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Persistence of the pBR 322 plasmid in Escherichia coli K 12 grown in chemostat cultures

  • Genetics and Molecular Biology
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Abstract

Populations of a Escherichia coli K 12 strain, containing the vector plasmid p BR 322, were grown in chemostat culture under glucose- and phosphatelimited conditions. Resistance to tetracycline and ampicillin were lost after prolonged cultivation, resulting in the production of apparent plasmid-free populations which were more competitive than the original population. This competitiveness between plasmid-free and plasmid-containing populations was greatest in environments where the nutrient restriction was severe. Also during sequential subcultivation in batch cultures loss of plasmid was observed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorium voor Microbiologie, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 127, 1018 WS, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    J. T. M. Wouters, F. L. Driehuis, P. J. Polaczek, Marie-Louise H. A. van Oppenraay & J. G. van Andel

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  1. J. T. M. Wouters
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  2. F. L. Driehuis
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  3. P. J. Polaczek
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  4. Marie-Louise H. A. van Oppenraay
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  5. J. G. van Andel
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Wouters, J.T.M., Driehuis, F.L., Polaczek, P.J. et al. Persistence of the pBR 322 plasmid in Escherichia coli K 12 grown in chemostat cultures. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 46, 353–362 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421982

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421982

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