Monitoring survival and gene transfer in soil microcosms of recombinant Escherichia coli designed to represent an industrial production strain.
A genetically engineered microorganism (GEM) was designed to exemplify bacterial strains used for the production of biological material in industry. The recombinant DNA was located on a safety plasmid (pUC19). Survival and persistence of the GEM and its recombinant DNA (rDNA) was determined in soil microcosms by using different monitoring methods, including the polymerase-chain reaction, to amplify and detect the specific rDNA. Depending on nutritional status, both the GEM and its rDNA had disappeared within 16 (amended soil) or 28 days (non-amended soil) with a limit of detection of 5 cells/g soil and 20 fg DNA/g soil.
Henschke
R B
RB
Bundesforschungsanstalt für Landwirtschaft (FAL), Institut für Bodenbiologie, Braunschweig, Federal Republic of Germany.
Henschke
E J
EJ
Schmidt
F R
FR
D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004463:Ecology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D005819:Genetic Markers; D008954:Models, Biological; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D014162:Transfection
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005819:Genetic Markers