ABSTRACT
Use of polymerase chain reaction helped to establish that the most frequent among naphthalene utilizing bacteria, isolated on the territory of Belarus, are Nah-plasmids of IncP-9 incompatibility group and those with indefinite systematic belonging. With the help of classical test of incompatibility, restriction and sequence analyses three new subgroups within the IncP-9 group were discovered (zeta, eta and IncP-9-like replicons). Conducting of restriction analysis for amplification products of nahG and nahAc genes allowed us to reveal, in addition to known sequences of stated determinants, two new types of nahG gene. Restriction analysis performed on amplification products of 16S RNA genes (ARDRA method) showed that native hosts of Nah-plasmids of IncP-9 group are not only fluorescent bacteria from genus Pseudomonas (P. fluorescens, P. putida, P. aeruginosa, P. species), but also non-fluorescent bacteria with indefinite specific belonging.
Subject(s)
Plasmids/genetics , Pseudomonas/genetics , Genes, Bacterial , Naphthalenes/metabolism , Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Polymorphism, Genetic , Pseudomonas/metabolism , RNA, Ribosomal, 16S , Replicon/genetics , Republic of Belarus , Restriction MappingABSTRACT
Sixty-three strains of bacteria capable of utilizing naphthalene as the sole source of carbon and energy were isolated from 137 samples of soil taken in different sites in Belarus. All isolated bacteria contained extrachromosomal genetic elements of 45 to 150 kb in length. It was found that bacteria of 31 strains contained the IncP-9 incompatibility group plasmids, bacteria of one strain carried a plasmid containing replicons IncP-9 and IncP-7, and bacteria of 31 strains contained unidentified plasmids. Primary identification showed that the hosts of plasmids of naphthalene biodegradation are fluorescent bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas (P. putida and P. aeruginosa; a total of 47 strains) and unidentified nonfluorescent microorganisms (a total of 16 strains). In addition to the ability to utilize naphthalene, some strains exhibited the ability to stimulate the growth and development of the root system of Secale cereale.
