Characterisation of transfer-deficient mutants of the R100-1TcS plasmid pDU202, caused by insertion of Tn10

Summary The transposition of Tn10 from the E. coli chromosome to pDU202 (a Tc^S deletion mutant of R100-1) was selected by a mating technique: it took place at a frequency of 10^-7 in both rec ⁺ and recA hosts. Seventeen transfer deficient mutants of pDU202 caused by the insertion of Tn10 into the R factor's transfer genes were analysed. Insertion of Tn10 occurred at at least eight sites, with some apparent clustering in the second part of the transfer operon, and with equal numbers in each orientation. Both strongly and weakly polar insertions were observed, and the strength of the polarity was correlated with the Tn10 orientation. The map order of the second part of the transfer operon was confirmed as traC traF traH traG traS traD, analogous to that of F. The strongly polar insertion mutants still expressed traI at wild-type levels, providing further evidence that this gene does not belong to the transfer operon of R100.     

Genetic analysis of mutations in the transfer genes of pDU202 tra::Tn10 plasmids, caused by the excision of Tn10.

Summary Transfer-deficient derivatives of pDU202 (a Tc^s deletion mutant of R100-1) caused by the insertion of Tn10 into the R factor's transfer genes have been described previously. Tetracyline-sensitive mutants of four of these were selected. In the majority of cases the Tc^s mutation was caused by a deletion of the Tc^r genes which was often accompanied either by a deletion of some of the flanking transfer genes or by a secondary mutation which was probably an inversion. A number of preferred end points for the deletions and inversions occur in the transfer operon of pDU202. Analysis of the mutants by complementation tests with Flac tra elements confirmed that the order of genes in the promoter distal part of the tra region of pDU202 is traKBCFHGSD and traI.     

Tn1 generated mutants in the mercuric ion reductase of the Inc P plasmid, R702

Summary Physiological, biochemical and genetic aspects of resistance to inorganic mercury compounds were examined in a group of mercury sensitive derivatives generated in the Inc P plasmid, R702, by Tn1 insertion. Strains carrying each of these insertion mutations had no detectable mercuric ion reductase, were more sensitive to mercuric ion than a plasmidless strain, and exhibited inducible uptake of Hg²⁺. These characteristics indicate that the mutants are altered in the Hg(II) reductase. This hypothesis was supported by complementation and recombination analysis with known point and deletion mutations in the mer operon of the Inc FII plasmid, R100. Such experiments showed that the eight insertions studied had occurred in four distinct regions of the Hg(II) reductase structural gene (merA). Complementation data also demonstrated that the regulatory protein determined by the R702 plasmid has no effect on the expression of the micro-constitutive Hg(II) reductase activity expressed by merR mutants of R100.     

Tn7 insertion mutations affecting the host range of the promiscuous IncP-1 plasmid R18

The genetic basis of plasmid host range has been investigated by Tn7 insertion mutagenesis of the promiscuous plasmid R18 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Six mutants have been isolated on the basis of greatly reduced transferability into Escherichia coli C while retaining normal transferability within P. aeruginosa. Their physical mapping shows that two of them map at coordinate 11.72 ± 0.14 kb, in the region of the origin of plasmid replication (oriV) and one at 18.0 ± 0.3 kb, in the trans-acting gene essential for initiation of replication at oriV (trfA). Three map at 48.4 ± 0.5 kb in the region of the origin of plasmid transfer (oriT) and the site at which a single-strand nick is introduced in the plasmid DNA-protein relaxation complex (rlx). Consistent with the postulated defective replication of the oriV and trfA mutants was their inability to transform E. coli C or K12 while being able to transform P. aeruginosa. As expected the oriT/rlx mutants transformed both hosts as effectively as R18. Furthermore the trfA mutant was readily curable by mitomycin C in a DNA polymerase I-proficient P. aeruginosa and spontaneously lost from a polymerase-deficient mutant of P. aeruginosa suggesting a role of this polymerase in the replication of R18. Extensive transfer tests from P. aeruginosa into a range of enteric bacteria, other Pseudomonas species and into other Gram-negative bacteria indicated a complex host range pattern for these mutants. It appears that both plasmid replication and conjugation genes are responsible for host range in addition to the involvement of host gene products.     

Non-random distribution of transduction termini in transductants from the integrated R plasmid, R100-1

Summary Tra ⁺and tra ^–derivatives of drug resistance plasmid, R100-1, were isolated by phage P1 from an Hfr donor with integrated R100-1 and then analyzed by complementation tests with tra ^–point mutants of Flac. Tra ⁺derivatives of R100-1 carrying tetracycline resistance alone and those carrying all six drug-resistance genes could support transfer of tra ^–point mutants of Flac except Flac traJ, whereas all of tra ^–derivatives of R100-1 failed to complement any one of tra ^–point mutants of Flac. This suggests that these tra ^–derivatives of R100-1 carrying tetracycline resistance gene are deleted for all the transfer genes impaired in the Flac point mutants tested. We assume a hot point, probably a specific base sequence similar to an IS element, at the left of the tetracycline gene (Fig. 1) becomes a transduction terminus in transduction of the integrated R100-1 by phage P1. Complementation analysis of tra ^–derivatives carrying five resistance genes except the tetracycline gene led us to a supposition that a gene(s), probably analogous to traJ of the F plasmid, is located on R100-1 near the tetracycline gene which plays an important regulatory role for self-transfer as well as for the complementation of tra ^–Flac mutants.     

Isolation of symbiotically defective mutants in Rhizobium leguminosarum by insertion of the transposon Tn5 into a transmissible plasmid

Summary Selection was made for the transposition of the kanamycin resistance transposon Tn5 from a location on the chromosome of R. leguminosarum into a transmissible, bacteriocinogenic plasmid that also carries genes required for the induction of nitrogen-fixing nodules on peas.One hundred and sixty independent insertions into transmissible plasmids were isolated. When these plasmids were transferred by conjugation into a non-nodulating strain, which carries a deletion in one of its resident plasmids, of the 160 isolates tested 14 yielded transconjugants that formed nodules that did not fix nitrogen (Fix^-) and in a further 15 cases the transconjugants were unable to form nodules (were Nod^-). When transferred to a symbiotically proficient strain (i.e. Nod⁺ Fix⁺) none of the transconjugants was symbiotically defective; thus the mutations were not dominant.When kan was transduced from the clones that generated Fix^- transconjugants into a Fix⁺ recipient the majority of transductants inherited Fix^- indicating that the insertion of Tn5 had induced the symbiotic mutations. Transduction of kan, from the clones that failed to donate Nod⁺ by conjugation to strain 6015, occurred at barely detectable frequencies and it was not possible to demonstrate transduction of Nod^-. kan was co-transduced with Nod⁺ from some of the clones and some of these transductants also inherited the ability to produce medium bacteriocin and to transfer at high frequency by conjugation. Thus the genes for all these characters are closely linked.     

Plasmid pSC101 replication mutants generated by insertion of the transposon Tn1000

A derivative of pSC101, pLC709, was constructed by ligation of the HincII-A fragment of pSC101 to the mini-colEI plasmid pVH51 and to a DNA fragment encoding resistance to the antibiotics streptomycin and spectinomycin. Insertions of the transposon Tn1000 (gamma-delta) into the pSC101 replication region of pLC709 were isolated following cotransfer of the plasmid with the sex factor F. The sites of insertion of the transposon were determined by restriction enzyme analysis and the replication and incompatibility properties of the insertion plasmids and DNA fragments cloned from them were analysed. The insertion mutations defined a locus, inc, of approximately 200 base-pairs that is responsible for pSC101-specific incompatibility. Two mutations adjacent to this region inactivate pSC101 replication but can be complemented in trans by a wild-type pSC101 plasmid, and thus define a trans-acting replication function, rep. The inc locus is within a larger region of some 450 base-pairs that is essential for pSC101 replication and that includes the origin of replication. This 450 base-pair segment can replicate in the presence of a helper plasmid that supplies the rep function in trans.     

Genetic loci responsible for incompatibility on a co-integrate plasmid, R100-1.

An R plasmid, R100-1, was mapped previously (Yoshikawa, 1974) by transduction from an integratively suppressed Hfr strain to a recipient with a mutation in gene dnaA. By this method various types of transductants of plasmid R100-1 that exist autonomously or in the integrated state were obtained. Seventy-one such transductants were used in the present study to map gene inc, which is responsible for incompatibility. The results obtained can be explained by either of the following: (i) R100-1 has only a single gene or gene cluster (inc) despite previous work suggesting that this plasmid is a co-integrate of two replicons; (ii) R100-1 possesses more than one inc locus located between the repA and tra loci.     

Sequence, identification and effect on conjugation of the rmoA gene of plasmid R100-1

The rmoA gene was recently identified from two partially overlapping sequences corresponding to a region close to the end of the tra operon of plasmid R100. Its putative amino acid sequence showed strong homology to the Hha protein of Escherichia coli and YmoA protein of Yersinia enterocolitica, which are modulators of gene expression in response to environmental stimuli. We have cloned the rmoA gene from plasmid R100-1 in pUC19 and obtained the complete nucleotide sequence, which was previously published only partially and may have contained some mistakes. The rmoA gene product has been identified in radiolabelled minicells as a protein of the predicted molecular mass. The wild-type rmoA gene of plasmid R100-1 has been mutated by gene replacement and its effect on the efficiency of conjugation has been analysed. When grown in LB medium, cells harbouring R100-1 plasmid with a disrupted copy of rmoA showed a five-fold increase in conjugation frequency compared to cells harbouring R100-1 plasmid with the wild-type rmoA gene, grown in the same conditions. When cells were grown in NaCl-free LB medium they showed a 50-fold increase in conjugation frequency.     

Transfer-defective and tetracycline-sensitive mutants of the incompatibility group HI plasmid R27 generated by insertion of transposon 7

Transposon Tn7 insertion was used to obtain either transfer-defective (Tra-) or tetracycline-sensitive (Tc-) mutants of the HI incompatibility group (IncHI) plasmid R27. The 600 apparent R27::Tn7 derivatives fell into three classes: Tra-, Tc-, and Tra- Tc-. Mutants of R27 defective in the thermosensitive mode of transfer characteristic of IncH plasmids were obtained with transfer frequencies of less than 1 X 10(-8) transconjugants per recipient after 18 hr at 26 degrees C. These mutants, which were generated at a frequency of 1 per 100 insertions, were nonleaky and nonrevertible. Tc- mutants of R27, generated at a frequency of 0.5 per 100 insertions, were also nonrevertible. Loss of tetracycline resistance was associated with an increased frequency of transfer (average 3.6 X 10(-3) transconjugants per donor per hour at 30 degrees C) compared with transfer of the wild-type R27 plasmid (1.6 X 10(-8) per donor per hour). Tn7 insertions which generated Tc- or Tra- mutants of R27 had no effect on entry exclusion of other H group plasmids. The molecular weights of Tra- and Tc- R27::Tn7 derivatives were approximately 120.5 MDa, corresponding to the sum of R27 (112 MDa) and Tn7 (8.5 MDa). A third class of Tn7 insertion derivatives (Tra- Tc-) was obtained; however, strains expressing this phenotype were plasmid free, and appeared to have Tn7 integrated at a chromosomal site. Restriction digestion with XbaI and subsequent hybridization with ColE1::Tn7 were used to compare R27::Tn7 derivatives and to locate Tn7 insertion sites. Loss of tetracycline resistance was associated with Tn7 insertion into a 24-kb XbaI fragment of R27. Although loss of plasmid transfer in several R27::Tn7 derivatives was accompanied by insertion of Tn7 into a 14-kb XbaI fragment of the plasmid, these mutants had also undergone a small increase in the size of the 24-kb XbaI fragment of R27.     

Stabilization of a miniderivative of the broad-host-range IncW plasmid pSa by insertion of plasmid R1parB region

The plasmid vector pEM100 (13.5 kb) constructed from pGV1106, a miniderivative of the broad-host-range IncW pSa plasmid, and the pAM330 plasmid ofBrevibacterium lactofermentum is not stably maintained inEscherichia coli host cells under nonselective growth conditions. By insertion of a 0.9 kb DNA fragment containing theparB locus (responsible for the maintenance of plasmid R1 inE. coli cells) to plasmid pEM100, plasmid pEM110 was prepared which is maintained in a population ofE. coli cells growing without a selection pressure very stably. Translated by Č. Novotny     

Tn10 mediated integration of the plasmid R100.1 into the bacterial chromosome: Inverse transposition

Summary Upon integration into the bacterial chromosome the drug resistance plasmid R100.1 often loses its tetracycline resistance character. We have analyzed an Hfr strain formed by such an integration and an R-prime plasmid derived from it. We find that integration took place within the Tn10 transposon, that the two IS10 sequences were retained, but that at least 80% of the transposon segment located between them, and carrying the tetracycline resistance genes, had been lost. We suggest that integration of R100.1 was mediated by an inverse transposition using the IS10 sequences.     

A physical map of plasmid pDU1 from the cyanobacterium Nostoc PCC 7524

Nostoc 7524 contains three different plasmids of molecular weight, 4, 8, and 28 Mdal. The smallest plasmid, designated pDU1, because of its size and ease of isolation, may prove to be useful as a cloning vector. Plasmid pDU1 was incubated separately with 26 different restriction enzymes and only 8 of the enzymes tested cut pDU1. A composite restriction enzyme map consisting of a total of 17 restriction sites was constructed for BglI, HindIII, HpaI, and XbaI. The sites of restriction enzyme cleavage were determined by single, double, and partial digests of plasmid DNA or redigestion of isolated restriction fragments. All the restriction sites were aligned relative to the single BglI site. This is the first restriction enzyme map of a plasmid from a filamentous cyanobacterium.     

Evolution of an R plasmid from a cryptic plasmid by transposition of two copies of Tn1 in Providencia stuartii

Examination of a series of isolates of Providencia stuartii collected over an 18 month period from a chronic-care patient at Bristol Royal Infirmary revealed the emergence of resistance to carbenicillin. Resistance was mediated by a 47 kb plasmid which transferred by conjugation to a plasmid-free strain of P. stuartii but not to Escherichia coli. Carbenicillin-sensitive isolates were either plasmid-free or contained a 36 kb cryptic plasmid. Restriction endonuclease mapping of this plasmid showed it to be closely related to 32 kb and 34 kb cryptic plasmids reported previously in P. stuartii from Bristol. Mapping of the R plasmid showed it to be derived from the 34 kb cryptic plasmid by transposition of two copies of Tn1.