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. 1993 Dec 15;90(24):11668–11672. doi: 10.1073/pnas.90.24.11668

A fourth class of theta-replicating plasmids: the pAM beta 1 family from gram-positive bacteria.

C Bruand 1, E Le Chatelier 1, S D Ehrlich 1, L Jannière 1
PMCID: PMC48045  PMID: 8265606

Abstract

Plasmid pAM beta 1 from Enterococcus faecalis uses a unidirectional theta mode of replication. We show here that this replication (i) is dependent on a plasmid-encoded replication protein (Rep) but not on a DNA structure typical for origins of most Rep-dependent plasmids and (ii) is initiated by DNA polymerase I (PolI). pAM beta 1 minimal replicon shares no homology with highly conserved ColE1-type replicons, which use PolI for initiation but do not encode a Rep, or with ColE2 and ColE3 replicons, which require PolI for replication and encode a Rep. We propose that pAM beta 1 and a number of other naturally occurring and closely related plasmids from a distinct plasmid class.

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Selected References

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