Lethality and survival of Klebsiella oxytoca evoked by conjugative IncN group plasmids.

AUTOR(ES)

Rodríguez, M

RESUMO

The transmission of plasmid pCU1 (or other IncN group plasmid) into a population of Klebsiella oxytoca cells reduces the viability of the population. A 2,400-bp region adjacent to traA is responsible for this phenotype and includes two regions, called kikA and kikC. Klebsiella cells which received this region and survived were found to acquire a chromosomal mutation which renders them immune to killing even after the plasmid is cured from the cells. To obtain insight into the mode of this apparent lethality, an appropriate pCU1lacZ derivative was constructed. It could be introduced with high efficiency into Klebsiella cells. Analyses of the resultant colonies indicate that the loss of viability is not a consequence of the death of plasmid-free segregants. On the contrary and unlike postsegregational killing by plasmids, cells survived by losing the plasmid or by acquiring, secondarily, a chromosomal mutation which confers immunity to killing.

Documentos Relacionados

• Isolation and characterization of kikA, a region on IncN group plasmids that determines killing of Klebsiella oxytoca.
• Characterization of IS46, an insertion sequence found on two IncN plasmids.
• Transfer of IncN plasmids to Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
• General organization of the conjugal transfer genes of the IncW plasmid R388 and interactions between R388 and IncN and IncP plasmids.
• Genetic Analysis of the Mobilization and Leading Regions of the IncN plasmids pKM101 and pCU1