title: Occurrence, transfer and mobilization in epilithic strains of Acinetobacter of mercury-resistance plasmids capable of transformation.
abstract: A 7.8 kb plasmid (pQM17) encoding mercury resistance was isolated from two epilithic strains of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus. The plasmid had a broad host range when mobilized by RP1, transferring into Pseudomonas aeruginosa, P. putida, P. fluorescens, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris and Chromobacterium sp. with frequencies ranging from 5.3 x 10(-9) to 4.6 x 10(-4) per recipient. The plasmid could be transferred into A. calcoaceticus BD413 using intact cells of donor and recipient bacteria (i.e. natural transformation) and there was a broad temperature optimum (14-37 degrees C) for transformation. Transformation was as efficient in liquid matings as on plates but there was no effect of pH in the range 5.6-7.9. Maximum transformation frequencies were obtained after 24 h on agar plates containing 3.5-10 g C 1-1 with donor to recipient ratios ranging from 6 to 415.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biology, University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Rochelle
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Fry
mesh_terms: D000150:Acinetobacter / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004586:Electrophoresis; D008628:Mercury / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010957:Plasmids; D013696:Temperature; D014169:Transformation, Bacterial
chemical_list: D008628:Mercury