Expression of klebsiella his and nif genes in serratia marcescens, Erwinia herbicola and Proteus mirabilis

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Abstract
Plasmid pRD1, an R plasmid of the P incompatibility group which carries his and nif genes from Klebsiella pneumoniae in addition to drug resistance markers derived from RP4, was transferred to His- mutants of Serratia marcescens, Erwinia herbicola and Proteus mirabilis. His+ transconjugants were obtained at low but different frequencies according to recipient genus. Transconjugants all acquired the drug resistance, and were Nif+ in S. marcescens and E. herbicola, having acetylene-reducing activities of the same order of magnitude as the parent K. pneumoniae and fixing 15N2. No evidence for nif expression in P. mirabilis transconjugants was obtained though the nif genes were present.