title: Isolation and characterization of a plasmid from Treponema denticola.
abstract: Agarose gel electrophoresis of whole genomic DNA of the oral spirochaete Treponema denticola has revealed a plasmid-like fraction. Purification and restriction enzyme analysis has confirmed the presence of a 2.6-kb circular plasmid, which has been mapped for restriction sites and cloned into the Escherichia coli plasmid pUC18. Southern blot analysis of genomic T. denticola DNA, using the plasmid as a probe, has shown that the plasmid is present only as an extra-chromosomal element. No plasmid-coded recombinant gene product from a PstI insert in pUC18 has been detected in host cells of E. coli by SDS-PAGE or immunoblotting with polyclonal immune rabbit serum to T. denticola. The discovery of this plasmid may provide a useful tool in the application of new molecular approaches in spirochaetal biology.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Birmingham, U.K.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ivic
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: MacDougall
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Penn
mesh_terms: D015139:Blotting, Southern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D010957:Plasmids; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D014208:Treponema / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial