Efficient transformation of Cellulomonas flavigena by electroporation and conjugation with Bacillus thuringiensis.
The conjugative self-transmissible plasmid pHT73, harbored in Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki, was demonstrated to be transferred to Cellulomonas flavigena, a cellulolytic bacterium. Both conjugation and transformation procedures yielded resistant colonies; however, chromosomal integration was observed only when bacterial conjugation occurred. The efficiency of conjugation was 10% of recipient strain, which is considered a very efficient process. When the plasmid pHT73 was introduced by transformation, erythromycin-resistant cells contained the plasmid as an episome with no arrangements, as assayed by Southern blot analysis. In contrast, conjugated-resistant cells harbor the plasmid integrated into the chromosome. These data suggest a common mechanism of cell communication between nonrelated bacterial species with similar ecological habitats, and also that both electroporation and conjugation can be used to transform C. flavigena efficiently.
Montes-Horcasitas
Carmen
C
Departamento de Biotecnología y Bioingeniería, CINVESTAV IPN. Ave. IPN 2508, San Pedro Zacatenco, CP 07360 México, DF.
Ruiz-Medrano
Roberto
R
Magaña-Plaza
Ignacio
I
Silva
Lidia Gómez
LG
Herrera-Martínez
Aseneth
A
Hernández-Montalvo
Lourdes
L
Xoconostle-Cázares
Beatriz
B
D001413:Bacillus thuringiensis / Q000235:genetics*; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D040143:Cellulomonas / Q000235:genetics*; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D018274:Electroporation; D010957:Plasmids; D014169:Transformation, Bacterial