Transposition of a tetracycline-resistance determinant (Tn1523) and cointegration events mediated by the pIP231 plasmid in Escherichia coli.

A 10.8-kb transposable DNA sequence conferring resistance to tetracycline resides on the IncY Escherichia coli plasmid pIP231. This sequence, designated Tn1523, was shown to insert into different sites of the replicons of the IncY prophage P1Cm c1.100 and the IncI1 plasmid pIP112. This process is not dependent on the host recombination system recA. Genetic results indicate that Tn1523 transposition involves the formation of a cointegrate intermediate, either between pIP231 and P1Cm c1.100, or between pIP231 and pIP112. These intermediates were found to be resolved into donor and recipient plasmids, each harboring a copy of the Tn1523 transposon. A stable structure formed by fusion of the pIP231 plasmid with the pIP112 plasmid was also observed. This event occurs in the absence of the bacterial recA gene product and seems to involve a site-specific reciprocal recombination between "IS-like" elements.

Curing of P1 prophage from Escherichia coli K-12 recA(P1) lysogens superinfected with P1 bacteriophage.

Curing of the P1 plasmid prophage in recA(P1) lysogens by superinfection with another P1 phage was specific and independent of immunity and incompatibility expression.

Parameters controlling interbacterial plasmid spreading in a gnotoxenic chicken gut system: influence of plasmid and bacterial mutations.

Conjugative transfer of R plasmids R64 and R64drd-11 has been compared in vitro and in vivo without selective pressure by antibiotics in a simplified experimental system; the ecosystem was the bowel of germfree chickens, with the host bacteria almost isogenic, and the plasmids differing only in their conjugative transfer frequency. The spread of repressed and derepressed (drd) R plasmids in recipient bacterial populations was very extensive. The repressed phenotype had only a transient effect during the first 4 h. The level of implantation of the donor bacterial population seems to be of minor importance. Only with a poor recipient (con strain) could the spread of R plasmids be reduced and a steady state with a predominantly sensitive bacterial population be established. It is suggested that this steady state results from an equilibrium between the frequencies of R plasmid transfer and loss.

Studies of a plasmid coding for tetracycline resistance and hydrogen sulfide production incompatible with the prophage P1.

The plasmid pIP231, determining tetracycline resistance and hydrogen sulfide production is shown to belong to incompatibility group Y and to code for a restriction and modification system. Unlike the IncY plasmids, P7 and P15B, plasmid pIP231 shows only little genetic and physical homology with P1 prophage.

A model for plasmid maintenance of bacteriophage P1.

Studies of the stability of P1 plasmid in a P1 cry Escherichia coli lysogen have suggested a model for equipartition of plasmid copies. Equipartition might be controlled by the detachment of P1 copies after replication, followed by their reattachment to membrane sites, in coordination with bacterial division.

Maintenance of bacteriophage P1 plasmid.

Three mutants of bacteriophage P1 affected in their ability to maintain the lysogenic state stably are described here. These mutants were normal in lytic growth, but lysogenic derivatives segregated nonlysogens at abnormally high rates (1 to 30% per division). Cells harboring these mutant prophages were elongated or filamentous. The mutations responsible for this prophage instability fell into two classes on the bases of their genetic location, their effect on the ability to lysogenize recA bacteria, and their suppressibility by ant mutations eliminating antirepressor activity. The two mutants that were able to form recA lysogens showed the same prophage instability and partial inhibition of cell division in recA as in rec+ lysogens. The fact that plasmid-linked mutations can cause prophage instability suggests that P1 codes for at least some of the functions determining its own autonomy and segregation.