title: Conjugative transfer of broad host range plasmids to an acidobacterial strain, Edaphobacter aggregans.
abstract: The Acidobacteria phylum is of high ecological interest. Its members are ubiquitous and particularly abundant in soils but many are recalcitrant to cultivation in the laboratory. Thus, the ability of Acidobacteria to capture and maintain plasmids remains largely unexplored. In this work we tested the transfer and the stability of (i) the PromA plasmid pMOL98 and (ii) the IncQ plasmid pKT230 to the acidobacterial strain Edaphobacter aggregans DSM 19364. To this end quantitative conjugation assays were performed and transconjugants were scored for plasmid-borne antibiotic selection markers. The tested plasmids were transferred and maintained in the new host. Plasmid pMOL98 was more stable than pKT230 in Ed. aggregans in the absence of positive selection. Thus, from an ecological point of view, we have extended the host range of PromA and IncQ plasmids for the first time to an acidobacterial strain. Furthermore, we have uncovered the potential of Acidobacteria to capture as-yet-unknown plasmids and to foster the development of new cloning and expression systems for the exploitation of biotechnologically valuable soil resources.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Génie Biologique, Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud 2, Boite L7.05.19, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. Electronic address: emnabouhajja@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Emna
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bouhajja
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Génie Biologique, Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud 2, Boite L7.05.19, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium; Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, Ioannina 45110, Greece. Electronic address: theoharris.ef@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Theocharis
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Efthymiopoulos
authors.affiliation: Université Libre de Bruxelles, Laboratoire d'Ecologie des Systèmes Aquatiques, Campus de la Plaine CP 221, Boulevard du Triomphe, 1050 Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: igeorge@ulb.ac.be.
authors.forename: Isabelle F
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: George
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Génie Biologique, Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud 2, Boite L7.05.19, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. Electronic address: david.moreels@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moreels
authors.affiliation: Unit of Microbiology, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCKCEN), Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol, Belgium. Electronic address: rvhoudto@sckcen.be.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Van Houdt
authors.affiliation: Unit of Microbiology, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCKCEN), Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol, Belgium. Electronic address: mmergeay@sckcen.be.
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mergeay
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Génie Biologique, Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Place Croix du Sud 2, Boite L7.05.19, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium; School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Yachay Tech University, San Miguel de Urcuquí, Ecuador. Electronic address: spiros.agathos@uclouvain.be.
authors.forename: Spiros N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Agathos
mesh_terms: D061271:Acidobacteria / Q000235:genetics*; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D058507:Host Specificity; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial
keywords: Acidobacteria; Broad host range plasmids; Conjugation; Plasmid stability/transfer