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Transfer of conjugative plasmid pAMβ1 from Lactococcus lactis to mouse intestinal bacteria
Author(s) -
Igimi S.,
Ryu C.H.,
Park S.H.,
Sasaki Y.,
Sasaki T.,
Kumagai S.
Publication year - 1996
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.1996.tb00023.x
Subject(s) - lactococcus lactis , enterococcus faecalis , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , plasmid , streptococcaceae , biology , lactococcus , enterococcus , staphylococcus aureus , antibiotics , lactic acid , dna , biochemistry , genetics
Conjugal transfer of plasmid pAMβ1 from Lactococcus lactis to intestinal bacteria of BALB/c mice was studied. Plasmid transfer was observed to Enterococcus faecalis in vitro by a filter mating method with transfer frequencies of 2.3 × 10 −3 and with lower frequencies to other species. In vivo , using gastric intubation with the pAMβ1‐bearing Lactococcus lactis as donor and Ent. faecalis as recipient, a few transconjugants were detected from faecal Ent. faecalis . However, when these mice were given erythromycin through drinking water, a large number of conjugated Ent. faecalis were detected in faeces. Plasmid transfer to Ent. faecalis occurred at high frequency, 1.2 × 10 −3 , in mice whose anus was artificially closed after gastric intubation with pAMβ1‐bearing Lactococcus lactis . These results demonstrate clearly that pAMβ1 transfer occurs between Gram‐positive bacteria in the gut of mice harbouring many species of bacteria.