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Influence of glycine betaine on the transfer of plasmid RP4 between Escherichia coli strains in marine sediments
Author(s) -
Breittmayer Violetter A.,
Gauthier Michel J.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
letters in applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.698
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1472-765X
pISSN - 0266-8254
DOI - 10.1111/j.1472-765x.1990.tb00266.x
Subject(s) - plasmid , betaine , nice , escherichia coli , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , genetics , gene , biochemistry , computer science , programming language
The conjugative transfer of plasmid RP4 between two strains of Escherichia coli in a sterile marine sediment was enhanced by the presence of glycine betain (frequency increased 20 to 40 times). The conjugation was also faciliatated by the osmoprotection of donor cells. Glycine betaine is a universal osmolyte and has been found in marine sediments at hight concentrationS. So this phenomenon could have epidemiological and sanitary importance by increasing the possibility of dissemination of some plasmids present in enterobacteria in natural mairne deposits