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Screening for plasmids in the genus Clostridium

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Abstract

A plasmid screening was performed on 150 strains out of 75 clostridial species using a modification of the alkaline-lysis procedure. In 26 strains representing 21 species one or more plasmid bands were detected ranging in size from 3 to more than 100 kilobase pairs. Clostridium aceticum proved to contain a single small plasmid (pCA1) of 5.4 kbp as revealed by restriction analysis and electron microscopy. A physical map of pCA1 has been constructed. Spontaneous mutants of C. aceticum defective in autotrophic growth have been isolated. No direct correlation between plasmid content and autotrophy could be found.

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Abbreviations

EDTA:

ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

HEPES:

N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N′-2-ethane-sulfonic acid

TAE:

Trisacetate-EDTA

Tris:

tris-(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane

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Author notes

  1. C. -K. Lee

    Present address: Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, State University of New York at Stony Brook, 11794, New York, NY, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Mikrobiologie der Universität, Grisebachstr. 8, D-3400, Göttingen, Federal Republic of Germany

    C. -K. Lee, P. Dürre & G. Gottschalk

  2. Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen, Grisebachstr. 8, D-3400, Göttingen, Federal Republic of Germany

    H. Hippe

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  1. C. -K. Lee
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  2. P. Dürre
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  3. H. Hippe
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  4. G. Gottschalk
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Lee, C.K., Dürre, P., Hippe, H. et al. Screening for plasmids in the genus Clostridium . Arch. Microbiol. 148, 107–114 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425357

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00425357

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