Indigenous Plasmids from Phytopathogenic Corynebacterium Species

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Abstract
Efficient and reproducible cell lysis and the isolation of plasmid DNA from 9 phytopathogenic Corynebacterium spp. is described. One to three plasmids, ranging from 23-77 megadaltons, were recovered from each strain, as detected by comparative agarose gel electrophoresis. C. michiganense showed considerable plasmid diversity. Other species, such as C. nebraskense and C. insidiosum, did not. Bacteriocin production, colony morphology, pigmentation and virulence were not correlated with the presence of plasmids. Sedimentation through neutral and alkaline sucrose gradients and electrophoretic separation on agarose gels gave similar values for plasmid MW. Log-linear alkaline sucrose gradients proved useful for MW determinations and also for the isolation of purified plasmids on a preparative scale.