
Role of starvation genes in the survival of deep subsurface bacterial communities. Final report
Author(s) -
А. Матин,
Thomas M. Schmidt,
Dave Bryson Caldwell
Publication year - 1998
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/674896
Subject(s) - pseudomonas putida , gene , mutant , transposon mutagenesis , biology , starvation , transposable element , bacteria , promoter , mutagenesis , microbiology and biotechnology , pseudomonas , genetics , gene expression , endocrinology
The investigation dealt with several aspects of subsurface bacterial survival and their nature. Mutants of Pseudomonas putida, a common environmental bacterium with counterparts in the subsurface, were isolated by transposon mutagenesis. These mutants were highly sensitive to starvation stress. Reporter gene fusions also showed that these genes were starvation genes since they were induced several fold when the cultures were started. Since the regulatory religions (promoters) of starvation genes are of interest in bioremediation and in experiments designed to understand the roles of starvation genes in the maintenance of microbial community structure, the promoter of one of these genes (pstarv1, contained in strain MK107) was characterized in detail. As a preliminary to these studies, the growth characteristics of Pseudomonas putida MK1 and MK107 were compared for cells growing in batch cultures or as an attached monolayer in microstat cultures