title: Diversity and linkage of replication and mobilisation genes in Bacillus rolling circle-replicating plasmids from diverse geographical origins.
abstract: The prevalence, diversity and linkage of pTA-related plasmid rep and mob genes in 18 plasmids from three closely related species of Bacillus from diverse geographical locations have been investigated using PCR. pTA-related rep and mob sequences were both amplified from 13 of the 18 plasmids. For one plasmid, pBM9, only a pTA-related mob gene was amplified, whilst only a pTA-related rep gene was amplified from the Bacillus licheniformis plasmid pBL2. No products were amplified for either gene from two other B. licheniformis plasmids or from a larger 16-kb Bacillus subtilis plasmid, pBS6. Whilst simple gene detection suggests close linkage of both pTA-related rep and mob genes, on most of these plasmids, sequence analysis of amplified genes revealed more complex linkage relationships varying with geographical origin, plasmid size and bacterial host.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK.
authors.forename: Vince P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Syrett
authors.forename: Tasneem
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hassanali
authors.forename: A Mark
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Osborn