicating in Escherichia coli under either relaxed or stringent control. J Bacteriol. 1970 Oct;104(1):34–44. doi: 10.1128/jb.104.1.34-44.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Lederberg J. Gene Recombination and Linked Segregations in Escherichia Coli. Genetics. 1947 Sep;32(5):505–525. doi: 10.1093/genetics/32.5.505. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Milliken C. E., Clowes R. C. Molecular structure of an R factor, its component drug-resistance determinants and transfer factor. J Bacteriol. 1973 Feb;113(2):1026–1033. doi: 10.1128/jb.113.2.1026-1033.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Nisioka T., Mitani M., Clowes R. C. Molecular recombination between R-factor deoxyribonucleic acid molecules in Escherichia coli host cells. J Bacteriol. 1970 Jul;103(1):166–177. doi: 10.1128/jb.103.1.166-177.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Nisioka T., Mitani M., Clowes R. Composite circular forms of R factor deoxyribonucleic acid molecules. J Bacteriol. 1969 Jan;97(1):376–385. doi: 10.1128/jb.97.1.376-385.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Sheehy R. J., Perry A., Allison D. P., Curtiss R., 3rd Molecular nature of R-factor deoxyribonucleic acid isolated from Salmonella typhimurium minicells. J Bacteriol. 1973 Jun;114(3):1328–1335. doi: 10.1128/jb.114.3.1328-1335.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Silver R. P., Falkow S. Specific labeling and physical characterization of R-factor deoxyribonucleic acid in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1970 Oct;104(1):331–339. doi: 10.1128/jb.104.1.331-339.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Silver R. P., Falkow S. Studies on resistance transfer factor deoxyribonucleic acid in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1970 Oct;104(1):340–344. doi: 10.1128/jb.104.1.340-344.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Smith H. R., Humphreys G. O., Anderson E. S. Genetic and molecular characterisation of some non-transferring plasmids. Mol Gen Genet. 1974 Mar 27;129(3):229–242. doi: 10.1007/BF00267915. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Vapnek D., Lipman M. B., Rupp W. D. Physical properties and mechanism of transfer of R factors in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1971 Oct;108(1):508–514. doi: 10.1128/jb.108.1.508-514.1971. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. van Embden J., Cohen S. N. Molecular and genetic studies of an R factor system consisting of independent transfer and drug resistance plasmids. J Bacteriol. 1973 Nov;116(2):699–709. doi: 10.1128/jb.116.2.699-709.1973. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES