title: The size and continuity of DNA segments integrated in Bacillus transformation.
abstract: We investigated the size and continuity of DNA segments integrated in Bacillus subtilis transformation. We transformed B. subtilis strain 1A2 toward rifampicin resistance (coded by rpoB) with genomic DNA and with a PCR-amplified 3.4-kb segment of the rpoB gene from several donors. Restriction analysis showed that smaller lengths of donor DNA integrated into the chromosome with transformation by PCR-amplified DNA than by genomic DNA. Nevertheless, integration of very short segments (< 2 kb) from large, genomic donor molecules was not a rare event. With PCR-amplified segments as donor DNA, smaller fragments were integrated when there was greater sequence divergence between donor and recipient. There was a large stochastic component to the pattern of recombination. We detected discontinuity in the integration of donor segments within the rpoB gene, probably due to multiple integration events involving a single donor molecule. The transfer of adaptations across Bacillus species may be facilitated by the small sizes of DNA segments integrated in transformation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut 06459-0170, USA.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zawadzki
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Cohan
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000235:genetics; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012293:Rifampin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014170:Transformation, Genetic
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012293:Rifampin