title: Plasmids in Listeria monocytogenes and other Listeria species.
abstract: One hundred and twenty-two food, clinical, and veterinary strains of Listeria monocytogenes were examined for the presence of plasmids. Twenty-five (20%) contained plasmids, which varied from 1.3 to 66 MDa in size. Of 10 strains of other Listeria species (L. innocua, L. ivanovii, L. welshimeri, L. seeligeri, L. grayi, and L. murrayi) examined, seven (70%) contained plasmids, varying from 38 to 53 MDa. No strains with multiple plasmids were found. Plasmids of identical size were isolated from related strains in some, although not all, cases. The presence of a plasmid in a strain was not related to phenotypic characters of known extrachromosomal inheritance.
authors.affiliation: Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Health Protection Branch, Ottawa, Ont., Canada.
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Peterkin
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gardiner
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Idziak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008087:Listeria / Q000235:genetics; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000235:genetics*; D008088:Listeriosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*