This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Thomas, D. J. I.
Right arrow Articles by Saunders, J. R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Thomas, D. J. I.
Right arrow Articles by Saunders, J. R.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Thomas, D. J. I.
Right arrow Articles by Saunders, J. R.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 2001, p. 330-338, Vol. 67, No. 1
0099-2240/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/AEM.67.1.330-338.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Plasmid Transfer between Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis Strains in Laboratory Culture, River Water, and Dipteran Larvae

D. John I. Thomas,1 J. Alun W. Morgan,1,* John M. Whipps,1 and Jon R. Saunders2

Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Horticulture Research International, Wellesbourne, Warwick, CV35 9EF,1 and School of Biological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7BZ2, United Kingdom

Received 28 March 2000/Accepted 6 October 2000

Plasmid transfer between strains of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis was studied under a range of environmentally relevant laboratory conditions in vitro, in river water, and in mosquito larvae. Mobilization of pBC16 was detected in vitro at a range of temperatures, pH values, and available water conditions, and the maximum transfer ratio was 10-3 transconjugant per recipient under optimal conditions. Transfer of conjugative plasmid pXO16::Tn5401 was also detected under this range of conditions. However, a maximum transfer ratio of 1.0 transconjugant per recipient was attained, and every recipient became a transconjugant. In river water, transfer of pBC16 was not detected, probably as a result of the low transfer frequency for this plasmid and the formation of spores by the introduced donor and recipient strains. In contrast, transfer of plasmid pXO16::Tn5401 was detected in water, but at a lower transfer ratio (ca. 10-2 transconjugant per donor). The number of transconjugants increased over the first 7 days, probably as a result of new transfer events between cells, since growth of both donor and recipient cells in water was not detected. Mobilization of pBC16 was not detected in killed mosquito larvae, but transfer of plasmid pXO16::Tn5401 was evident, with a maximum rate of 10-3 transconjugant per donor. The reduced transfer rate in insects compared to broth cultures may be accounted for by competition from the background bacterial population present in the mosquito gut and diet or by the maintenance of a large population of B. thuringiensis spores in the insects.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Horticulture Research International, Wellesbourne, Warwick CV35 9EF, United Kingdom. Phone: 44 (0) 1789 470382. Fax: 44 (0) 1789 470552. E-mail: alun.morgan{at}hri.ac.uk.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, January 2001, p. 330-338, Vol. 67, No. 1
0099-2240/01/$04.00+0   DOI: 10.1128/AEM.67.1.330-338.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Timmery, S., Modrie, P., Minet, O., Mahillon, J. (2009). Plasmid Capture by the Bacillus thuringiensis Conjugative Plasmid pXO16. J. Bacteriol. 191: 2197-2205 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Jones, G. W., Nielsen-Leroux, C., Yang, Y., Yuan, Z., Dumas, V. F., Gomes Monnerat, R., Berry, C. (2007). A new Cry toxin with a unique two-component dependency from Bacillus sphaericus. FASEB J. 21: 4112-4120 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Pigott, C. R., Ellar, D. J. (2007). Role of Receptors in Bacillus thuringiensis Crystal Toxin Activity. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 71: 255-281 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sergeant, M., Baxter, L., Jarrett, P., Shaw, E., Ousley, M., Winstanley, C., Morgan, J. A. W. (2006). Identification, Typing, and Insecticidal Activity of Xenorhabdus Isolates from Entomopathogenic Nematodes in United Kingdom Soil and Characterization of the xpt Toxin Loci. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 5895-5907 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»