title: A simple method for construction of pir+ Enterobacterial hosts for maintenance of R6K replicon plasmids.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The R6K replicon is one of the best studied bacterial plasmid replicons. Replication of the R6K plasmid and derivatives harboring its γ origin of replication (ori(R6Kγ)) is dependent on the pir gene-encoded π protein. Originally encoded by R6K, this protein is usually provided in trans in hosts engineered to support replication of plasmids harboring ori(R6Kγ). In Escherichia coli this is commonly achieved by chromosomal integration of pir either via lysogenization with a λpir phage or homologous recombination at a pre-determined locus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Current methods for construction of host strains for ori(R6Kγ)-containing plasmids involve procedures that do not allow selection for presence of the pir gene and require cumbersome and time-consuming screening steps. In this study, we established a mini-Tn7-based method for rapid and reliable construction of pir+ host strains. Using a curable mini-Tn7 delivery plasmid, pir expressing derivatives of several commonly used E. coli cloning and mobilizer strains were isolated using both the wild-type pir+ gene as well as the copy-up pir-116 allele. In addition, we isolated pir+ and pir-116 expressing derivatives of a clinical isolate of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. In both E. coli and S. enterica serovar Typhimurium, the presence of the pir+ wild-type or pir-116 alleles allowed the replication of ori(R6Kγ)-containing plasmids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A mini-Tn7 system was employed for rapid and reliable engineering of E. coli and S. enterica serovar Typhimurium host strains for plasmids containing ori(R6Kγ). Since mini-Tn7 elements transpose in most, if not all, Gram negative bacteria, we anticipate that with relatively minor modifications this newly established method will for the first time allow engineering of other bacterial species to enable replication of plasmids with ori(R6Kγ).
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, IDRC at Foothills Campus, 0922 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
authors.forename: Brian H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Kvitko
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bruckbauer
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prucha
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: McMillan
authors.forename: Erin J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Breland
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lehman
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mladinich
authors.forename: Kyoung-Hee
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Roxann
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Karkhoff-Schweizer
authors.forename: Herbert P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Schweizer
mesh_terms: D003001:Cloning, Molecular / Q000379:methods; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics*; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D059765:Homologous Recombination; D010957:Plasmids; D018741:Replication Origin; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000235:genetics; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*; D019076:Transgenes
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D015534:Trans-Activators; C045264:replication initiator protein; D004247:DNA; D004265:DNA Helicases