Open AccessMobilization of a recombinant nonconjugative plasmid at the interface between wastewater and the marine coastal environment
Author(s) -
Lebaron Ph.,
Batailler N.,
Baleux B.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.1994.tb00230.x
Subject(s) - biology , plasmid , recombinant dna , wastewater , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , microcosm , microorganism , mobilization , aquatic ecosystem , ecology , habitat , ecosystem , dna , environmental engineering , genetics , gene , history , archaeology , engineering
The ability of aquatic bacteria isolated from habitats around the outlet of treated wastewater in a coastal marine ecosystem to mobilize the nonconjugative recombinant plasmid pCE328 was studied. A total of 208 strains were screened for their large plasmid content; 51 strains carried at least one large plasmid. Of these, 6 strains from wastewater and 8 from the marine environment were able to mobilize pCE328. Mobilizing strains were isolated from all habitats, and the majority belonged to the genus Aeromonas . The frequencies of mobilization in plate mating experiments ranged from 2 × 10 −7 to 4.4 × 10 −5 per donor at 15°C and 20°C. Mobilization occurred at lower frequencies in microcosm experiments. The results suggest that recombinant DNA released at such interfaces may be transferred rapidly to the autochtonous populations through several bacterial species.