Megaplasmids in Gram-negative, moderately halophilic bacteria
Open Access
- 1 October 2003
- journal article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in FEMS Microbiology Letters
- Vol. 227 (1) , 81-86
- https://doi.org/10.1016/s0378-1097(03)00651-7
Abstract
We have discovered that many Halomonas species harbour large extrachromosomal DNA elements. Using currently available protocols it is technically very difficult to identify large plasmids in bacteria, and even more so when they are coated in mucous polysaccharide. We used culture conditions suitable for both halophilic and halophilic exopolysaccharide-producing bacteria and applied a modified gel electrophoresis method to locate and visualise the megaplasmids. Almost all the species of Halomonas studied harbour two plasmids of about 70 kb and 600 kb and some species carry other smaller extrachromosomal DNA elements. The common presence of these megaplasmids may well be related to the survival strategies of the bacteria in their special surroundings.Keywords
This publication has 36 references indexed in Scilit:
- Halomonas maura sp. nov., a novel moderately halophilic, exopolysaccharide-producing bacterium.International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 2001
- Evidence that a Linear Megaplasmid Encodes Enzymes of Aliphatic Alkene and Epoxide Metabolism and Coenzyme M (2-Mercaptoethanesulfonate) Biosynthesis in Xanthobacter Strain Py2Journal of Bacteriology, 2001
- High-Resolution Physical Map of the Sinorhizobium meliloti 1021 pSyma MegaplasmidJournal of Bacteriology, 2000
- Plasmids from Halomonas eurihalina, a microorganism which produces an exopolysaccharide of biotechnological interestFEMS Microbiology Letters, 1997
- Sizing chromosomes and megaplasmids in haloarchaeaMicrobiology, 1996
- Exopolysaccharide production byVolcaniella eurihalinaCellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 1993
- Characterization of a plasmid from moderately halophilic eubacteriaJournal of General Microbiology, 1992
- Occurrence of megaplasmids in halobacteriaJournal of Applied Bacteriology, 1986
- Visualization and exact molecular weight determination of a Rhizobium meliloti megaplasmidJournal of Molecular Biology, 1984
- Characteristics of the heterotrophic bacterial populations in hypersaline environments of different salt concentrationsMicrobial Ecology, 1981