title: Heavy metal resistant Arthrobacter sp.--a tool for studying conjugational plasmid transfer between gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria.
abstract: The role of two heavy metal-resistant strains of the Gram-positive genus Arthrobacter sp. as a tool in studying conjugational plasmid transfer between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria is described. The high nickel resistance and the cobalt resistance of Arthrobacter sp. strain RM1/6 could be transferred to Arthrobacter sp. strain WS14. IncQ plasmids (pKT240, pKT240::czc, pML10) could be mobilized from E. coli into Arthrobacter spp. strains; antibiotic (Km, Ap, Tc) and heavy metal (Co) resistance genes were expressed in the recipient stains. IncQ plasmid pKT240 could be mobilized between Arthrobacter spp. strains. IncP plasmid RP4::Tn4371 was transferred from A. eutrophus to Arthrobacter sp., RP4-mediated antibiotic resistance to Km was expressed in the recipient strain.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Mikrobiologie, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Margesin
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schinner
mesh_terms: D000421:Alcaligenes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001173:Arthrobacter / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D003035:Cobalt / Q000494:pharmacology; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009532:Nickel / Q000494:pharmacology; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D003035:Cobalt; D009532:Nickel; D015032:Zinc